dont know if the 72 280se 4.5 evercame with a recovery tank, but mine doesn't have one, and never has so far as i can see......
so I'm walking through wal-mart one day, ok yuk it up, anyways they have a radiator recovery tank kit for like 10 bucks, heavy plastic, metal bracket thingy that surrounds the whole tank, hose, clamps, and mounting hardware. so i get it, think ill try it out as soon as the snow lets up.
__________________ Steelies with caps and sealed beams RULE!!
Be aware that the new cap that comes with the recovery tank MUST be the same pressure rating! If your original cap is say 14 lb. the new cap must be the same. The heart of the system is the new cap. Thats why you'll find it to have 2 gaskets rather than only 1 as the original cap has. Very worthwhile upgrade but can be done wrong using an improper cap.
I guess new mexico has the same temps as here in Australia,so the recovery tank may be a good idea ...on your chevy.
On a merc such as your 4.5 the radiator has a designed level about 3/4 inch from the seal area in the filler neck,It must have an airgap in the top of the radiator header tank because as the engine heats up the water expands and fills this airgap.
If you overfill the radiator it will push the excess out of the cap.The cap is designed to allow air back in as it cools down again.If not,the hoses will shrink and impede the flow of water.
By installing the header tank you will only be filling the radiator each time the engine cools down as the recovery tank is designed to do,not really neccesary when you think about it unless you have a really hot climate where there is a risk of losing all your coolant all the time.
Install it by all means ,but be aware that the radiator will be overfull all the time.
Having the radiator "overfilled all the time" is a good thing! The air normally present in the radiator will now be in the recovery tank. You've added maybe a pint to the capacity and no air will be in the circulation. All good things. The prior posters theory is flawed because he didn't take into account the recovery style cap. The new cap will pull coolant, not air back into the radiator. And yes the system is a pressurized type, just read the pressure spec on the old cap. I say again, upgrading to a recovery style system is very worthwhile. just do it correctly with the proper upgraded cap!
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