weapon_R Overflow tank doesn't fit!

[tony602]

Hey guys!

So i bought the weapon-R overflow tank to replace my old cracked plastic one. Every single place under gods green earth says it fits in the stock locations. So I tried installing mine and it doesn't. The design is too big, if i bolt it in to the stock location the nipple where the hose goes hits a metal pipe. If i turn it away and just let it rest on the bracket the relay switch box gets in the way.

There is just no way of installing the damn thing. So far i have it bolted down with one bolt and the side facing the engine is just resting on the bracket since i can't actually bolt that down. Anybody face this problem too??

[mechanicalmoron]

Maybe you should consider why you have a metal pipe in a place that screws with your overflow tank, instead of blaming the tank

I think being larger is part of the point, not a design flaw. They made it so that it fits, unless you have a metal pipe where you shouldn't.

Might I assume that you have a motor swapped by someone else, and you have something like intercooler piping in the way? It might be a simple job to divert it, using generic curved intake piping and silicone couplers.

But I don't have one, so don't listen to me.

[tony602]

Well i wouldn't mind the design if i did something to the car, give me some credit, im not a total noob. I bought the car stock. Stock everything, KA single cam engine, nothing has been swapped. Everything is stock. So I assume it would fit in perfectly. I mean it's stable enough being held down with one screw, but i was kinda hoping to get what was promised. Yeah im picky like that. hmm perhaps i could diver the pipe. Ill post a pic see if that helps

[mechanicalmoron]

Well i wouldn't mind the design if i did something to the car, give me some credit, im not a total noob. I bought the car stock. Stock everything, KA single cam engine, nothing has been swapped. Everything is stock. So I assume it would fit in perfectly. I mean it's stable enough being held down with one screw, but i was kinda hoping to get what was promised. Yeah im picky like that. hmm perhaps i could diver the pipe. Ill post a pic see if that helps

ahh, I was thinking DE.

If it would be an okay option for you (and if it looks okay to you, etc) you could make a metal bracket allowing the use of both screws plus a third to properly support it, if that makes sense. All you'd need is a strip of metal, a drill and bit, two pairs of channel-locks or vice-grips to shape/bend/twist the bracket, and a bolt with a matching nut to secure the tank to the end of the bracket. IF I'm understanding this right.

If, by metal pipe, you mean a green metal canister with a cap on top, that's the power steering reservoir. I think it should be okay to move anywhere you can find a bolt-hole to move it's bracket to, it should even be okay to just bend the bracket, as long as the lines coming off of it are un-kinked/stretched and it doesn't end up lower than the pump or highest point of any line (or else when you uncap it, it will overflow as the fluid flows downhill and puts bubbles in the system).

If that's not it, I'll wait for your picture.

The reason it fits for everyone, if you have a bone stock single cam, is that (obviously) most people have or want dual cams, and many singles become duals, if they're buying expensive slobber tanks they have probably done all they want in the way of the motor itself, I'd think.

[tony602]

Ok here is the picture. The tank sits ok on the side facing the outside, i can bolt that in. But there is a also a spot that bolt that's right next to the power steering reservoir. That spot i can't bolt because the tanks nipple hits that metal pipe right next to it. So I can't actually fit the tank in the stock location. Any ideas?

[mechanicalmoron]

I'm slightly lost in that picture, but if you mean the silver metal tube that makes a right angle bend to the left of the power steering reservoir, before going over it and through the firewall, do not bend that, it's an AC line.

My answer about why it doesn't fit is the same, the engine bay layout is different on single cams. DE people have an AC line that runs lower than that, with less bends.

I mean, maybe it can be safely bent, but I'd be weary of it. I'm sure a shop that does car AC could advise you of it or do it for you. I'd guess they'de evacuate your AC and run a new line to avoid metal fatigue and work hardening in a high pressure line, but I know nothing of AC.

[tony602]

Yes correct, that is what i thought. that metal tube is what blocks the nipple from settling in and so the whole tank sits crooked. Hmmm Yeah that's gonna be tough, im already spent on re-building the head, perhaps later i will re-modify the whole engine bay to make it sleeker, since I bought the car in pretty bad shape LOL.

Well thank you for your input. A warning to others: Check what products you buy if you're keeping your stock KA engine a lot of after market parts aren't necessarily made with us in mind hehe.

[Razi]

The way the overflow tank fits won't matter if your KA is modified or not.
I'm guessing that Weapon R didn't put much thought into building the product. They probably didn't know there was a difference in that area between single and dual cam KAs.
Shoulda bought Circuit Sport, those should fit single cam engine bays too, since they didn't put the fittings on the side.

[tony602]

I looked at the circuit sports one to on these forums, and people said that the tank doesn't fit either. You need to modify it. A lot of ppl said you needed to bend it and built a bracket for it. The weapon-R one is the tank that according to the NICO forums was a direct fit. But i guess they didn't consider the different models. Oh well I guess i will have to live with the tank being only bolted on one side.

