[Devin0420]

So I'm wiping down the engine bay and I wipe the coolant tank and it literally started disintegrating under the cloth. You can see the white part at the bottom of the tank. That's where I rubbed it. Anyone else have this problem? I'm assuming I should get a new one?


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[sturgeongeneral]

I would replace it. You should be able to pick one up from Lotusgarage.com or mylotusgarage.com.

 

[Devin0420]

Any aftermarket stuff worth replacing it with or should I just stay stock?


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[Kubera]

I have seen this before in a high mileage Exige, the tank was brittle and crumbling apart, you have the option to stick to stock or to an aftermarket piece.

 

[Krule]

I replaced mine at about 15000 miles becasue it was leaking around the return port. The plastic was deteriorating like yours.
I replaced with an all aluminum unit from radium. Its a nice unit, wont leak, however there are some problems to be aware of.
The check level is on the back side, so you have to stick your head in the engin bay to see it.
The fill port location can make filling a bit of a problem if you are using a gravity lift system.
Biggest one, there is no bleed screw on the tank, however you can just loosen the return port AN fitting to bleed the tank.

I would still recommend the radium tank, it is more solid then oem and looks cooler as well

Aj

 

[Turbopun]

Any other use of this plastic in the engine bay, like for something else just as crucial? The wiper fluid bottle looks & feels like a different.

 

[Nessal]

This is happening to mine as well. I would be extra careful of not touching it too hard. A new one is like 170 bucks. I would get the RLS.

 

[RelativePants]

Another option
Universal Coolant Expansion Tank

Replace your coolant tank before it breaks and spills coolant all over the road, ethylene glycol is poisonous. Not to mention you'll be left stranded and have to have your Lotus towed.

 

[Deja Vu]

Another option
Universal Coolant Expansion Tank

Replace your coolant tank before it breaks and spills coolant all over the road, ethylene glycol is poisonous. Not to mention you'll be left stranded and have to have your Lotus towed.

I'm a big fan of Radium's tank. It looks good and will probably outlast the car.

 

[[P²]]

I would replace it. You should be able to pick one up from Lotusgarage.com or mylotusgarage.com.

If you're going to replace it buy the oem Toyota celica gts tank. It's the exact same part without the lotus premium markup. I replaced mine, and they are exactly the same.

 

[Devin0420]

Do you have a link to the RLS tank? I can't find it. I looked at the radium tank. Thats looking like what Ill go with.

 

[Krule]

Ack, sorry i got rls and radium mixed up. I have been shopping for an intercooler made by rls...
Here is the linky to the radium unit.
Coolant Expansion Tank Kit for Elise/Exige

 

[komiko]

that's what i want when i grow up...you can even pic your own customized pressure cap...

 

[antinym]

I've replaced my tank twice. Once it did crack and I lost a lot of coolant.
you can get OEM from a lotus shop for $200+
OEM from a toyota dealer for $130 ish?
or get a universal one and make a bracket.

No, I don't know the toyota part number, sorry.

 

[Gunpilot]

Go with the Radium tank it is top notch! If not Ill sell you my old one.

Here is the one I put in my wifes Elise.

 

[David Craig]

I have seen this before in a high mileage Exige, the tank was brittle and crumbling apart, you have the option to stick to stock or to an aftermarket piece.

I have a 2009 Elise with 4 years and 60,000 miles on it. I just checked this part and it looks brand new on my car.

I wonder if the Florida heat has caused the issue.

 

[Nessal]

I have a 2009 Elise with 4 years and 60,000 miles on it. I just checked this part and it looks brand new on my car.

I wonder if the Florida heat has caused the issue.

Such a coincidence. My car was in FL for 90% of its life and sure as hell the tank is brittle as hell.

 

[Nessal]

Go with the Radium tank it is top notch! If not Ill sell you my old one.

Here is the one I put in my wifes Elise.

Gunpilot, what catch can is that which allowed you to keep your washer reservoir? Also did you get the lotus specific bracket from RLS?

 

[turbophil]

FWIW- We have a nice kit (not on website at this time) that we use on the track cars and on some of the street cars.

Ours is a true swirl tank like you'll find on many racecars. It swirls the entire cooling mass to help "clean" the air bubbles from the cooling mass for better heat disipation in both the radiator and engine. You'll see a schrader valve on the tank for adding pressure so that you can run an "air spring" for higher block pressure. More block pressure means smaller air pockets in the head, smaller steam barrier around the cylinders, and a higher boiling point (for every 1psi pressure, you increase boiling temp by ~2.5-3 degrees F. We run the system at ~30psi).

The point about pressure is quite important, as more pressure allows for much better heat dispation from the cylinders. That doesn't mean you'll run lower water temps. It means that you'll extract more heat from the block... NASCARs for instance, in some races, will run 70-100+ psi in the system, with only 17sqin of air opening to the rad, and run 300+F degree water temps. Simply put, they can do this, in part, due to the higher block pressures making the cooling mass extract sufficient heat from the block despite higher (than "normal") water temps.

The cost for the kit is ~$450. It comes with the needed hoses, bracket, and fittings for installation. It will allow use of the OE circ pump and actually cleans up the plumbing a bit in that area of the engine bay.

-Phil

 

[Devin0420]

As far as I know, my car has only been in florida for about a year. I bought it from Tennessee. It does have a few miles on it though. Phil, I do want that tank and would get it, but its out of my price range:/ Wasn't planning on having to replace the expansion tank in the first place but ill just get the slightly cheaper radium tank.