My boat won't float nomore. Somewhere I saw something on cutting a piece of foam to put under the float to solve this problem without replacing the whole tank. It appears as age has stopped me from finding it again. Any ideas or where to look would be appreciated.
2001 XK8

 

Try searching using "coolant reservoir float repair" as your key phrase....

 

You don't need to replace the Expansion Tank. The Fluid level Sensor is available separately (item 4):



(click on the image to enlarge it)

Part Number LNA5740AB. It clips into the bottom of the tank.

Graham

 

Unless the float sinks or sticks to the bottom. If the level goes down the float many times sticks to the bottom and i use a pick to lift it and make it float again. The sensor wont fix this issue. And i would prefer a proper fix since theyre not that expensive. Last thing you need is a non working level sensor to warn you you're low or out of coolant(you dont know) and blow a head gasket or engine

 

I definitely agree with Brutal.

Replace the tank if it has a sticky float.

The low coolant warning may be your only savior if you were to have a major coolant loss, such as a burst hose. In these cars if the coolant level is too low you will never see an overheating warning because the fluid would be below the temperature sensor. Take your pick: around $100-$200 for a tank now or around $5000-10,000 for a replacement engine later.

 

Mine just started sticking. thanks for the info.

 

Search for "Low coolant message- Resolved" in this forum.
I put in a foam ring a year ago and still holding up. I do check my coolant level weekly and monitor the temp with an UltraGauge.

 

I also check the coolant level at least weekly. You really cannot check it often enough with these cars....

 

hi guys, i had the same issue on my 99. i got a new tank which comes with a new sensor in place from the parts geek for 150.00 after i replaced it i decided to disect the old tank just to see what was going on. what i found was a real sludgy float that most likely could have been cleaned and good as new. what i would do first is remove the tank (simple) and use dawn dish soap or any type of cleaner my guess is that it would free up which you can check by inverting the tank and jiggling it up and down you'll probably hear it moving. once that is done reassemble, fill with coolant and your probably all set. (i wished i had tried it before spending the dough) since it removes fairly easy i'd try that before i replaced it. also a good ideato flush your radiator and renew the coolant good luck

 

espy1949, when I was having this problem I removed the tank and cleaned it with radiator flush. The float moved freely but that didn't solve the problem. I believe the float just got too heavy over time.

 

Agreed. It's much safer to simply replace these plastic tanks and floats. Once they degrade, they can become engine-killers in a heartbeat....