Winter Coolant level question: (1 Viewer)

[Czar]

Winter is here, and I decided to glance at the coolant level since I did the PHP a few weeks ago. Well the reservoir is showing right at the cold mark, with a cold engine, which is normal. I decided to investigate further, and popped the rad cap for good measure. To my surprise there was no coolant visible from the radiator cap.

Does the coolant level drop that much when the vehicle is cold? I know I have enough 100% green stuff in there, but I worry distilled will freeze before mixing with the glycol if I decide to fill it this evening.

Any suggestions?

Everything seems to be in order. No overheating, heater is HOT, rear heater is HOT. Car runs awesome. Hmmmm.

 

[CJF]

Definitely not normal.

There should be *zero* air in the radiator.

Curtis

 

[Czar]

So even when cold the level should be all the way up to the cap. I guess I have 2 options:

1. Buy pre-mixed coolant and top it off

2. Start it up, warm it up and top off with distilled (I think i'm a bit Glycol heavy on the mix).

 

[CJF]

I can't imagine it'd hurt to just top it off with water. But yeah, fire up the rig afterwards if you're worried.

Bigger issue is where is your coolant going?? *Might* just be a one time thing from your PHH repair.

 

[Czar]

The temperature is around 20 right now, thats why I worried about the pure distilled freezing if not mixed well enough. After the PHH/FHH I flushed the system, but I have a feeling the system still needed additional topping off (less distilled then expected went back in the system after the Glycol). Being an optimist, it's just low, don't even bring up any HG talk.

 

[96Cruiser13]

so top it off with distilled, crank it up for a good 5 minutes, check and make sure its still full, should be fine

 

[Czar]

Filled it up, ran it to operating temp, drove around for about 20min. It took about 2/3 of a gallon of distilled (should be right at 50/50 mix now). I shut it down, popped the hood and it seems like it spit out a couple of quarts when hot (from low to half way to full mark).

I'll check tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure I did a piss poor job of topping it off after I did the PHH.

 

[CJF]

Being an optimist, it's just low, don't even bring up any ** talk.

OK; I hear ya.

 

[86tuning]

also how old is your rad cap? a faulty vacuum valve inside the cap will prevent coolant from being sucked back into your rad.

i'd top up the rad with coolant, then put on a new cap. top up the bottle & check it again in a couple days.

 

[darwink1]

Just checked mine for s***s and the rad was full but the overflow was nearly empty. iy was cold, -20 lol.



D

 

[95ToyCruiser]

Mine started running pretty hot, ~200 degrees this moring via the Ultragauge, it usually sits between 180-185, so I checked my coolant level, overflow empty, rad took 2/3 of a gallon as well, also hoping it's my PHH as it is original 225K miles in the rust belt, guess I've been lucky.

I have never heard of the rad cap not sucking fluid back from the overflow as mine has the same problem, used to go down about an inch and never more than that, so I think it would just come out when hot but not get sucked back when cooled down, I'll pick one up from Mr. T this week.

Thanks,

Shane