[SX APPEAL]

First of all, don't trust the fitment of ANY cheap aftermarket products to be perfect right out of the box. The depth of engineering is just not there, they are copies of copies of copies in most cases and most of the exacting standards of the original design will have been lost in the carry overs. Second of all, take what people say on forums with a HUGE grain of salt. 80% of the info floating around on the internet is just what I heard he heard they told me about what he did 5 years ago. Get the picture? Make sure the people you're talking to have actual first hand experience with whatever you're asking about. And third, get rid of that stupid tank and put the stock one back, I can tell you for a fact it wont work properly in the first place. For an overflow tank to be effective, the hose coming from the radiator cap has to connect to the lowest part of the overflow tank, which in your picture it clearly does not. Here's a great illustration I found to explain why:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system7.htm

[mechanicalmoron]

First of all, don't trust the fitment of ANY cheap aftermarket products to be perfect right out of the box. The depth of engineering is just not there, they are copies of copies of copies in most cases and most of the exacting standards of the original design will have been lost in the carry overs. Second of all, take what people say on forums with a HUGE grain of salt. 80% of the info floating around on the internet is just what I heard he heard they told me about what he did 5 years ago. Get the picture? Make sure the people you're talking to have actual first hand experience with whatever you're asking about. And third, get rid of that stupid tank and put the stock one back, I can tell you for a fact it wont work properly in the first place. For an overflow tank to be effective, the hose coming from the radiator cap has to connect to the lowest part of the overflow tank, which in your picture it clearly does not. Here's a great illustration I found to explain why:

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system7.htm

I think the inlet is on the bottom, it looks like it comes strait out the side instead of going up like the stock one. I see the thing you mean though, by the level window, so I might be wrong.

OP, use tin snips to cut out the bad parts on your old tank, sand around the edges of the holes to give it a good surface for epoxy, and JB weld something over them. And send me that tank, I have a DE....

I used milk jug bits from the curves near the handle on my tank over a year ago, including holes on the bottom that are constantly submerged, and it's doing just fine. Not show-ready, but it holds the coolant just as well as any tank could.

[tony602]

yeah the inlet is at the bottom of the tank. I wanted to buy and original tank, but every used one i found is cracked, and the new OEM ones cost more than the weapon-R and they are still brittle plastic. I f u know of anywhere where they sell some good cheap OEM fit tanks im down to buy that. I guess for now this will have to do :/

[SX APPEAL]

Forgive me, but in your picture there, it looks like the hose goes into the left rear corner of the tank. (In automotive terms you always speak about directions as though you're sitting in the driver's seat) Which it appears is not the lowest point. It could be the angle of the camera, but please just make sure the hose is going to the lowest possible point in the tank. Otherwise you're better off just not having one. And also, keep researching, bearing in mind the criteria I explained above. Don't start making serious plans to modify your car until you know what you're doing. Don't make my mistake

[mechanicalmoron]

yeah the inlet is at the bottom of the tank. I wanted to buy and original tank, but every used one i found is cracked, and the new OEM ones cost more than the weapon-R and they are still brittle plastic. I f u know of anywhere where they sell some good cheap OEM fit tanks im down to buy that. I guess for now this will have to do :/

they get brittle along the hood seam, probably from reflected UV that messes up the plastic.

I DID explain how to fix your original one.... It won't look pretty, but it holds coolant just fine.

[tony602]

Yeah i would JB weld parts of plastic to that tank it sounds like a fun project. but i threw it away already LOL. Also i would like to have a clean 240sx and not have things jerry-rigged on there LOL.

[mechanicalmoron]

Yeah i would JB weld parts of plastic to that tank it sounds like a fun project. but i threw it away already LOL. Also i would like to have a clean 240sx and not have things jerry-rigged on there LOL.

.....You could find a place to set a milk jug and duct tape it in place (maybe by the handle), poke a hole in the lid the size of the coolant hose, and make sure the hose goes all the way to the bottom.

.....big volume upgrade over the original

[tony602]

I like ur idea, can i take it and manufacture after market overflow tanks? I'll call them MechanicalTony Aftermarket high speed Nismo JDM GT-SR-5000 superturbomega overflow tanks X ---the X makes them extreme . They will come in 1%, 2% and skim milk sizes. :p

[mechanicalmoron]

I like ur idea, can i take it and manufacture after market overflow tanks? I'll call them MechanicalTony Aftermarket high speed Nismo JDM GT-SR-5000 superturbomega overflow tanks X ---the X makes them extreme . They will come in 1%, 2% and skim milk sizes. :p

I can license you the idea for manufacture, in exchange for one custom whole milk tank, for myself.

[Slade]

Sorry to bring this old thread back up but did you ever get the coolant tank to fit and work correctly? I recently just purchased the same Weapon R tank since my OEM tank was finally done. I just got it today and it bolts on the same way as the OEM. The only thing I can't seem to figure out is how you're suppose to run the coolant line to the tank?

If you look at the picture on this thread you'll see on the left there's a tube running top to bottom. I'm guessing this is for viewing how much coolant is in the overflow tank. What I don't understand is the right side top piece with the tube hanging down. I see that you don't have that closed off or running to anything. Is this how the tank was designed to function by leaving that open? I was going to connect the hose to the bottom the same way but really don't see how I won't be leaking coolant with that hose opened on top. Could someone please explain to me how this is suppose to work?

Kinda makes me regret not buying another OEM tank or making one out of a NOS energy drink bottle or Gatorade bottle as originally planed. Just one bottom line to work with and the bottles are clear so you'll always see the coolant level Well I got lazy and just bought the Weapon R tank since I had some extra cash. It's shiny and looks pretty cool but wtf are all these additional hose ports for?

[Slade]

[Slade]

That's how the tank sits in my engine bay. I just haven't hooked up the hose coming from the top of the Radiator to coolant tank. Which is the black hose. The Weapon R tank came with a clear hose and a couple clamps but I don't see what it's for? No instruction whatsoever. Should I just hook the black hose to the bottom or do I need to T it together somehow? Sorry if this is a dumb question but I really don't understand what this extra stuff is for and I definitely don't want to be leaking coolant.

[Slade]

Haha. Nvm everyone! I figured it out. That open hose on top is just a vent hose and it's not leaking fluid everywhere as I thought it would. So everything is A1 with my new coolant tank. Engine bay starting to look pretty clean. Now on to the next problem!