351W surge/overflow tank for cooling system

[JohnM]

Hello All,

I would like to install a surge/overflow tank to my windsor, at the front of the manifold, in the thremostat housing area. At this time I have the radiator cap located in a aluminum hose filer above my thermostat, with the overflow tube going to a small 1qt plastic bottle, which I don't think is large enough. I also have the March pulley kit which has a large alternator support going through this general area.

Is there an aftermarket tank that will work? I was looking in the Finish Line catalog, which shows a nice aluminum tank for a windsor , but I wonder about the alternator brace.

Any suggestion and photos would be most appreciated

thanks

John

[MidOHasp]

John:
I recently finished a build on a 351 and used that March alternator system. Is this the one that has a sort of triangular mounting bracket and an adjustor with two swivel ends on it that runs from the top of the alt to the water pump? If so, I think you'll find that it's tough to run your upper radiator hose over to the passenger side. I'm not sure where the input is on your radiator, but this then poses a problem.

We took an old FE surge tank and had a radiator shop modify it so we could exit driver's side, then ran a hose all the way back around to the radiator. We also had to cut off some of the neck on the bottom of the tank (which was also relocated) and attached the tank with a short piece of hose to the stat housing. It was actually a really sexy installation, but the surge tank literally blew off the gooseneck 10 times before we eliminated the tank altogether.

We are currently running an inline aluminum fill tube (Moroso) in the mean time, and now that the air is finally out of our system (took 150 very nervous miles), the system is working quite well. Still planning on putting a surge tank in, which will require ditching the March alt bracket (or flipping it and modifying it) so that the alternator isn't way up high.

http://www.cobraaccessories.com/cata...roducts_id=110

Check this link out - it's not that "original" FE tank look, but this tank was apparently engineered for our windsor motors. I think when the checkbook cools off here soon, this will be our solution. It looks like high quality construction, I'm interested in seeing if anyone's used that tank and had any luck with it.

By the way, where in Cleveland are you? I know my thing says Lexington, and that's where my Cobra is - about 2 minutes from Mid-Ohio, but I'm up in Cleveland right now, too.

Hope this info helps some.

[JohnM]

Hello J.P.

I am on the Eastside, a town called Wickliffe, Oh. Let me know if your ever out this way, several cobra's in the area.

I have about 600 miles on the car and everything is so far so good. I am trying now to improve both looks and function. And I think the surge tank would be a big help for both. I to am running the Moroso inline fill tube. I am using ss flexible radiator hoses connected to a billet thermostat housing with an O ring. The billet housing swivels for any angle. I have the flexible hose pointing to the drivers side, then comming back to meet the top of the radiator on the pasenger side. The overflow from the inline fill tube goes to my overflow puke bottle, which is just a qt. With this setup I still have to add water every once in a while.

Yes that is the same March bracket that I have. The tank from The Finish Line looks good, but I can't see anyway that it would work with this March setup. I am going to call Finnish Line tomorrow to see what they recomend.

John

[TonyMadrid]

Hi Guys,

I also have a 351W and what I came across is that March makes two different Alternator Brackets for the Windsors, depending on whether your water pump inlet is on the driver's or passenger's side. If it's on the passenger side you have to use the top maounted Alternator bracket; but if it's on the driver's side you can use either the top mounted bracket or the lower mounted bracket.

Call March's tech support and maybe they can help you. If you can use the lower mounted bracket, you then would have more room at the top for the overflow tank.

I'm still building my Cobra and for starters I'm using a i quart overflow tank from Summit. Once mine is on the road I'll see if I will need the larger overflow tank.

Tony

[CASEYT]

MAYBE I CAN SHED SOME LITE ON YOU GUYS SUBJECT....I TOO HAVE AN A&C, 351W, MARGE SEPENTINE PULLEY SET-UP....I HAVE TRIED TO USE THE GREAT LOOKING ALLUM. TANK FROM ENZO AS WELL AS A BRASS SET-UP THAT I PICKED UP SOMEWHERE./..AFTER SOME MODS AND TRYING ALL SORTS OF IDEARS...I TOO AM BACK WITH THE MOROSO INLINE...WHEN YOU GET IT TO WORK WITH THE BELTY CROSSING ACROSS THE TOP, YOU HAVE HOOD CLEARANCE PROBLEMS...HOWEVER I DO HAVE POWER STEERING THAT IS ADDING TO MY PROBLEMS , THAT POSSIBLY YA'LL DONOT HAVE THAT WOULD AID IN YA'LL USING THE TANK...I HAVE THESE TANKS AS WELL AS MANY OTHER NEW PARTS, MOSTLY UNUSED IN MY GALLERY, OR EMAIL ME IF YOU NEED TO, THERE IS MUCH THAT I DIDNOT LIST THAT I NEED TO PART WITH...THANKS HAVE A GREAT DAY & HOPE I HELPED...CASEYT

[MidOHasp]

John-
I'm in Cleveland Heights working at Progressive in Mayfield. I don't have the Cobra up here as I have no garage. It's with my dad in Lexington (really where it belongs if I think about it). Some time before it gets too cold I will have it up and let you know - I will come find you and we can cruise.

That is the neatest looking way to mount an alternator (that March bracket) but I'm going to have to check into what Tony was saying about there being 2 different ones. I hate to ditch a $100 bracket but I want to put that tank on there. I think that alum. tank from Finish line is a real piece of work. Our motor is so non-original (and beautiful) I don't give a hoot if it's that FE lookin' thing, ya know?

Plus it looks like it won't come apart. I forgot to tell ya, we actually got the tank glued on to the gooseneck and it stayed. Then the next time I boiled over (doing about 120+), I pulled over so I could get boiling fluid all over me again with the hood up but marveled at how we just ballooned the tank instead. Thing was almost round - too funny!

Shoot me some more info on that swivel stat housing when you get time - man, that would help us out GREATLY. All I've found are 90deg and 45deg, and the 45deg ones I've seen are piece of ****. That swivel thing sounds great.

Like I said - sometime when I have the beast up here, I'll get in touch. Get your other Cobra buddies together, we'll have a grand time. Sadly, we got ours runnin' just a day after the Fling this year, so I've got the countdown to DVSF-IV rollin.....can't wait!

[JohnM]

Hello J.P,

Just to let you know...your only 10 minute from me, at Progressive in Mayfield. I am just a couple of exits north on 271. If the weather would cooperate...there is a big (hundreds & hundreds of cars) cruis-in this tuesday in Solon, Oh which is not far from you and me. This is two seat sports car week along with corvette night!! The weather has been so rainey...who can predict.

If your interested and the weather looks good, e-mail me direct with a phone number etc.

John

[JohnM]

Hello All,

I called Finish Line and talked to Enzo, his aluminum tank will not work with the typical March alternater bracket that has the tension rod going up from the water pump to the alternator.

I called March, they have a bracket and tension rod that spins the altermator down, and the tension rod will be out of the way
Part #30395 for a 351W driver side outlet on the water pump
Cost $111.04 Sounds like the way to go if you want an expansion tank at the front of the manifold

John