When the cooling system begins to leak in your Mitsubishi Eclipse, the source may be the coolant recovery tank. If it begins to leak, your car can overheat and eventually fail. Replacing the coolant recovery tank is an easy task and you don't need to be a licensed mechanic to do it.
Put a bucket under radiator the drain plug. Be sure the radiator is cool to the touch before you open the drain. The drain plug on the Mitsubishi Eclipse is on the driver's side bottom of the radiator. Open the plug to allow the coolant to flow into bucket.
Use a socket wrench to unfasten the nuts, which secures the recovery tank in position. You may need to use a socket extension to reach any nuts that are in an awkward position. Place the nuts in a safe place, so you won't lose them.
Disengage the clamps on the coolant hoses with a pair of hose clamp pliers. Then, detach the hoses from the coolant recovery tank. Make certain to elevate the hoses as they may have leftover coolant in them.
Remove the old coolant tank and slide the new coolant tank into its place. The tank connectors should fit on the same the bolts as the previous recovery tank.
Place the nuts you removed in Step 2 on the bolts and use the socket wrench to tighten them into place. Be sure you don't apply too much force as you can damage the tank connectors. However, the connection should be secure enough that the tank doesn't move.
Reattach the hoses to the recovery tank and tighten the clamps with the pliers. Pull on each hose to make sure the connection is solid. If they're too loose, it can cause a coolant leak in the future.
Close the drain plug, refill the radiator and start the engine. Put the heating system on the high setting and let it run for about 15 or 20 minutes. Then, check for leaks around the coolant recovery tank. Finally, dispose of the defective recovery tank and clean up any mess.
