Yesterday I installed a coolant recovery tank on the '76 Maverick (which has a I-6 200 engine). It's a Jaz model with the inlet at the bottom, and I installed it the same as many other members have done on this board. There has been a lot of discussion about getting the right radiator cap to work with a "recirculating" system. I went to my local NAPA Auto parts store and described what I had done and what I was looking for, and they had no clue whether or not the cap they had listed in the parts book would make the system suck the coolant back into the radiator after it cooled down. So, I bought the cap they had listed, which was a 13 pound cap. When I got home, I noticed the current cap that's on the car is a 16 pound cap, and it looks to be factory (says Motorcraft on it). Also, the cap mentions checking fluid in the recovery tank (or something close, can't remember the exact wording) so I wonder if the cap I already have is fine? From reading other threads, it's been said that "factory" caps were 13 pounds, did they change that in the later years? Any suggestions on the subject....? Art
I'm running a polished stainless overflow tank on mine but I don't think any fluid has ever even gone into it. My cap is a chrome plated one and I really don't even remember what pound it is. My car has never had an overheating problem (185 max) so the fact that the overflow doesn't get any action doesn't bother me. I figure if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
"I figure if it ain't broke, don't fix it." I agree, and I also have not had any problems. I'm just adding a few things that I think are a good idea to prevent any "headaches" before they happen. I'm also thinking about adding a radiator shroud... again, just something that I believe is a good thing to have on there. As far as the overflow tank goes, I like to do the job right the first time...
I looked at the cap again last night. It says... Motorcraft RS-60 16 LBS. Check Coolant level in Bottle I find it odd that it says "Check Coolant level in Bottle" since these cars did not come from the factory with a recovery bottle!
The cap was replaced with a recovery style cap sometime In the past. The stock cap would be a 13 lb non recovery cap.
I would not worry about it. The system should hold the additional 3 lbs of pressure and it will increase the boiling point of the coolant roughly 10 degrees.
I once read somewhere that non recovery systems run low in the radiator and that that is the way they are. When I was looking into that I discovered that my radiator would stay at the same leval. I would fill it full, run it, and it would spit out the same every time. I stoped filling it and it would stay at the same leval. It never overheated.Maybe a recovery bottle would capture the fluid that was spitting out and it would get sucked back in as it cools...?
Hmmm, does your Jazz bottle have a dip tube in it? mine is just an overflow, it doesn't have a dip tube so it can suck it back into the system.
You should not run a recovery cap without the recovery tank. Our cars don't need the recovery cap - Use the right cap.
The tank in the picture is a recovery style unit. The non-recovery unit has a shut off valve on the bottom for draining. He has the right cap.
When you shut an engine off it will get hotter then when it was running. Heat soak. If your rad was full, this is when you will loose water if you were running at a normal temp before. That overflow tank will collect it. As the engine cools a vacuum in the system draws the water back in the radiator IF you have the corrct cap.
