Your coolant recovery tank location

[MikeB]

My 82 C10's tank sits down low between the radiator and the battery box, where the cap is hard to reach. Which years had the tank mounted on the inner fender? Also, please post some pictures. Thanks.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

I know from my family's squares that 85 and on have it on the fender. Stock footage of '83 and '84 look the same as your '82 setup. Here's a stock photo out of an '85. From what I can find, '85 was the first year, which makes sense to me because there were a lot of subtle improvements that year.

 

[MikeB]

Thanks. Exactly what I was looking for.

 

[77 K20]

My '77 had the coolant recovery down low. When I did my fuel injection I wanted that space to put a small fuel sump with an electric pump in it. Plus the old style had the top open and when off roading the truck would bounce enough to come out the overfull spout on the top.
I moved the recovery tank to the wheel well like the mid to late 80's did. I bought one from LMC for a '85-'87 truck for $23.
But- the inner wheel well must have been changed sometime in those years. When I tried to mount it to my fender I found that it tilted quite a bit no matter where I tried to locate it on the wheel well. I "solved" this by stacking probably .75"-1" under one of the mounting holes.
Don't exactly have a picture of it... this kinda shows it.

EDIT: you might be ok. I looked at LMC truck about inner fenders and there was 2 designs. One from 73-80 and one from 81-87. So maybe you have the right "shape" fender for the overfull recovery tank.

 

[MikeB]

In addition to the tank cap being hard to get to, I am having issues getting air out of the system. Having the tank at the highest point in the system might help. That could be why GM changed the location.

And yes, when looking for an inner fender a few years ago, I learned I had to get an 81-up. That was when GM dropped the nose of the truck a little to make it more aerodynamic. Aerodynamic being a relative term.