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How long did it take your OEM coolant tank to start leaking

It isn't years it is mileage. Hot-cold-Hot-cold opens up the seam.
Mine is 22 years old.

Hot engine compartment (aftermarket headers) and UV (no engine cover or mesh cover, etc) will also reduce life. The first is related to my desire to ceramic coat my headers and the second (along with not wanting a rattling rear glass) is why I'll always have an engine cover (or if that changes for some reason, I'll get the NSX-R cover thing).
 
My '92 still has the original and at 126K shows no sign of leakage. You guys are making me nervous.
 
My original coolant reserve tank lasted 15 years but the replacement oem tank now has a slight leak at the seam after only an additional 7.5 years. The car had about 80,000 miles when the first tank neded replacement and has now been driven for an additional 28,000 miles. As the car has always been garaged, the usage out of the 2nd tank seems pretty low.
I am now considering an aluminum replacement tank but was wondering if there have been any issues with those tanks.
 
My original coolant reserve tank lasted 15 years but the replacement oem tank now has a slight leak at the seam after only an additional 7.5 years. The car had about 80,000 miles when the first tank neded replacement and has now been driven for an additional 28,000 miles. As the car has always been garaged, the usage out of the 2nd tank seems pretty low.
I am now considering an aluminum replacement tank but was wondering if there have been any issues with those tanks.


I have only had my after market tank for a year, so I can't say one way or another that it will last longer,(no issues thus far) but it sure beats the look from the big bulbuous white OEM tank. IMO


91 NSX Red/Black
09 VW Jetta TDI White
 
Wish I saw this thread back in 2014...when I decided to replace my leaking OEM coolant tank with an aluminum aftermarket one.

The original OEM tank lasted over 14 years (over 50,000 miles), but the replacement one started leaking last month. I'm pretty sure the replacement is leaking at the sight tube.

14 years with no issues sounds a lot better than developing a leak after less than 3...
 
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Wish I saw this thread back in 2014...when I decided to replace my leaking OEM coolant tank with an aluminum aftermarket one.

The original OEM tank lasted over 14 years (over 50,000 miles), but the replacement one started leaking last month. I'm pretty sure the replacement is leaking at the sight tube.

14 years with no issues sounds a lot better than developing a leak after less than 3...

The ones with site tubes are nice to monitor but really that's the weak point. It always has been and always will. The old Dali ones that are cylinder shaped are apparently supposed to be one of the best due to the construction method that it's pressed. Other than that Stmpo made a run which I have but has no site tube.
 
A better question might be why did my original OEM tank fail so *early*. I have an always garaged NSX-T (the bottle is always covered), it only had to endure a handful of track days, and I live in sunny SoCal where the climate tends to be ideal for car longevity.
 
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