Header Tank: which one to choose ?

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:56 am

Hi all,

a quick question : My header tank has to be replaced (it leaks from the bottom through a rusted crack). What would be the best option in your opinion : Steel, aluminium or brass ?

Also, any pointers how I best go aboutstep by step for replacing the old by the new one are more then welcome
many thx for any advice
cheers
Erik

Post by **Heuer** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:05 am

Erik

I have a curved alloy tank from here: http://www.cambridgemotorsport.com/Cool ... ader-Tanks

Absolutely gorgeous to look at and I think the curved top seems more in keeping with the cam covers and bonnet. They do conventional square ones as well if you want to be more original. Easy to fit once you have drained down the system.

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:23 am

David,

it does look georgeous ! I am still hesitating keeping the look "original" but it doe look good. Could you possibly post/email a picture of your header tank mounted ?

Does alloy combine best of brass and steel, i.e. no rust and strong enough or am I wrong ?

many thx
cheers
Erik

Post by **Heuer** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:45 pm

Erik

Alloy has the benefit of being lighter than brass/steel and obviously resistant to rust. Other than that no real difference, but it does polish up nicely to match the cam shaft covers 8) So go with whatever you feel suits your needs - it is easily reversible so you could put the car back to original if you wanted to. My car is STILL (?!) with CMC so here is an older picture:

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 12:50 pm

David,

many thx . it dos look great indeed. choices choices ...

bye the way, meanwhile, can I still drive the car and can I get a quick fix for it while waiting for the new header tank. I have driven it once and all went very well . Only when it was stopped, the water came pouring out a bit.

Or is it not good for the engine/dirt in water etc. ???

a impatient driver : )
cheers
Erik

Post by **1954Etype** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 1:27 pm

Erikantwerp wrote:David,

many thx . it dos look great indeed. choices choices ...

bye the way, meanwhile, can I still drive the car and can I get a quick fix for it while waiting for the new header tank. I have driven it once and all went very well . Only when it was stopped, the water came pouring out a bit.

Or is it not good for the engine/dirt in water etc. ???

a impatient driver : )
cheers
Erik

Erik

I have always used the original type (call me old fashioned) but whenever I bought a new one, I always poured either POR15 or thinned down hammerite inside it. Never had a problem. Don't know if it would work with an older one that had rust inside it though.

Post by **Heuer** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 1:50 pm

Erik

Should be OK to drive but worrying in traffic! A temporary solution, although one the factory did as standard, would be to add some Bar's Leaks to the coolant.
http://www.barsleaks.net/how2works.html
http://www.barsproducts.com/C16_R6.htm

Jaguar added two packs to each new car.

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:49 pm

Dear both,

many thx for your help. Very useful indeed. I will now pounder on what decision I will take regarding the tank and fix it sometime in the next weeks;

cheers
Erik

Larry Wade · Post by **Larry Wade** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:36 am

The aluminum tanks by Cambridge motorsports are the first ones I've seen that look correct (the rectangular ones anyway). The round tank is very much a matter of taste. However 225 pounds is a lot of money!!

Other companies make really squared off aluminum tanks. They are less expensive but really ugly in my opinion.

The steel ones available today seem to rust pretty quickly. I regret having replaced my original one with a steel one (it is the cheapest option however).

The next time around I'll buy brass. The cost is between the other two. It won't rust. I have heard of a couple that developed leaks at the seam after a couple decades..but they can be resoldered.

Best regards,

Larry

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:31 am

Larry,

many thx for your insigths. When you are saying that the steel ones rust, how long do they generally last before they start rusting, i.E. are we talking about + 5 years or sooner ?

cheers
Erik

Post by **Heuer** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:01 pm

Erik

The steel ones start to rust fairly quickly unless you do what Angus suggests and swill the inside with some POR15 petrol tank sealant: http://tinyurl.com/2p2b89 But by the time you have bought the steel tank, paid for the sealant and messed about doing the job (and it is a messy job to seal them) you might as well bite the bullet and buy the Cambridge Motorsports alloy one. If you check out the SNG alloy ones you will see they are almost four times the price of the CMS ones: http://tinyurl.com/dmc878 at ?886! The SNG brass ones are ?237 and they don't list a steel one for the 4.2

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 3:44 pm

David,

many thx. I am still in limbo but I do believe SNG offers a steel one for 4.2 at about 90-100 GBP

However, I am currently doubting between "original" steel with precautions, brass one or alloy one.

cheers
Erik

Larry Wade · Post by **Larry Wade** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:53 am

Hi Erik,

I think that I started noticing rust inside my new steel header tank about a year after installation (for sure it was obvious 2 years after). I was pretty disappointed!

Larry

Erikantwerp · Post by **Erikantwerp** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:53 am

Larry,

many thx for your feedback. Two years indeed is very short...

cheers
Erik

Moeregaard · Post by **Moeregaard** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:57 pm

Two years is about all I ever get out of a steel header tank. I wouldn't mind so much if they hadn't gotten so expensive.

MarkE · Post by **MarkE** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:42 pm

Do you guys in California use antifreeze or any sort of rust inhibitor in your coolant syatem? I've never thought of a coolant tank as a maintenance item, and with a two year life it seems as though the product is unfit for purpose.

Post by **Heuer** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:53 pm

Mark

The problem seems to be the header tank is never full to the top and although the coolant contains an inhibitor the evaporate does not. Steam plus air plus regular changes in temperature do not go well with steel - hence the preference for brass or alloy replacement tanks. So the untreated steel ones are a 'maintenance' item unfortunately. Steel radiators do not suffer as much as they are not internally exposed to air. But if you really want the original E-Type experience (and maintenance!) go with mild steel.

MarkE · Post by **MarkE** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:06 pm

I can't remember what mine is now, but time will tell! It is already about 10 years old, but I guess not having been used doesn't count.

I seem to remember that the otter switch is pretty close to the top, which must affect the cooling efficiency if the tank is only half full. I'll give it all a stern looking at when the car comes home!

Post by **Heuer** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:30 pm

It is only half full when the engine is not running at normal temperature - it is an expansion tank after all.

Moeregaard · Post by **Moeregaard** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:40 pm

Most of the guys I know in California use the typical 50/50 mix of water and glycol (Prestone, Peak, Etc.). It's important to use an antifreeze that is alloy-compatible, but I believe most now are.

Some of the Austin-Healey guys over here are using water with Water Wetter added, without any glycol, but they don't have that really expensive alloy cylinder head to worry about.

The mild-steel header tank is another example of Jaguar "going on the cheap" when sourcing components.

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