Header Tank Strap

[lotusles]

Hi, just about to fit some gear cables and decided to replace the header tank at the same time.
Does anybody know if the S J plastic tank is the stronger ribbed version, plus does anybody know where I can get the rubber strap that keeps it in place or suggest an alternative.

Many thanks
Les

[Rambo]

Most people use no strap as the original has perished away many moons ago. It does virtually nothing anyway and the tank sits perfectly in place without it. Unless you were restoring your Elan to concours condition, I wouldn't bother.

With regard to the tank, the replacements have been known to split easily and there have also been problems with the (yellow) pressure cap. Again, I wouldn't bother with replacing as the original has done well for the last 25 years or so and can be cleaned up well with a bit of patience.

[rip]

Most people use no strap as the original has perished away many moons ago. It does virtually nothing anyway and the tank sits perfectly in place without it. Unless you were restoring your Elan to concours condition, I wouldn't bother.

With regard to the tank, the replacements have been known to split easily and there have also been problems with the (yellow) pressure cap. Again, I wouldn't bother with replacing as the original has done well for the last 25 years or so and can be cleaned up well with a bit of patience.

[GeoffSmith]

Most people use no strap as the original has perished away many moons ago … and there have also been problems with the (yellow) pressure cap.

Strap? What strap? Maybe it was an S2 added lightness feature like the missing rubber boot on the boost sensor.

What problems with the bright-yellow-to-make-it-easy-for-learner-drivers-to-pass-the-driving-test caps?

[Rambo]

Wasn't it something do do with the incorrect pressure rating or the fact that they leaked ? I can't quite remember but I've now reverted to the OEM cap.

PS Lotus were right cheapskates when they made the S2. Or was it Bugatti back in the mid 90s?

[GeoffSmith]

I think someone once got PSI and kippers (kPa) mixed up, and so the tale of the 100 PSI yellow cap began...

[dapinky]

The 'issue' with the pressure caps was nowt to do with the colour - it was the fact that some sealed properly and some didnt......

..... if you get a £2 yellow one from China it doesn't seal as well as a £6 yellow one from Germany.

Perhaps they use cheaper yellow paint in China???????

[lotusles]

Thanks everybody, stick with the original and the black cap it is then.

[Rambo]

Here's some information and history on the coolant tank problems for your info.........

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=20543&hilit=Header+tank

PS I'm fairly certain JohnW found something good for cleaning his header tank. Can't remember if it was Milton's sterilising fluid or a Steradent but a search might yield the right info.

[GeoffSmith]

PS I'm fairly certain JohnW found something good for cleaning his header tank. Can't remember if it was Milton's sterilising fluid or a Steradent but a search might yield the right info.

JohnW..... more likely to be Steradent.

[Rambo]

PS I'm fairly certain JohnW found something good for cleaning his header tank. Can't remember if it was Milton's sterilising fluid or a Steradent but a search might yield the right info.

JohnW..... more likely to be Steradent.

Mixed with some Viagra, cod liver oil, raw garlic and glucosamine

[GeoffSmith]

PS I'm fairly certain JohnW found something good for cleaning his header tank. Can't remember if it was Milton's sterilising fluid or a Steradent but a search might yield the right info.

JohnW..... more likely to be Steradent.

Mixed with some Viagra, cod liver oil, raw garlic and glucosamine

I thought that was you swivel hips.

[Rambo]

Still going strong though

[Simon_P]

The 'issue' with the pressure caps was nowt to do with the colour - it was the fact that some sealed properly and some didnt......

..... if you get a £2 yellow one from China it doesn't seal as well as a £6 yellow one from Germany.

Perhaps they use cheaper yellow paint in China???????

Dave,
It is more the Chinese header tank doesn't work with the yellow cap but it does with the black one - This I have tested with Old new header tank and yellow/black cap. 2 different cars on the same day. The yellow cap on the replacement header tank had a hot wet moment all other combinations were ok. That said I didn't ask the yellow cap if it was Chinese, and it didn't speak German.

[Simon_P]

Strap? What strap? Maybe it was an S2 added lightness feature like the missing rubber boot on the boost sensor.

S2's had the strap... but it fell off before anyone had heard of Tytherington!

[dapinky]

Simon,

As I'm sure you (and everyone else) guessed, i was being flippant with the cap nationality - just trying to emphasize that cheap caps, whatever their colour, are likely to be 'not as good' as more expensive ones.

I currently use a yellow cap with no problems, but the first one I tried leaked like a sieve and I couldn't ever get it to seal properly.

I noticed on the cheaper one that there was a shallower depth of threaded portion on the cap so it didn't have anywhere like the contact area between the tank and cap, but the other one was much deeper - like the OE one (black!).

[Rambo]

As I'm sure you (and everyone else) guessed, i was being flippant with the cap nationality - just trying to emphasize that cheap caps, whatever their colour, are likely to be 'not as good' as more expensive ones

Header tank cap bigotry. They'll be getting a new Minister in Brussels before you can say Weston Super Mud

[GeoffSmith]

As I'm sure you (and everyone else) guessed, i was being flippant with the cap nationality - just trying to emphasize that cheap caps, whatever their colour, are likely to be 'not as good' as more expensive ones

Header tank cap bigotry. They'll be getting a new Minister in Brussels before you can say Weston Super Mud

Get back to your tapas and Cava.

[Rambo]

Great idea, but a little early

[John_W]

PS I'm fairly certain JohnW found something good for cleaning his header tank. Can't remember if it was Milton's sterilising fluid or a Steradent but a search might yield the right info.

JohnW..... more likely to be Steradent.

Mixed with some Viagra, cod liver oil, raw garlic and glucosamine

I'm a little late to spot this calumny.
I would like it on record that it certainly wasn't me that found anything to clean the header tank.

John