FOR SALE: Dali Racing aluminum coolant tank

[Butters]

This came on the car when I bought it. It works, no leaks, I'm just looking to return to stock. I am not sure what the grey/green goop is on the upper port is -- it's hard, not rubbery, so it's not some kind of gasket sealer as far as I can tell.

Asking $100 OBO + shipping.

 

[Hugh]

Just an FYI, very few parts suck on an NSX but the suckiest of them all if the plastic factory coolant overflow tank. The top and bottom halves are joined by a sonic weld and will eventually split. I'd hold on to your Dali. No one gives a shit about non OEM coolant tank to preserve the originality of their NSX. Hold onto it if you're planning to hold on to your car. I installed mine around 2006 and 200,000 miles later all is good. Plus it looks a lot better than that plastic piece of doggie doo!

 

[Butters]

Do you have a stock engine maintenance lid? Or the mesh one where the engine bay is exposed to the sun?

I've heard so many mixed opinions on stock vs aftermarket coolant expansion tanks. Some swear by the original because of the internal multi-chamber design which aftermarket tanks lack. Some say the OEM unit cracks at the seams, but usually due to UV degradation by the sun cuz they have an exposed engine bay. Some also say aftermarket tanks also leak because they don't stand up to the pressure of the coolant system. By most accounts tho, the Dali tank is less prone to leak because it has less welds and because the cylindrical shape is better suited to withstand the pressure. Honestly, I am not sure where I stand at this point.

So yeah...

 

[Honcho]

Do you have a stock engine maintenance lid? Or the mesh one where the engine bay is exposed to the sun?

I've heard so many mixed opinions on stock vs aftermarket coolant expansion tanks. Some swear by the original because of the internal multi-chamber design which aftermarket tanks lack. Some say the OEM unit cracks at the seams, but usually due to UV degradation by the sun cuz they have an exposed engine bay. Some also say aftermarket tanks also leak because they don't stand up to the pressure of the coolant system. By most accounts tho, the Dali tank is less prone to leak because it has less welds and because the cylindrical shape is better suited to withstand the pressure. Honestly, I am not sure where I stand at this point.

So yeah...

I know, there's a lot of conflicting info out there. Although I prefer the OEM tank, if I had to use an aftermarket one, I'd use the Dali. It's well designed/constructed and seems to be able to handle the system pressure well. I've never seen one leak. Of course, there is the guessing game when it comes to filling it and checking the level. I don't like to guess with the NSX, especially since it doesn't tolerate coolant issues very well.

The OEM tank will last about 10 years if you use the stock engine cover. I usually tell people to just replace it at every TB interval- it's not that expensive and is easy to replace. If you delete your engine cover or use a mesh one, you need to use the NSX-R/S black rubber tank cover. Honda knew they had a UV problem and this solves it 100%. I've never seen one leak under these circumstances.

I have seen leaks on tanks that were past their lifespan, used in direct sunlight (which drastically reduces their lifespan) or torqued improperly during installation. Cranking on the mounting bolts can put torsion onto the tank and break the middle seal.

The NSX coolant system runs at a higher pressure than most other cars. The multi-chamber OEM design does a really good job of spreading this pressure out and greatly reducing slosh to effectively zero. The water pump draws coolant from the bottom hose, so slosh does matter- you don't want any air bubbles getting sucked in. I don't know if the Dali tank has internal baffles to deal with sloshing, but it's something to think about. I think you'll be fine either way.