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Aluminum Coolant Bottle- Renix

S

Spearfisher XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
SoCal/Maritime Academy
Looking for the Source of the Aluminum coolant bottles for Renix era Jeeps.

I searched but I can't find them anymore.

Thinking about Tig'n up my own out of some 1/4 aluminum plate I have, but I was seeing how I should incorporate a level or sight glass into it? I was thinking about threading in two stainless elbows top and bottom, and having a piece of clear rubber/plastic hose as a sight glass? What do you guys think?

Blake
 
Spearfisher XJ said:
Looking for the Source of the Aluminum coolant bottles for Renix era Jeeps.

I searched but I can't find them anymore.

Thinking about Tig'n up my own out of some 1/4 aluminum plate I have, but I was seeing how I should incorporate a level or sight glass into it? I was thinking about threading in two stainless elbows top and bottom, and having a piece of clear rubber/plastic hose as a sight glass? What do you guys think?

Blake
Click to expand...
I have one on my '89 and love it. I used to blow bottles or caps on a pretty regular basis.

Not sure exactly which I have, but it looks like the Mac tank
http://macsradiatorshop.com/surge-overflow-tanks/replacment-jeep-radiator-fill-tanks.html

Thread about i:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=955421


I dont recall mine being $130, but its been several years, so prices have either gone up, or my memory has started to fade.



You can always add in a sight glass, but I would worry about the plastic tubing not holding the pressure. It takes ~2 seconds to check your tank, no need to add a sight IMO.
 
Those are a great solution IF you plan to stay with the closed system down the road.

I'm running a plastic Chinese bottle with a Stant Volvo cap on it with zero problems.
 
I had that same set up joe and after a few years the bottles always seem to develop hairline cracks and eventually leak.
 
I put a Mac's bottle in my 1990 over the summer. Works fine.

coolant_bottle.jpg
 
1990JEEPXJ said:
I had that same set up joe and after a few years the bottles always seem to develop hairline cracks and eventually leak.
Click to expand...

Understand, however I believe those cracks were caused by the "normal" pressure bottle caps impacting the underside of the hood--look for the "ring" in the paint.

My plan is to eventually go to an open system when I have to replace my closed radiator. Down the road there will be fewer and fewer closed system radiators for the XJ as they were only for the early years and limited demand will either cause the price to skyrocket or they will simply be obsolete.
 
joe_peters said:
Understand, however I believe those cracks were caused by the "normal" pressure bottle caps impacting the underside of the hood--look for the "ring" in the paint.

My plan is to eventually go to an open system when I have to replace my closed radiator. Down the road there will be fewer and fewer closed system radiators for the XJ as they were only for the early years and limited demand will either cause the price to skyrocket or they will simply be obsolete.
Click to expand...

You can keep the closed system, Renix bottle, Volvo cap and lower running coolant pressure and use an open system radiator with a 16 lb cap that never opens on the radiator. The trick is the air in the bottle on the high pressure side. Air is compressible, liquid is not. Mine never gets over about 8 psi at 210 F on the high pressure side (The coolant pump outlet side feeding the radiator).

I added an open system radiator cap inline filler neck to upper radiator hose of mine, and with a 16 lb cap it has never opened in 24 months, and two summers in 105 F heat waves at 95% humidity in bumper to bumper traffic in Houston with the AC on max.

The China plastic bottles are 3 years old now, volvo cap and a brass 3/8" pipe nipple added to the bottom hose nipple to stiffen it. I have the 3 year old China bottle, Volvo cap, stock height bottle tray, and brass nipple incert on my 87 and 89 Renix rigs. Neither show any signs of impending failure.
 
i was thinking of making one of those aluminum bottles for mine the last time my plastic bottle cracked. but i had a spare to run for the time being so i ended up cutting and fabricating the bottle bracket to sit a good inch and half lower. seems to work great. i think Ecomike may be correct when he says the problem with the plastic bottle is when they hit the hood and cannot expand like they are meant to. if youy have the means to fabricate the bracket, do so. all that said, i will still eventually make an aluminum bottle, but atleast i am not in a hurry to do so.
 
If you switch to the volvo cap you do not need to lower the bracket. The volvo cap is not as tall, and solves the hood crushing the bottle problem.
 
The plastic ones have a lifetime warranty but If you get tired of carrying a spare I could understand spending the 130$
 
For those that are using the volvo cap, have a PN or year/model of specific vehicle it was used on?
 
Well, I have had it with POS plastic tanks. I'm running the Volvo cap and the last tank (Dorman) is cracking at 6 months. The one before lasted one year.

Ordered a Mac's aluminum tank today. I've had my Jeep since 87 and should have done this in 89:) It never overheats, so all I can figure is the cheap Chinese crap is getting crapier!
 
Interesting this came about today. My (what looks like) Original bottle finally decided to crack and spray fluid everywhere. Thankfully, I got another one with some parts I bought off another member couple months back. Future plans involve a GM LSx V8 swap, so the bottle will go away eventually.
 
I think it has been at least 4 years now since I solved the Renix bottle problem on both my 87 and 89.
 
Ecomike: I saw your "fix" of putting a brass nipple inside the plastic bottom nipple of the
Renix tank. How does this prevent cracking of the tank? My current tank is cracking on the top side. I never had a leak at the nipple, always some where else. Thanks!
 
GregGA said:
Ecomike: I saw your "fix" of putting a brass nipple inside the plastic bottom nipple of the
Renix tank. How does this prevent cracking of the tank? My current tank is cracking on the top side. I never had a leak at the nipple, always some where else. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Greg, they all crack there after a year or two. chinese crap is all that's available anymore. Just replaced both of mine last week. Lifetime warranty from Napa.........
 
Thanks Cruiser. I bought mine from Rockauto and didn't want to spend the effort packing and paying to ship it back, and do it again every year. NAPA was an option I didn't think about. At least they would be local. IIRC the original tank lasted 15-20years.
 
GregGA said:
Thanks Cruiser. I bought mine from Rockauto and didn't want to spend the effort packing and paying to ship it back, and do it again every year. NAPA was an option I didn't think about. At least they would be local. IIRC the original tank lasted 15-20years.
Click to expand...

Yup. We should keep our eyes peeled for a bottle off some high end European car at the JY.
 
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