Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
James Wonsley photo
1 Level
749 Review
54 Karma

Review on Dorman 603 5207 Pressurized Coolant Reservoir by James Wonsley

Revainrating 1 out of 5

NO FUN DAY. TANK BROKEN AND FLOAT SENSOR DEFECTIVE!

I needed a new coolant tank for my hand truck. 2012 Freightliner M2 with 6.7 liter Cummins engine. I ordered a Dorman tank from Revain because it was cheaper and easier than going on a Freightliner. It was a big mistake. The tank surfaced, and during transportation the fastening tongue was cracked. I didn't realize it until I went to install. The cracked tongue fell off as soon as I touched it. No big deal I thought. I can handle it! So I put the tank on, filled it with coolant, started the truck and let it run while I checked for leaks. No leaks appeared during work. BIG! The truck stopped while refilling coolant. WTF?! Looking at the dashboard, the CHECK ENGINE light and the STOP ENGINE light came on. Why?! There are no other messages on the instrument panel. Restarted the car, the CHECK ENGINE light came on and the STOP ENGINE light flashed. The truck stopped with a solid "STOP ENGINE" signal. WHAT NOW?! Unplug the laptop, plug it into the truck and run diagnostics. "LOW REFRIGERANT" error. If I weren't a mechanic now and didn't have software. How much fun do you think it would be to diagnose? No error messages on the dashboard, just check engine and engine stop light! Photo #1 shows how I hold the coolant sensor. The float should hang down and not stick out straight. Gravity should pull it down. The float sticks to the wave. Well, there is no problem! Simply swap out the old sensor for a new one. A gallon or more of coolant was spilled and I replaced the sensor. On fig. 4 shows the position of the sensor. Clear codes, check for leaks. It's good! Take the truck for a test drive, come home. REFRIGERANT SPILLING ENTIRE INLET! Photo #2 shows the coolant flowing out of the tank! Go back to the shop, rip out the dorman tank, replace my OLD WORKING SENSOR from the CHEAP DORMAN TANK back into the old tank, drain the antifreeze, remove the CHEAP DORMAN tank, put the old tank on again! (The old tank had stress cracks that healed, so the tank was replaced). Now I have to return the defective NEW CHEAP DORMAN tank, order the tank from Freightliner and then repeat the process! Lessons Learned: Check float sensor BEFORE installing and filling tank (float should move freely without binding), check ALL plastics for transit cracks, make sure ALL caps are tight (I did this, just threw it in) and if after changing the tank the "CHECK ENGINE” and "STOP ENGINE” indicator lights come on, THEN it's probably a float sensor. A disgusting way to spend a SUNDAY. Especially when you tell your wife that it only takes an hour or two to switch bottles and it becomes a meal for most of your day, and you don't get on the HONEY TO-DO list be able!

Pros
  • Rugged construction - made from high quality materials to withstand heat and vibration under the hood
Cons
  • Drilling package