Radiator Surge Tank
A radiator surge tank is a part of most radiator systems that work to cool off an engine. While it is true that not all radiators will employ the use of a radiator surge tank, a good majority of them do. The truth is that you will probably never even notice this small part of the radiator unless it develops a problem, but it is a part of the vehicle that you might want to be aware of just in case you ever do develop a leak in your radiator system, as sometimes these leaks can be found within the radiator surge tank.
The radiator surge tank is a relatively small tank (generally holding one quart of fluid) that is mounted at the top of the system. It will be at the highest point, so if you are wondering if you have a radiator surge tank, then it will not be difficult to find out as it is the holding tank just under the radiator cap. On the bottom side of the radiator surge tank there is a line that will be connected to the ingoing area of the water pump, and there is another connection which comes out of the side of the radiator surge tank is then connected to a different point in the low pressure end of the radiator. This second line is often referred to as a "bleed" line and its purpose in the mechanism is to make sure that it allows some form of circulation to be run through the radiator surge tank when the engine is running.
However, the radiator surge tank's main purpose is to allow for a portion of the radiator where air can be separated out from the antifreeze fluid mixture. This can be important because if there is no section of the radiator system in which the air can be removed from the radiator fluid then it is often more difficult to deal with problems in the radiator because it is a closed system and is not supposed to have any air in it at all. This air that is in the system will then take up residence just under the radiator cap.
If you are having problems with the radiator surge tank, then it is possible to repair or replace, but you will probably need to get some kind of book or repair manual that is specific to the make and model of your vehicle. This will help to give you a series of step by step guided instructions on how you can go through the vehicle to fix the radiator surge tank. This book can also come in quite handy for other repair or replacement issues that could come up with your car, so it is never a bad idea to have one on hand. This way if you ever have any questions about the repair of a certain part of your vehicle you will be easily able to look it up in the book to figure out what you can do.
If you do not have access to a physical repair manual, then you may be able to find out the information you need online. However, if you are not mechanically inclined or you do not like to work on vehicles, then you should probably consider taking your car to a radiator specialist to have the radiator surge tank repaired if there is a problem. These types of mechanics can be easily located and any one of them should be capable of doing the repair work for you. However, as with any mechanical service, be sure to check out the company that you are going to take your car to with the Better Business Bureau for complaints. This helps to eliminate dealings with "shady" mechanics.
