Pipe in Wheel Arch - is it an expansion tank overflow?

[SimonR]

Hello chaps,

Another potentially silly question - apologies in advance if so - but I've not been able to find out the answer and I don't currently have the car with me to be able to work it out for myself.

I need to replace a small steel pipe that opens out into the driver's side wheel arch, but don't know what its purpose is and therefore can't find a part number.

It's the yellow arrowed part in the picture below:



Mine's corroded beyond repair so if I can't get a replacement, I'll have to get one made up.

Many thanks as always

[poprivet]

Its just the overflow from the atmospheric expansion tank that hides behind the.
Its worth removing the cover in the inner wing as it is a place where muck gathers. Any suitable sized pipe will do, it doesn't need to be anything special.

[SimonR]

I forgot to say thanks for the reply, Pop.

In the end I tried bending some 8 mm copper pipe but my pipe bender couldn't make the acute angles required, so I chopped the rusty bit off the original, then cut the sound part just below the bends and soldered in a straight length of copper pipe.

It's sprayed silver and ready to go back on the car now - the joints are hidden behind the wheel arch panel, and out of sight, as you said.

[poprivet]

Glad it helped. Some years ago I ditched the overflow tank completely with a rubber hose going from the main tank to vent to the ground.

I run the main tank at a coolant level just above the sensor and have never had a problem even in hot weather and long runs. I've been told off many times! I probably wouldn't recommend it with a V12.

I know all about the theory of the expansion tank, in practice I never needed it. All I ever found it did was gather wet salty road dirt behind it.