coolant overflow bottle

[bj42turbo]

Can anyone explain why I have 2 coolant over flow bottles and which one it actually should have.

I looked today at the one on the pasenger side and its hose's aren't even connected to anything.

Its a 1990 model VN series ??

Cheers Dazz

[TVR-190]

ther vn berlina we have has he same thing, its referred to as a series 1.5 engine i believe

[markER717]

Thats odd, my 1990 (calais) only has one header tank which is situated on the passenger side, it has a hose going into it from the radiator and one leading into the intake manifold.

[TVR-190]

[aussieghostrider]

I have the exact same setup and you are missing the original cap that that hose goes onto ..

its a recovery system ... if waterpump or hoses blow it draws water from backup tank on passengers side ..

I have the original cap and its a pain in the ass to put back on ... so I have same cap as you.

[Cheap6]

There have been threads asking similar questions on here in the past, some of which I have replied to with a bit of the history behind why the second - passenger side - reservoir was introduced. A search should bring something up.

Because there are pictures this time I think a couple of comments are appropriate.

bj42turbo, the cap you have on the driver's side reservoir is the type that superceded the earlier design which was compatible with the "hat" (for want of a better term) that can be seen on the reservoir on TVR-161's car. Inside the "hat" is a separate cap for the reservoir, of a design previously used without the "hat". The "hat" is a snap fit over it.

There is, or should be, an 'O' ring that is intended to seal the "hat" to the top of the driver's side reservoir. This can be seen leaking on TVR-161's car, perhaps in part due to the fact that the hat/cap combo appears to be tightened past the correct point. This is pretty normal as the cap seal crushes with age and is often why the hat is discarded and the passenger side reservoir rendered redundant.

Without the hat, the passenger side reservoir may be removed, reverting to the early VN style system and coolant fill level.

If the hat is kept, requiring the seal to the top of the driver's side reservoir to hold, the driver's side reservoir should be filled to the top of the filler neck. The system should be bled such that the volume between the "hat", the reservoir cap, the driver's side reservoir, and the hose to the passenger side reservoir is filled with coolant. The coolant level is then monitored at the passenger side reservoir.

[aussieghostrider]

^^

yep that O ring is p[ain in the ass to get a good seal ... I used to apply some grease all over the O ring then place in cap then smear little more grease ... then when you put on turn slowly and once do not over tighten as you said as I did and eventually the inside broke ..

using the cap in photo of the white drivers side vn is easy to use..

[bj42turbo]

Thanks guys for all your replys

Dazz