Hey NovaGuys & NovaChicks,

i'm thinking of making my own coolant recovery system. i have some 4" x .125 aluminum tubing that i could have welded up for the recovery can but now i'm thinking of using (please don't laugh) a fire extinguisher. the extinguisher is an aluminum cylinder that has what looks like a 1/2" pipe plug in the top for the handle. i unscrewed it and dumped the chemical in my dumpster and washed it out. i thought a couple aluminum bungs welded to it and it would work fine... one on the top for the overflow and two on the sides for a sight tube...

any thoughts on this ??? has anyone ever used an extinguisher canister for a recovery can before ???


JR

I use an aluminum hiking bottle that I picked up at a yardsale for a buck. Really light, and mine is anodized red too. Not a great picture of it, but you can see it in the upper left:

http://www.bracketracer.com/nova/cpplca/cpplca728.jpg


Like below, only without the logo:

http://media.rei.com/media/695244Lrg.jpg

Why Not! I have seen mini Heineken beer kegs, brass Spitoons, beer bottles, and milk jugs used so have at it.

Big Dave

do you guys feel it necessary to have a bung welded on the top for a fill location or do you think the vacuum created will take care of that ??? it's supposed to be a closed system where you'd fill from the recovery tank, right ??? so would that "really" make a difference ???

Thanks ;)

It is not air tight. It has to be vented to allow the hot coolant to expand into the container. Like wise if it were air tight the radiator couldn't suck it back into the tank when it cools.

Big Dave

yes, understood... so actually i can still fill the radiator from the rad cap and not worry about filling/topping off etc at recovery can ???

thanks again ;)

So long as it doesn't over flow in the process yes. Most GM plastic cans have a straw feeding coolant into the bottom below the "cold" level to absorb the shock of the steam when the radiator vents.

Big Dave

i was going to "feed" the bottle from the bottom and vent/overflow at the top...

that be OK ???

Any container would work, the fire extinguisher would be kinda cool.

I have one on the El Camino and another for the Nova. Both are polished aluminum with a fill cap on the top and 2 pipes entering thru the bottom. One pipe is 2" up from the bottom of the can, the other runs to within 2" of the top. The short one is the radiator connection and the tall one is the vent.

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/64elcamino/77%20Nova%20project/cooling/P1010004.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/64elcamino/77%20Nova%20project/cooling/P1010005.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/64elcamino/77%20Nova%20project/cooling/P1010006.jpg

what's the fluid capacity on that unit ???

looks OK, maybe i'll check into one of those. ;)

10" tall x 3" in diameter. Give me a minute to find my Uglies book and I'll figure out the volume.

why not jus posom watainit ??? :rolleyes:

About a quart and a half.

Volume = area of end (Area = 3.1416x radius x radius) x height

Volume = 4.7124 x 10
Volume = 47.12

why not jus posom watainit ???
It has holes in it :rolleyes:

why not jus posom watainit ??? :rolleyes:

38 oz to the top, a quart to the top of the vent tube.

Geez I wonder what the 47.12 is, apparently not ounces. Maybe Big Dave can tell me

Area is a piece of cake, or maybe it was pi r squared, times the height, Since the area of the bottom of the can (according to Philip, I didn't calculate it) is 4.7124 square inches, times the 10 inch height for 47.124 cubic inches. Now you have to look up the conversion factor for converting cubic inches to fluid ounces.

Big Dave

hehehe all dem "SIENTIFIK" numbers and dey don't mean SQUAT !!! ;)

Thanks Philip... wanna send me the link on it too ??? ;)

Geez son what happened your google fingers broke ;)

I purchased it from Frank at GP SuperStores (a sponsor) when I bought the radiator for the Nova. I would think Summit, Jegs or a local speed shop would have one.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CSI%2D931B&N=700+115&autoview=sku



Stop trying to hack one up and get on the phone and order this!

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=BCI%2D70050&N=700+115&autoview=sku

I'm sorry John you wanted one with a removable top!

Dave... yer such a peter. tell Melissa ta SMACK YA for me :eek:

:D

Here ya go John. Just like mine :)

Trans-Dapt Performance Products (http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=TRD%2D9911&N=700+115&autoview=sku)

hehehe i changed my mind... i don't like it :eek: :rolleyes:

what can i say ??? i like that $400.00 one Dave posted.


ummm... can ya spare a dime for a cuppa joe ??? :eek: ;) :D

FoMoCo used a rubber baggy on my 64 thunderbird that im rat roddin'...
think a fire extinguisher would look better.... or even...


http://www.colemans.com/ordnance.htm

a little welding... gov't stamps... :D

FoMoCo used a rubber baggy on my 64 thunderbird that im rat roddin'...
think a fire extinguisher would look better.... or even...


http://www.colemans.com/ordnance.htm

a little welding... gov't stamps... :D

HA !!! :thumbsup: :D

on the '65 LongRoof i had, one of those items would've been perfect ;) i was using a Bud can from the early '60's... steel can with the pull ring. and yeah the extinguisher would've been cool too. on this car i've decided to trash the extinguisher idea though. the bottle looks fine i just can't get past the top. just doesn't look right. i spent a few hours on it today and it's all lookin' great... but i just can't do it for this project. i'm gonna stash it in my shop for the next RatRod though ;)

i'm looking right now at the Moroso 63660 http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&searchinresults=false&N=700+115&Ntt=63660


i just hate the thought of that much $$$ for a stupid recovery can :(

I see Al U minimum ones at the L.B. swap meet for about $35 all the time. Pollished ones too.
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n244/pukegreen71/IMG_0557.jpg

I used a plastic water bottle a couple weeks ago with a peice of shiny black hose to pass teck at the track it looked great i think I'll market it but I'll make you one for free if want Shifty:D