Hi! We recently inherited a '99 Infiniti. The overflow coolant reservoir tank is busted on the top; just below the cap and going down about two inches. I would like to seal this to keep the fluid clean and to keep other things out…like the spider that has currently made a home in there.
Any recommendations on what I should use or if I should at all?
The biggest reason to fix this is to make the coolant recovery system work. The best fix is a new or used tank. Depending on what shape it is and where it is mounted, you might not need and exact match, See if there are other Nissans that use the same tank.
^+1. Off topic but I’d also recommend you have the car looked over thoroughly by a good independent mechanic to avoid any surprises. Plan to have all necessary maintenance done as well.
If this is a pressurized tank… it is if the cap unscrews… there is no way to fix this. The car will tend to over heat if the hole is not fixed.
Agreed that the best “fix” for this issue is a new tank. You might be able to temporarily seal the existing broken tank for liquid leaks, but probably not for the pressure of the cooling system. Which, I might add, the proper functioning of keeps your engine from overheating.
I also agree with having the car looked over by a mechanic. Any 21 year old car is going to have some issues, both minor and possibly major.
The expansion tank in this car is not pressurized so the immediate need is to seal the crack so that it holds a vacuum so the cooling system will function properly. The bad news is that no adhesive (that I know of) will adhere to this kind of plastic so you have to heat weld it (not going to work well on a 20 year old part) or replace it. A new tank will cost anywhere from $30 to $120 depending on what brand part you buy.
