Fitted A Header Tank

[XFSTag]

Had a busy couple of weeks on the Stag with various jobs underway as parts arrived I had ordered.

Managed to fit my header tank and change the fuel lines for braided hoses, even managed to get some which were colour coded to the car

Header tank I got off fleabay for 99p which is from a ford cosworth, it's a bit coloured from use but perfectly sound for this trial. Manufactured some homemade brackets to hold that. Then found local silicone hose supplier who made up the various hoses needed and supplied me with ally joiners and some good clamps. All in I reckon it's cost me £45-50. I used for the test some old hoses to splice in the tee's for now and think I will now swap them all for silicone as the local chap is so helpful and has offered to make them up. I know a lot of folks don't like the blue hose but I think it looks tidy and my car is far from original tbh. I have also fitted a new sender unit from ld parts.

Outcome is now a temp gauge that sits under halfway and after a few days of testing I have a header tank that fills the system with no airlocks, and is so far holding a constant level. It's been on a week now and nothing has changed. I did the conversion without making any changes which couldn't be returned should I want to and just blocked off the overflow with a bolt wrapped in ptfe and clamped in. Left the overflow bottle in place. Next job is to see if I can fit a water level float. I have seen some which seal and could be used so may investigate that. However a quick look is all that's needed now to see there's water in the tank, so no having to take the stopper out! Also if I want to whip it off for getting at anything it's two bolts, but to be honest you could get the plugs out without moving it..



Fuel lines are routed slightly differently, a:as the header tank now sits there and b: as I didnt want to run the stainless braided hose across the cam covers. Since having the fuel pipe give up the ghost I have been a bit nervous of making sure this stuff can take the hammer, hence going the braided route and some decent clamps and ends.




I think it looks nice and tidy and does the job on both counts. Cheers Glyn

[Guest]

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Neat job that. I intend doing mine over the winter.

Jason

[cosmicwheels]

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Very neat job ,could you tell me why you tee off the what i think is a heater hose? Cheers John

[alan230752]

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SNAP
although teed off from new connection in bottom of radiator

[XFSTag]

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Thanks guys

TBH it was looking at the pictures of many of your installations that gave me a clear picture of what to do. I think if I change the rad I would do like yours Alan. I would then add the sensor for the fan in the top hose. As it is I was looking for a way to do the job which was reversible if it didn't work. I actually printed the various pictures off to show the chap for the hoses.

As far as the tee off the heaterhose connection, it works well and the system fills completely from the header with no airlocks or issues.There are few other alternatives and I didn't want to use the overflow which is now blocked off.

One thing I am pleased with is seeing that the level has stayed constant for over a week now. Mycar always seems to spew out a lot of watery stufffrom the exhaust when I start it up and I frankly was worried the head gasket was on the way! Butas I can actually see the water level accurately now is has given me more confidence in the engine being sound! And the top hose is full of water !

I do like these silicone hoses, they make a nice job of it and will take a bit more hammer than the rubber ones. I plan to change the others now.

Cheers

Glyn

[flying farmer]

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cosmicwheels wrote:

Very neat job ,could you tell me why you tee off the what i think is a heater hose? Cheers John

I have done the same thing with all three of my stag engines, it gets the water back to the inlet of the water pump without having to modify the radiator, and the pressure differential across the radiator means there is a constant flow through the header tank which brings out any air in the top hose.

Neil

[alistair260661]

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i can understand the purpose of this mod, but I can't quite understand what you have done - cut which hosepipe where? - inserted what t piece (where do you get them from?), blocked off what where?

Any chance of you doing a drawing before and after? and a few detail pictures?

[alan230752]

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my water pump is external(stagdads kit)
topped up system once since done which was 5 months ago

alan

[V Mad]

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flying farmer wrote:

cosmicwheels wrote:

Very neat job ,could you tell me why you tee off the what i think is a heater hose? Cheers John

I have done the same thing with all three of my stag engines, it gets the water back to the inlet of the water pump without having to modify the radiator, and the pressure differential across the radiator means there is a constant flow through the header tank which brings out any air in the top hose.

Neil

I use the same connection points too. The tee off the top hose is the high pressure point which pumps any trapped air and a small flow of coolant to the tank. The return from the tank goes to the intake of the water pump (where the heater return connects to),mainlybecause this is easy to plumb into; just cut outa small peice of the U shaped hose, and fita 19mmtee into it.This pointis also good because it isthe lowest pressure point, and therefore will readily draw coolant fom the tank as required. This works well and there is no need to modify the radiator.