If you have seen them, you love them. Custom coolant overflows, using bottles, is an awesome idea! It also adds to the unique look of your bike.
First, we find a bottle. I found mine at a local rehab thrift store. It was only $7.49. It is a thick syrup bottle from 1976. The design is the bicentennial celebration of the United States. Your bottle needs to be thick. It needs to be over 20 ounces. It needs to hold overflow.
Next, we need to take the first part of the coolant over flow line off the radiator fill line. This line is located under the cap. Remove the entire hose, all the way to the coolant overflow.
You are going to need enough of the hose to reach to the bottom of your bottle. The radiator will need to suck all the coolant back out of the bottle. As you remove the hose from the bike, ou will also find the black male to male connector pictured below.
This black piece is important. It guarantees that you have the right size hose coming out of the top of your bottle to fit to your overflow outlet on your bike. Place this piece in the center of you lid. Mark the lid buy circling the bottom of the piece.
You are now going to need to drill a hole where your circle is. MAKE IT THE EXACT SIZE. You want a snug fit. You also need to drill another small pinhole in the lid. This will allow some of the pressure to escape. Dont drill the hole, and you could bust your bottle.
Next, we are going to attach the hose, the lid, and the male to male connector. Slide the connector through the top of the hole in the lid. Slide it down until the middle touches the lid.
Now press the hose onto the male piece. Make sure you place the hose on the inside of the lid. Press it tightly against the lid. Use one of the factory clamps to hold the pipe. This will keep a snug fit.
Next, you have to hang the bottle from the bike. The two bolts that hold on the plastic at the top front of the frame, are an excellent place. But first, you must figure out how to hang it.
Instead of welding up something, I used an old leather belt. After making it fit around the bottle, it was glued together. Then, pop rivets to hold. The belt comes up the back, to allow for it to be bolted on.
Now all that needs to be done is bolting it up, and running a hose from under the radiator overflow to my bottle! This adds a nice look, but can be dangerous. You are adding glass. If you dont drill a hole to release pressure, this can explode.
Thats all there is to it! Good luck on your builds, and thanks for reading! Check me out on Facebook at A Biker’s Life For Me!
A Biker's Life For Me! 