Removing the radiator overflow tank...?

[NightSpirit]

strange question this, good friend of mine is building a track ep...he's currently lightening all he can and he's hit upon the rad overflow tank. I understand how this system works and why it's there but (and only a but) if you removed the overflow and let the top pipe to it from the rad just vent to the floor, would the rad just heat up and expel all its fluid or only a certain amount (like when you bleed the coolant system). If it only expels a small amount, you could in theory top up the rad after xx months/days/minutes.

If the rad is full but the overflow tank is empty the vacuum in the system is lost anyway meaning the rad will be sucking air in and not liquid if the overflow tank was full, my friend is in this situation and he's never had a cooling problem and never needed to top up the rad...hence the question.

[StarletRick]

i personally wouldnt, as when it cools down it sucks it back in from the tank.

when hot it pushes about half a litre out, i tried it the other day.

[Starletraje]

when i got my starlet it had a burst radiator. and the coolant bottle was constantly empty. i ran it like this for 2 months and it had run with it for a long time before i got it cause the rust was ridiculous under the bonnet. never had any problems. the temp guage remained at half. my radiator coolant seemed to drop to a certain level and then remain there. so it is possible to run it without, as long as you top it up frequently.

Edit.

Not to second guess rick by the way as i'm not sure how safe it is on a track car, which i assume will get hotter

[NightSpirit]

Yup...that was my thought. For the weight you'd save (negligeble) it's not worth the worry. We're trying to get creative with where we can save weight on the car

Cheers Rick/Raje!

[Galliano]

wieght saving... take the car off