Coolant overflow tank on 1999 F53 V10

[dbates]

I have a 1999 Ford F53 V10 under a 1998 Winnebago Itasca. Late Friday in Circle, North Dakota (in the middle of nowhere) my coolant over flow reserve tank sprang a leak. A local mechanic tried to seal the tank with epoxy but after leaving there the epoxy didn’t hold. I’ve ordered a new tank from Amazon.com for home delivery but for now I’m planning to try some “Eternabond” (I have with me) and hope it will hold until I get back to Indiana. The “Eternabond” says it’s good up to 200 degrees and I think the tank may get hotter than that. If it doesn’t hold does anyone have any another suggestion?

Dave

[Chum_lee]

Now how did I know that about the tank condition? (too far gone after +16 years) BTDT! Forget what I said about good luck in my previous post. Now you won't need it!

Chum lee

[wolfe10]

dbates wrote:
I'll replace it and hopefully be on my way home thereafter.

Dave

Certainly the safest answer.

[dbates]

Thanks for all of your responses and Dakdave for pointing out my mistake in states.

Late Saturday I stopped at the Jamestown campground (real nice CG). I planned to use the “Eternabond” but when I removed the reservoir I concluded that it was too far gone to trust it any further so I ordered a new reservoir from Amazon.com with overnight shipping c/o of the CG. It's supposed to be here early Tuesday morning. I'll replace it and hopefully be on my way home thereafter.

Dave

[Chum_lee]

When my F53 coolant expansion tank let go, it lost about 1 pint of coolant every mile. (hot and under -16 lb pressure) From Circle, Montana to Marion, Indiana is about 1,100 miles. The cooling system holds about 8 gallons and needs at least 5 to work, . . . . marginally. Hummmmmm. Do the math.

If the OP's tank cracked similar to mine, (common pattern failure) it sprays out under pressure, in the turbulent airstream, from the bottom towards the rear of the tank.

The problem with using adhesives in this application is that coolant is kind of greasy/slippery and generally unfriendly to most adhesives especially when applied to a hot, flexible, expansive, and now permeable surface. Some have had success using a soldering iron (heat welding) with hairline fractures but not with spider cracking. Large areas of the tank are failing.

The V10 will go into "limp mode" if it overheats, but, you'll be driving at up to +-40 mph if it does.

Good luck!

Chum lee

[rockhillmanor]

Go to Ace Hardware and pick up this.

Can be even be applied under water! REAL easy to use just roll putty in your hands.

GREAT stuff and really works. I patched a water fountain with it!

You won't even have to replace the tank after you patch it.



http://www.jbweld.com/product/j-b-waterweld/

[wolfe10]

A better option than leaving the cap off would be to "waste" $6 and get the lowest PSI cap that will fit for the trip home. Use a 2 quart or larger Gatorade or similar overflow bottle to catch anything that escapes the low pressure cap. Every morning before leaving, empty the Gatorade bottle into the reservoir.

Leaving a cap loose has too much chance of coming off and making a real mess.

Worse case is to drill a tiny hole in the OE cap so zero pressure builds. Replace with new when you are home.

Remember, pressurized systems are only used to raise the boiling point of coolant above that at atmospheric pressure. So, if no coolant/just water, 212 is the non-pressure boiling point. With 50/50 coolant it will be even higher.

So, no overheating, no problem with a non-pressure system.

[JoeH]

The tank on that year F53 is a presurized tank... the eternabond will probably blow off if you leave the pressure cap on. You can tape it up, leave the cap on but loose so pressure doesn't build, and just watch you temp guage. I had to do the same thing several years ago returning from Sturgis.

[dakdave]

OP doesn't even know where he is.Circle is in montana

[Chum_lee]

I have the same chassis. I just replaced my tank last July. (although not OEM, the Dorman tank (I also bought) from Amazon is a perfect fit) It's time! You did the right thing. I've never had any long term success repairing coolant overflow tanks with anything except a new one. If you look at the old tank when you get it out, it probably has spider cracking all around the point where it eventually cracked/leaked. It only takes simple tools, 15 minutes, and about a gallon of coolant (50/50 mix) to replace the tank. It makes a little mess on the ground when you spill coolant, which you will. It's probably too late but it would be best if you could get the new tank shipped to some intermediate point along your route and replace it ASAP. Watch your temperature gage closely if you choose not to.

Chum lee

[garyemunson]

Tie a cheap plastic gas can under the hood and stick the hose in it. That will hold you.

[Kayteg1]

Leave the cap off and drive carefully to not reach 200F
Also in the mean time good idea to buy several gallons of distillate water and keep adding that till you put new tank on.