How does coolant recovery tank work?

How does coolant recovery tank work?

The job of the recovery/reservoir tank is to hold the coolant that is discharged from the systems pressure relief when the coolant is hot and expanding. When the system cools, the cooling affect creates a vacuum that pulls this coolant back into the system.

Can a catch can be used with an expansion tank?

In this case, a catch can or overflow can be used with the expansion tank to recapture expelled coolant. Once the system balances out, you should not have to add additional coolant. The expansion tank also has a connection to the cooling system through a by-pass or a heater hose.

Why is there no coolant in the expansion tank?

I traced it down to the hose between the radiator and expansion tank. It acted like a check valve. The coolant would be forced into the tank, but the vacuum created when the radiator cooled could not pull the coolant into the radiator. $2 worth of tubing and clamps and 10 minutes labor fixed the problem.

What’s the difference between an overflow tank and an expansion tank?

A system with an overflow will have a vented radiator cap, and usually a sealed reservoir cap. The reservoir is never under steam pressure, which allows the coolant to return via atmospheric pressure. Some manufacturers and websites will confuse the overflow reservoir for the expansion tank, but the two perform very different functions.

Where is the expansion tank on a Morgan?

The radiator is filled to the bottom of the filler neck and the expansion tank is filled about one half full. The use of this system will add about one pint of coolant to the system, not normally an significant amount. After 200,000 Morgan miles of experience, I tend to favor an expansion tank.

What’s the difference between a recovery tank and an expansion tank?

One of the easiest ways to differentiate between an expansion tank and a recovery tank is whether the tank is part of the pressurized part of the coolant system or not. Expansion Tank Set Up: An expansion tank is part of the pressurized section of the coolant system. An expansion tank can easily be recognized by the neck and cap used.

When to use an expansion tank in a cooling system?

An expansion tank is designed so there is space in the tank for the coolant to expand. If an expansion tank is overfilled it will discharge coolant when the system is at operating temperature. An expansion tank can also be used as a fill point for the system.

Why do you need a coolant recovery tank?

When the system cools, the cooling affect creates a vacuum that pulls this coolant back into the system. A coolant recovery/reservoir tank gives the system the ability to discharge and recharge coolant when needed to maintain the appropriate pressure.

Do you need a pressure relieving cap for an expansion tank?

When an expansion tank is used the radiator doesn’t require a pressure relieving cap. The expansion tanks cap will perform the duties that the cap on the radiator traditionally did.