Coolant expansion tank location - does this look OK?

[beeman]

Going with airbox on driver's side, looking for an expansion tank (MyRaceShop kit) location on the passenger side. I'm not running any tank up front. How does this location look? My heater core will be behind the passenger seat in the cockpit. Will triangulate square tube off the square tubing behind the firewall to mount it. The only interference I see is that I'll have to unbolt the coolant tank in the rare event I need to pull the PCM. I like that this puts things on the same side as the water pump. I can remove the cap in its current location, or I could space it forward some. I think it's plenty high?

[beeman]

Will the open hatch block access? How do I know how high the tank needs to be?

[jamesfr58]

I have mine mounted on the drivers side in about the same location as you are showing to keep it above the engine and allow the air to escape so hopefully there is no trapped air in head and no hot spots. My radiator has the two small line connections on the upper passenger side to connect to the original corvette radiator and I thought about closing them off or just looping a small hose form one to the other but in the end installed a second tank with a sight glass up front connected to the two openings. It is installed above the radiator and below the height of the back tank so it allows me to see the level of coolant without having to open the back tank. Not sure how access to the back tank opening will be but believe it will not interfere with the hatch or body in its current location. Might have to get creative when it comes to adding to the system as coolant will need to be added at the back tank but will deal with that when body is on frame.

IMG_1620.jpg
Back Tank

IMG_1620.jpg
Front Tank

[beeman]

That looks great, James. I'm almost ashamed to post pictures of my chassis/shop when yours look like the McLaren factory.
With the rear tank, I'm going to run petcocks on my radiators up front, bleed them at initial purge then occasionally.
Has anyone placed the rear coolant tank on the passenger side? I don't recall seeing one there yet. Is that because the PCM is there? For me it makes sense since the heater ports on the water pump are right there?

[Shoeless]

I think the logic of putting it on the passenger side being close to your water pump ports and your heater core location behind the passenger seat makes perfect sense. You are cutting down on hose runs that take up valuable space for other things.

My only thought is filling the tank, not that it can't be done, you just might have to get creative. I'm thinking if you are out cruising and for some reason you need to add coolant. It may be difficult in that location.

[Roger Reid]

As long as the location puts it above the motor your fine. Mine is high mounted on the drivers side. I have no tank up front. Never had a problem.

[beeman]

How do you determine 'high enough'? Is the steam vent the highest part of the LS cooling system? Is there a rule of thumb for height of the tank? For more than 1 reason, I'd like to have it at the low end of "enough" rather than just stick it as high as the body allows me to.

[VRaptor SpeedWorks, LLC]

Yeah, as long as the coolant level in the tank is higher than the top of the heads, you'll be fine.....looks like in the photos, the bottom of the tank is even higher than the top of the heads, so you could safely lower the tank quite a few inches and still be fine.

[crash]

as long as the location puts it above the motor your fine. Mine is high mounted on the drivers side. I have no tank up front. Never had a problem.

this.

[jamesfr58]

Agree it does not have to have the bottom of the tank above the head steam vent level, mine is lower on the frame but still has liquid level in the tank higher than the steam vent level of the heads.