How would you go about eliminating the coolant reservoir on the passenger side inner fender on an Impala SS? I'm interested in removing that as well as the lines running to my heater core (don't use the heater) to save a "little" weight but more importantly just to clean things up. I know this is a closed coolant system and the reservoir houses the "radiator cap". This should be able to be fixed by a coupler from Moroso that can be spliced right into the radiator house and will accomodate a new cap, allowing access to add water to the system. The two lines from the water pump back to the heater core should then be able to be looped right back into the water pump on the front of the engine. My question is what to do with the line from the back of the heads that brings coolant into the reservoir. On Moroso's coupler, there is a fitting for an overflow. Can it be connected to that, pumping the coolant right back into the system? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

The reservoir is a critical part of the cooling system. And it does NOT house the radiator cap.... you have a pressure cap right on top of the radiator. The cap/reservoir allows the expanding coolant to flow out of the radiator when the system is heating up, and then as the coolant contracts on shutdown, the reservoir provides the required replacment coolant. The system will not work correctly without that tank. The system has to be totally free of air, and any expansion would blow coolant out of the spring loaded cap when the pressure reached the cap pressure.

And NHRA requires a coolant catch can on ALL vehicles.

Not a good way to save weight.

Heater you can bypass, but not the reservoir. There are smaller, light containers available fom rJAZ, Summit, JEG's etc. Of course when you eliminate the stock reservoir, you will need a battery tray, or relocation to the back.

 

Injuneer, your information is accurate for f-body applications, but the LT1 in the B-body is a little different. From what i've read the preassure cap is in the overflow tank, they also don't have the bleeder screws we have. the overflow tank is even more important than on the f-body application. If he wants to dump it for off-road racing only hel'l need to get the f-body water pump and set up the bleeder screws. then he could put a tank from jegs or something.

 

My mistake... I guess there's just too many F-Body owners here.

Sorry about that.

 

Hey, no biggy. the only reason i'm familar with the system is my stepmoms chevy 1500 4.3 V6 has it and my old 450SL mercedes had it.