Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

I know mad rod did this awhile ago, iv got a spear header tank, manly as a back up with the intent 2 try and clean it up. I'm in no rush so I can try a few different things. I was wondering if bleach would lighten the plastic? Without weaken it 2 a point were it's a health hazard 2 the car.

Any ideas and advice welcome

I didn't manage to lighten mine but I did manage to remove pretty much all of the rubbish inside using a combination of steradent, bleach, and dishwasher tablets. That softened all the rubbish up and then a load of uncooked rice (With some water to help wash stuff away) and a good old vigorous shake shifted the more stubborn stuff. The only problem was getting all the rice out again after as I didn't fancy rice making its way around my cooling system.

It's not any less yellow however and it's the whole plastic that has gone yellow not just the inside. The easiest way to get a nice looking one would be to just buy a new one, which then leads to a new brake reservoir to match. I can however see the coolant level nice and clearly on mine now where before it was impossible to see.

ETA: I was going to add a picture of it in the car before and after but I've been a numpty and not taken a picture of it in the car since I cleaned it.

Thanks, I was looking at it, and the mounting points are still white ish, guess it's the heat off the water as well. As the washer bottle still White. Rice idea is good but has that problem. I wonder if fitting a layer of tin foil under Neath would give a more sliver White colour 2 the water? Or maybe once clean sprayed with some transplant paint? Do u think if you could look at the plastic from the side, e.g. Like a flat broken peace. it would be yellow in the middle?

Hi t3rra,

To get the whites, white - buy a new header tank. Mine split last year and I got a new tank from OPC Leeds for around £50. Saves you a lot of time rather than making a chemical cleaner cocktail shaker.

Ben

Mine was yellow down to the lower mounting point and also the pegs that sit under the wing so not sure what causes it, could just be that type of plastic going yellow with age. Mine is 27 years old though (I assume it's never been changed).

I think ur right Ben, but where the fun? At only 50 bucks think are go easy on the cleaners from asda and just save up.

Cleaning 'yellowed' plastic:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4545758_clean-y ... astic.html


You might also try soaking in white vinegar for a while.

My only other thought about cleaning out these header tanks with all these cleaning chemicals is will it degrade the integrity of the plastic?

Just seems a big risk to me if the tank splits while the car's in use. I don't think the temp sensors in the radiator would pick up to quick on the fact that your car has gone from being water cooled to air cooled.

The cost of a header tank versus a engine rebuild just doesn't compare. Am I wrong?

Ben

I remembered to take a picture of my coolant bottle this time so people can see how it looks clean but still yellow.