The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

Hose Placement for Intercooler Expansion Tank Upgrade

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

4
4
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Texas
New here and first post, so take it easy on me…
I’ve got a 2010 GT with a slightly built 4.6 and a Kenne Bell. Anyone with this combo (or similar) knows heat is enemy #1.

The the Kenne Bell IC expansion tank is garbage. It gets hot, it warps, and the cap leaks. So im replacing it with a factory Gt500 tank.

Question I have is regarding the in/out hoses. On the KB one, “IN” is on the upper right side of tank (looking from front of car) and “OUT” is on the bottom left. On the GT500 one, the inlet/outlet positions are flipped; down low on the right side, higher on the left.

Do I need to flip the hoses so the fluid flows from high to low (like the KB). Or is it irrelevant once the cap is on and the system is sealed? I’m asking because I’d have to replace all hoses if they need to be swapped to get them the right length.

Feels like it should be an easy answer to Google, but I want to be sure. Appreciate any help
 
I feel as though it would make sense to draw liquid from the reservoir using the lowest position. No sense in having the pumping system work against gravity or the possibility of sucking up air leading to fluid aeration issues.

1673128161159.png
The latest S197 GT500 diagram had the hot coolant come out of the supercharger intercooler, to the top of the reservoir, and then out the bottom to the circulator pump. The hose circumventing the reservoir was a coolant bypass since the updated pump was so strong it would splash into the reservoir and add considerable aeration.

VMP has a much larger intercooler reservoir tank (about the size of the regular coolant reservoir) that has an OE appearance, but the hose nipples are in a similar orientation.
1673128638524.png
1673128698389.png
 
4
4
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Texas
I feel as though it would make sense to draw liquid from the reservoir using the lowest position. No sense in having the pumping system work against gravity or the possibility of sucking up air leading to fluid aeration issues.

View attachment 82566
The latest S197 GT500 diagram had the hot coolant come out of the supercharger intercooler, to the top of the reservoir, and then out the bottom to the circulator pump. The hose circumventing the reservoir was a coolant bypass since the updated pump was so strong it would splash into the reservoir and add considerable aeration.

VMP has a much larger intercooler reservoir tank (about the size of the regular coolant reservoir) that has an OE appearance, but the hose nipples are in a similar orientation.
View attachment 82567
View attachment 82568
Thanks for the response, and diagram. I know that way makes the most sense. Of course Kenne Bell has to be opposite about it haha. Not that much work to replace the hoses I guess.
I already have the stock gt500 tank on hand, but did see that VMP piece and might be worth the upgrade. Every degree cooler counts
 
6,363
8,188
Logic ( and Murphy's law) dicate that you need to pull from the lower portion of the tank. Since I just changed out my intercooler pump in my 07 GT500, I'm recently familiar with this. My tank also functions in the same method as the above diagram.
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top