Cool/Heat: Radiator overflow on 56 Power Hawk

[56 Power Hawk]

I noticed that my 56 Power Hawk does not have an overflow bottle from the radiator. Is this correct? There is an overflow tube that just goes down the side of the radiator and empties onto the ground. Should there be an overflow bottle/bag? If so, where does it go on the car?
Thanks,
Walter

[JoeHall]

It did not come with one, and adding one is useless. I recently completed a 5100 mile trip in the GT that included the desert southwest, without adding a single drop of coolant along the way.

The radiator tank expands when warmed up and, if overfilled, pushes excess coolant out the overflow pipe and down on the ground. When it cools back down, the level in the tank will be down about 1 to 1 1/2" below the filler neck. It kinda finds its own level that way, and will stay right there for a long period. Adding a recovery tank may add 8-16 ounces to the system, but that is negligible. If your cooling system is inadequate, adding a recovery bottle ain't gonna fix it.

[StudeRich]

Overflow Tanks were a 70's or '80's thing, no 1956 Car would have such a thing.
They were however offered as aftermarket Kits in the "Accessory Type" of Parts Stores; J.C. Whitney, Pep Boys, Western Auto, Sears etc.

It IS a good system to keep the Cooling system completely full and keep air and oxygen out of the system.
It is a syphon type system that requires only liquid in the circuit from the top of the Radiator to the bottom of the overflow tank, that requires a sealed Rad. Cap with the Gasket under the top as most New stock Caps and caps included in the kits are.
You can still purchase these Kits, even though all New Cars have included them for about 44 years.

[56 Power Hawk]

Thanks for the replies. I've seen cars from our era with overflow bags and wasn't sure if mine was missing this. Now I know where that little puddle is coming from.
I'm fairly new to the Studebaker, so I'm learning as I go along.
Thanks again!
Walter

[studegary]

I believe that two different systems are being confused/mixed together here.

1) An overflow system (bag, bottle) simply collects any excess that comes out of the overflow tube. All that this does is prevent a mess on the ground/floor. This system uses the standard radiator cap.

2) A closed coolant system has a container that holds expanded fluid and allows fluid to be drawn back into the cooling system as the engine cools down. This system is good in that it eliminates air/air pockets in the system and makes for better cooling. This system requires a special two-way radiator cap (as used on modern cars).

No, 1956 car came with either system.
Remember not to fill your radiator to the top when it and the engine are cold.

[Paul Keller]

If a closed system is desired, a radiator cap designed for closed systems needs to be used (most, but not all, current caps are for recovery systems). Otherwise the excess fluid (if any) would only flow out and not be able to return. The radiator cap web sites (such as Stant) generally supply this info.

Paul TK

[StudeRich]

Gary, have you even seen such a system as your #1 on anything but a quick fix temporary "Catch Bottle" on a weekend racer Drag Strip Car or a CASO Driver?
I never have, certainly not a Factory setup.

Paul, you are saying EXACTLY what Paragraph 3 on my Post #3 says.

The reason I separate Thoughts/Answers with a new Paragraph and usually a space, is so important info does not get lost in a huge Paragraph, but somehow it rarely works.

[studegary]

[COLOR=#0000ff][B]Gary, have you even seen such a system as your #1 on anything but a quick fix temporary "Catch Bottle" on a weekend racer Drag Strip Car or a CASO Driver?
[COLOR=#0000ff][B] I never have, certainly not a Factory setup.

Rich - I do not believe that System #1 was ever a factory system.
However, it was a very common aftermarket "accessory" kit to install. It wasn't just the quick fix bottle on race cars, etc. that you reference. Many everyday drivers had this type of kit installed to prevent the loss of anti-freeze and to prevent overflow from going on the ground or garage floor.

This reminds me of getting a call from IBM Security that my 1973 Monte Carlo had to be removed from company property immediately because it was leaking. It was just dropping a small amount of antifreeze-water mix out of the overflow onto the parking lot. This was in the late 1980s when most cars had a coolent recovery system (System #2). Of course there was no explaining this to them, so I just moved the car (to a different parking lot).

[StudegaryB]

I usually leave the coolant level about an inch below the top of the radiator tank on the earlier radiator systems without a recovery tank. If you fill it to the top it will push that much out before it reaches equilibrium.