I wanted to order in some extra parts and remembered that I couldn't read the coolant level in the tank since the whole thing has turned opaque yellow with age.
I didn't manage to find a part reference in Roy's list. Does anyone have a suggestion? Or perhaps an easy way to make the original tank (is this the header tank?) more transparent again, at least to the point that I can read the fluid level again?
The coolant header tank was never clear or transparent, and they do 'yellow' with age, but the coolant inside should be dark blue from the antifreeze and therefore should be visible through the container. All our cars are the same age being built in that September 1980 - December 1983 period, so will be similarly opaque, yet I can easily see my coolant level as the dark colour shows against the light header tank material.
There is one likely reason that makes it more difficult to detect where the level of the fluid is, and that is because the inside of the header tank becomes dirty after years of use especially if not cleaned occasionally. This brown scum, which will often go almost to the top of the container as the fluid reaches up there when it is very hot and expanded, can be cleaned off, as I have done it myself. First you need to remove the header tank from the car. You will need a small brush with a flexible wire handle, the type you might use for cleaning out pipes, so you can bend the handle to allow the brush to be rubbed against the inside of the container to loosen the deposits and then thoroughly rinsed out. Once cleaned off and refitted, and refilled with new coolant with new antifreeze the level should be easy to see.
One important point is that if you are using the wrong antifreeze (OAT) - which is pale red in colour, when diluted in water it is even more pale and that would be difficult to spot inside the header tank, BUT you should not be using that type antifreeze in the Murena anyway.
And finally, if you had a fluid level sensor fitted to your coolant header tank, like I have, and have recommended as one of the cooling system improvements that can be done, you would not have to be able to see the level anyway, as your sensor would give you a dashboard warning of any drop in coolant.
Happy New Year to all.
Roy