New expansion tank... Fingers crossed

[Ian Podmore]

Hopefully my local Ford dealer has dug up an expansion tank same as what I have got. Apparently its off a very old Fiesta.

 

I will be well chuffed if it comes up trumps as I can't stand the state of the existing one every time I take off the bonnet.

 

Fingers crossed for good news tomorrow.

[Norman Verona]

Ian, take the existing one off, Block the outlets and put a small handful of sand in with some water and washing up liquid. Shake violently for a couple of minutes, you can take a rest in between. 

 

Rinse out and it will look like new. If not repeat but shake for a bit longer.

 

Cost = zero

result=100%

[peterg]

Try boiling water, a dishwasher tablet and a few bits of gravel

[Ian Podmore]

I would do but the plastic is crazed. I am amazed it still holds pressure / water.

[M444TTB]

Do you have a part number? I thought the Fiesta XR2(?) was the part used but NLA. Mine is also crap lookig despite hours of looking. I'm tempted by a shiny one at the mo!

[User0083]

I've looked at changing the dirty brown one I have. I was told to stick it in a dish washer, told Norman's trick... So used bicarbonate of soda, a table spoon and boiling water, shake it a few times over the time it takes to cool and rinse.

But I still wanted a new one, eBay, search "ford expansion tank" and you'll find every one you could imagine, new, used, shines chrome, alloy... Everything. Then find what you want. I got a used one then cleaned it as above. 99p & £2.50 p+p. new ones are £20-£25 and alloy ones can be twice that.

[Ian Podmore]

I'll post the part number and photo when I've got one of ;-)

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

You'll be lucky getting a new Ford one. They are out there, but it's down to dealers own stock, they're supposed to have been discontinued by Ford a few years ago. IIRC, I had one of the last batch WF managed to obtain, before they were forced to change model.

 

Have to say, tried most of the tricks over the years with varying success on these. I don't think any has come up what I'd describe as totally clean/like new.

[Norman Verona]

Dave, Mine did. However it wasn't that old but it was stained.

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Got another tank, I picked up off of the for sale section on here - as a spare, will give that one a try too, see ow it does.

[Ian Podmore]

Got it - yippee !

 

OK, Ford part number 6 181 109 is the number for the tank which has the part number 86FB-8K218-AD next to the cap.

 

Not cheap (£65 - ouch), but I don't care.

 

It came all the way from London, next day, to my local Ford dealer.

 

Interestingly the production date label underneath is 18 05 10 so it's not that old.

 

I will make sure this one is only cleaned on the outside with soapy water this time, I must have used WD40 or brake cleaner on the crazed one.

 

 

 

 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Well done.

[User0083]

Cheers!

£65 is 2 1/2 tanks of petrol, 500 miles of Blatting! So is a lot, but I paid £320 for carbon fibre headlamp bowls... So pretty cheap!

[griffith500user]

Thanks guys, knew I could rely on you all!!

[cast iron]

changed mine to one from a BMW Mini Cooper, smaller neater and much better IMHO