How to Replace Radiator Overflow Bottle 1996-2007 Ford Taurus

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Hi, I'm Mike Green. I'm one of the owners of 1A Auto. I want to help you save time and money repairing or maintaining your vehicle. I'm going to use my 20-plus years experience restoring and repairing cars and trucks like this to show you the correct way to install parts from 1AAuto.com. The right parts installed correctly: that's going to save you time and money. Thank you and enjoy the video.

In this video, we're going to show you how to remove and replace the radiator overflow bottle on this 2001 Ford Taurus same as any 2000 to 2006 with the V6. Tools you'll need: 10mm socket and ratchet, pair of large slip joint pliers, a catch pan, and if your fender bolt is rusted as it is on our vehicle you'll also need a Phillips screwdriver, 7/32” socket and driver and a hammer and a punch. This is obviously a repair you want to do when your engine is cold not when your engine is hot.

So, this is your radiator overflow bottle, and it's a pretty simple operation. You're going to remove two bolts, 10 mm: one that's right here, and then one that's right over here. Okay and then you're going to disconnect three hoses, one here, here, and one way down in here.

The hose's disconnect is pretty easy. You want a pair of pliers. I'm going to put the pliers on, squeeze the clamp and then slide it off.

On this one, this is probably a pretty common issue. This is bolted on and let me see if I can show it here very well. There's a clip in the fender and you'll see, as I turn this right here, that's the clip you can see is rusted. So, it turns when I turn the bolt. Okay, that's a problem, you want that clip to stay still. Okay, so here I'm going to use 10 mm socket and ratchet with an extension and remove that bolt. I'm going to speed up here for you so you don't have to be bored by me turning the wrench. Then I'm also going to speed through using the pliers and removing the two upper hoses. I use a screw driver to help me out a little bit. Probably didn't need to though, that one off and then pull that one off.

So, now I've jacked it up and we’ve got to go up underneath to reach that bolt that's rusted. So there's two screws right up there at the top and then there's another screw here near the front of the wheel close to the bottom of the car. Then underneath that black bolt is a 7/32” bolt. You don't have to remove the silver screw, you just want to remove that bolt. Now we'll speed through it and I wish I always could work this fast, it gets tiring though.

The last thing you have to do is there's a plug right back here. I got a special pair of pliers, it makes it easy but any pair of pliers will it out, pull that plug out. Now this piece of the inner fender, slide down, out, and here you can see at the bottom of that stud. So what I'll try and do first is grab onto it with something and hold it while I turn it and if that doesn't work I'm going to punch it and drill it.

So, obviously here we're looking up at the spring. That's the washer reservoir, tighten right up on the bottom side of that stud that's rusted. Now, I got a punch and a hammer and I'm going to give it a few whacks and it's just sheet metal that you're going through, so, after a few good hits it just drives right out through. Then you can tap the fender down back and re-form it and then just use a nut and bolt to put it back in.

Now, I’m back up your top with a big pair of slip joint pliers. You can see as I'm twisting back and forth and pulling back on the bottle, the hose is coming off. That comes right out. And obviously you want a catch pan as you can hear the coolant leaking out.

So, here's the new bottle from the 1A Auto. Here's the original. You can see all the connections are the same. Our bottle has the reinforcements. What happens a lot of the times with this is maybe when work’s being done somebody will press on one of these and break it off. Also this is under a lot of pressure, so it can actually expand it and crack it. This original one is fine. So, I'm not a person to waste, so I'll put it back into the car. I just want to show you that when you buy it from 1A Auto it's going to go in just like the original.

Now set your radiator bottle back down in and marry up that fitting on the bottom with the hose. Now I use my big pliers again. Grab onto that hose push the bottle against it and work the hose on there. Then once I get it on a little bit, I just reach down in there with my hand, grab hold of it and really push it together. Okay, shake it around, twist it a little bit, and then grab the pliers again and get hold of the clamp. Spread the clamp open or squeeze it shut which spreads it open, and get the clamp on there.

Now hook it into the side and to its little clip, and get that 10 mm bolt from the side started. I'll speed up tightening up here. Okay, and then once you get that tight, you’re feeding the bolt up from the bottom of the fender, and then putting the nut on. I'll speed up here again, tightening that up. Speed through putting those other two hoses back on. Just a quick shot from underneath: You can see my nice new bolt up to the fender.

Now we're going to just speed through putting that inner fender trim back in. You put it up in there. You put your pin in that holds it, and then you can put your three Philip screws back on and then the little 7/32” bolt that's up and underneath. Then once you get that, you should be all set.

We hope this helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the internet. Please feel free to call us toll free at 888-844-3393. We’re the company that’s here for you on the internet and in person.