How to add coolant to my car?

**David48atTD** · 25-08-2019, 04:43 PM

Since the Cricket doesn't start for another 40 mins ... I'll relate the time I actually boiled my car dry.

Was with the then squeeze and doing a winery tour a few years back. Lot's of stop start driving.

On the way home, decided for a different drive, over the mountain range, but pleasant in the country.

Was descending through the National Park/State Forest, single lane, double line (no overtaking) and had a Range rover up my arse.

Couple of peacocks ran in front of the car, braked and the car stalled.

Tried to restart but the engine laboured, trying to turn over ... sort of like trying to start on a flatish battery.

Range rover passed me, braked and reversed up (God bless him).

In the mean time I had popped the bonnet/hood and a quick look saw there was no coolant in the tank.

Knew better then to try and take the radiator cap off.

Mr Range Rover grabbed his tow rope and we hooked me up and then towed me until we hit the flats, the first Farmhouse.

BTW, breaking a car, downhill, while being towed and the engine not running, hence no vacuum in the brakes is NO FUN.

Lots of handbrake.

Mr Farmer was on his verandah/patio enjoying the sunset and a beer. Wandered over and Mr Range Rover has humbly thanked, departed and Mr Farmer inquired if he could help.

Offered a cup of tea while we waited for the engine block to cool down.

Maybe 20 mins later I poured his tank water in, directly into the radiator. Even then it instantly boiled but kept going and it soon settled down.

Filled up a 2 liter/half gallon plastic milk bottle just in-case we got caught out again.

Made it home OK and changed the engine oil very soon after as it was the only thing cooling the motor.

Real concern was that the oil rings around the pistons might have super-heated and lost their elastic qualities and I'd end up with a smokey motor.^*

Well, 150,000 klms later, nary a puff of smoke. We were lucky.

^*It's usually the oil rings or the valve seals which give rise to smokey motors.

.

If it smokes all the time ... it's usually the oil rings.

---

If it's smokey after sitting idling, then accelerating, smokes, then stops, it's usually the valve seals.

**crackerjack101** · 25-08-2019, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by David48atTD

Modern coolant lasts 3 years/100k klms.
Some last 5 years/150k klms

... nothing to do with a 10k service.
Most service manuals will have a page indicating when it should be changed.

How often has LULU simply topped up the radiator with tap water?
How old is the car?

**Luigi** · 25-08-2019, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

Done.

Reservoir took 1 bottle up to the fill line.

Radiator took 1.5 bottles up to the top.

Will check in the morning, use it for the school run and check again after having cooled down, and will keep an eye on it.

Cheers.

This evening:

Reservoir was still full to the fill mark.

Opened the rad cap and the coolant had gone down below to where you can see (about 2 cm under the cap)

Took it to pick up some grub. Saw a pool of fluid under the engine as coming out of the restaurant, shat meself, reversed out and checked to see it as clear water, prolly from an aircon condensation.

Got home opened her up and there was a strongish smell of burning from around the engine. The reservoir was still full.

Could be from some minor spillage when topping up the coolant. Don't see any though.

Seems weird as the coolant is in there (no drips or pools under the car, reservoir still full).

**Dillinger** · 25-08-2019, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by David48atTD

BTW, breaking a car, downhill, while being towed and the engine not running, hence no vacuum in the brakes is NO FUN.

Lots of handbrake

Who the fuck tows someone downhill? And what kind of retard allows it?

**Luigi** · 25-08-2019, 04:56 PM

Will top her up with the rest of the coolant if the rad takes it later, use it for the school run in the morning, keep an eye on the coolant level.

**crackerjack101** · 25-08-2019, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

This evening:

Reservoir was still full to the fill mark.

Opened the rad cap and the coolant had gone down below to where you can see (about 2 cm under the cap)

Took it to pick up some grub. Saw a pool of fluid under the engine as coming out of the restaurant, shat meself, reversed out and checked to see it as clear water, prolly from an aircon condensation.

Got home opened her up and there was a strongish smell of burning from around the engine. The reservoir was still full.

Could be from some minor spillage when topping up the coolant. Don't see any though.

Seems weird as the coolant is in there (no drips or pools under the car, reservoir still full).

Mate, get it to a trusted mechanic ASAP. There's no leak from the reservoir so it's irrelevant. The leakage is from a pipe or the radiator itself.

That's not, IMHO, a do it your self job.

Why are you fucking about?

