Radiator over flow bottle?

[dharhigh1]

My truck doesn't have an over flow bottle and I was wandering if I need one or not? I checked my fluid in the radiator and it was about half a gallon low, it also has a new huge after market radiator in it.

Do most of you have the bottles in yours?
Thanks,

[Longhorn Man]

they did not come stock with bottles, but there was a dealer installed option avalible. I mounted a 2nd washer bottle on mine, and a rad cap from a later model truck was needed, and it works great.

[nate68]

i bought a generic one and it works fine. a definate must if you ever want to race

[longhorn70gmc]

I have one in both trucks. I think it is needed.

[c10crazy]

just curious, does it suck the coolant back to the radiator or just sit in the overflow?.

[Longhorn Man]

If you install the later model cap, and have it plumbed properly, it will draw the coolant back in when it cools off.
it isn't really needed, the coolant level (pewr owners manual) is supposed to be an inch or so below the top of the rad.

[neonlarry]

This is what I pit in both of mine. Out of an 80's G-Body.

[SOON2BLAZE]

Thanks larry! I called my local gm dealer and the G body ones run about 20.00 looks better than a walmart one too.

[RSRXION]

That's the same puke tank that was in my 72 hauler. Is a G body a Monte Carlo / Regal / Grand Prix etc... ? What's the part number on the top ? Mine was very brittle and fell apart when I removed the inner fender. Thanks, Dean

[neonlarry]

I don't see a part# but yes G Body= Monte etc.

[Southpa]

I'm using one from an '82 camaro, it fits well on the inner fender.

[jimmydean]

I got one off a Suburban that I puller some other parts off of. I have the wrong cap, so it doesn't do anything but take up space.

[mbgmike]

They weren't needed on the older vehicles until the government started requiring them. Glycol doesn't evaporate and they didn't want it all over the place making a mess

[Southpa]

I only installed an overflow tank because, at the time, the bottom 1/4 of my rad wasn't functioning. A couple long trips thru the mountains, with temps reaching 260 degrees, pretty much caused a LOT of coolant loss by the time I reached my destination. Its a wonder that the engine even managed to stay together after all that.

But with the proper rad cap and thermostat installed coolant loss should be negligible on these old trucks.