antifreeze/refill

[STORTZ77]

this is probably a dumb question but i knocked off my pipe going from the radiator cap and my radiator on my 2.0 turbo(clamp was lose) but ended up losing some antifreeze, how do i know much more to put in?

 

[razrman8]

Remove the radiator cap and fill it up untill you can see antifreeze in the pipe. With the radiator cap off, start the car and allow it to warm up to operating temperature.After getting close to operating temperature monitor the antifreeze in the pipe . Once in the operating temperature state, the car will eventually get hot and the thermostat will open, sucking the antifreeze that you could see into the cooling system. After the antifreeze that you could see is sucked down into the system top it back off untill you can see the antifreeze in the piping again. Install the cap back, and you should be set

Did you knock it off while the car was cold or hot?

 

[STORTZ77]

thanks for the help!
and it wasnt a hot engine, but wasnt cold,
i had just drove home from work about an half hour ago, which is only a block, then sat for a hour, then i pulled it in the garage

and in the pipe i can see a very small stream, what does that mean? still need to do the above steps?

 

[razrman8]

Was the system under pressure still or did it all just spill out. Like did antifreeze spray out or just spill out ?

As for the stream. Did the hose come off by the thermostat or the end on the radiator?

 

[STORTZ77]

it just kinda dumped out, i quickly grabed it and held it upright to prevent further spillage, but there was a decent sized puddle under the car.
and its the hose starting at the radiator cap, to the radiator itself

 

[razrman8]

Oh, well in that case the antifreeze you lost was probably just what was in that hose. You still have all of the anti freeze in the block and radiator. Just get that hose back on there and clamped good. Then just slowly pour antifreeze in the cap hole. By pouring it slowly you allow the air to be forced out the fill hole.

 

[STORTZ77]

okay, around how much should i be adding?

 

[razrman8]

I'm not sure on an exact measurement. But just think, the antifreeze that you lost is what was in that tube. So probably just enough to fill that tube. Slowly.

This is how my level is sitting as we speak. COLD. You can see where the antifreeze. And even if you put a little too much in, the overflow will catch it

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/50007640@N06/5285251186/" title="IMAG0248 by keenanwillis, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5288/5285251186_5156b1e32c.jpg" width="500" height="299" alt="IMAG0248" /></a>

 

[STORTZ77]

okay, thanks a lot man
appreciate it!