The reservoir is really irrelevant. The only thing that counts is the radiator. You're losing coolant from the radiator so there's the problem. That's what needs to be fixed.

With all due respect " a strongish smell of burning from around the engine" might, don't you think, be indicative of a bit of a problem of some seriousness.

You cant just just smear her with KY and assume the pain will go away.

**David48atTD** · 25-08-2019, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

Reservoir was still full to the fill mark.

Opened the rad cap and the coolant had gone down below to where you can see (about 2 cm under the cap)

Don't sweat the water level dropping in the radiator.

There are lots of pipe work and channels in the motor that refill.

What happens is that the water heats up in the radiator and when a certain pressure is realised the radiator cap opens up (the spring compresses) and the expanded fluid flows into the expansion tank.

When the fluid cools, it flows back from the expansion tank into the main radiator tank.

---

If you are really interested ...

**David48atTD** · 25-08-2019, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Dillinger

Who the fuck tows someone downhill? And what kind of retard allows it?

Mountain range ... a few ups, but more downs.

Once on the flats, definitely needed the tow.

Signed

Your friendly retarded driver

**Luigi** · 25-08-2019, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by crackerjack101

get it to a trusted mechanic

A wot?

**crackerjack101** · 25-08-2019, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

A wot?

How old is the vehicle?
How long have you owned it?
Who's been doing the servicing?

**Saint Willy** · 25-08-2019, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by David48atTD

Sorry LD, but calling BS on that.

I had a pinhole leak in my expansion tank.

Constant stop start driving, we were doing a wine tour, was enough to empty the car's system of cooling liquid.

The cap was fine and no leaks on the ground.

Heated coolant ... which hits the expansion tank with a hole in it, turns to steam as the pressure is released and no 'leaks on the ground'.

Probably valved out

**Airportwo** · 25-08-2019, 05:12 PM

Long story cut short, I was loosing fluid, couldn't find a leak, turned out to be the plastic expansion tank had a hairline crack in it that opened up when it got hot!

Might be worth checking when everything is hot?

**Luigi** · 25-08-2019, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by crackerjack101

There's no leak from the reservoir so it's irrelevant.

If the coolant leaks from the radiator or cooling system, wouldn't it draw the coolant from the reservoir?

**David48atTD** · 25-08-2019, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Airportwo

Long story cut short, I was loosing fluid, couldn't find a leak, turned out to be the plastic expansion tank had a hairline crack in it that opened up when it got hot!

Might be worth checking when everything is hot?

Yep, that's what happened to me.

A pressure test will find the fault.

**crackerjack101** · 25-08-2019, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

If the coolant leaks from the radiator or cooling system, wouldn't it draw the coolant from the reservoir?

How the fuck should I know?

I'm not a rusted mechanic.

**Dillinger** · 25-08-2019, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by crackerjack101

You cant just just smear her with KY and assume the pain will go away

Unlike the junior volleyball captain

**Luigi** · 25-08-2019, 05:23 PM

Does CJ need some coolant.

**Latindancer** · 25-08-2019, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

If the coolant leaks from the radiator or cooling system, wouldn't it draw the coolant from the reservoir?

Only as the engine cools. ( water expands in volume as it gets hotter, contracts as it cools)

From then on, it will draw more, each heating / cooling cycle until you have none left in the overflow bottle.

If you leak a fair bit while its running and hot, how can it draw back then ?

**Dillinger** · 25-08-2019, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

school run in the morning

**NamPikToot** · 25-08-2019, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

A wot?

Why not pick up a mechanic on TLL - two birds one stone

**Saint Willy** · 25-08-2019, 05:51 PM

Next troll thread from Lulu.

How do I change the oil in my car, and is it really that important?

**Switch** · 25-08-2019, 05:57 PM

Just put Dilly in the car. It'll be cool as fuck then.

**Fondles** · 25-08-2019, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Luigi

Done.

Reservoir took 1 bottle up to the fill line.

Radiator took 1.5 bottles up to the top.

Will check in the morning, use it for the school run and check again after having cooled down, and will keep an eye on it.

Cheers.

You put the coolant in the reservoir ?

**Luigi** · 25-08-2019, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by Fondles

You put the coolant in the reservoir ?

I put one bottle up to the fill in the reservoir.

Then 1.5 bottles in the radiator up to the top.

Why?

**klong toey** · 25-08-2019, 06:19 PM

just do a pressure test or leave the engine running until the fan comes on so find out if there is a problem.Check out how to cook food in your engine compartment do the school run and cook breakfast at the same time.

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