coolant reservoir

[gunner87]

i got a question my car has never pulled any coolant out of the reservoir since i have owned it and i know it needs some. i have a new radiator bc my old one had a hole in it so i flushed the system before i changed it and it has always been on the full line. i have asked a couple mechanics but they all said its full when i know its not bc my heat was not working and i added coolant into the upper hose and it works fine now. i have replaced the hoses on the reservoir but i dont know what else to do. sorry for the long post and i know my way around cars so you dont have to explain it to me like i was new to the engine world. and thanks for the help in advance

 

[nuclearr]

I personally have never had one suck fluid back in like they are suppose to. One reason that newer cars do not use the same style system as our cars. Newer vehicles you fill only the reservoir and the fluid circulates in the reservoir

 

[Project2G]

The cooling system in modern cars is pressureized! This is because water under pressure boils at a higher temperarture,- with 50/50 antifreeze-water mix it is a little over 235 degrees (as opposed at 212) Your system has a pressure cap on it designed to release pressure at a certian pre-determined pressure (generally around 12-18 psi)... Water expands when it gets hot, -- so some runs back to reserve bottle where it is captured and saved! The entry from radiator is near the bottom of the bottle -- when the engine cools off, the water "shrinks in volume", - so water is pulled back from the bottle to replentish level inside radiator! This is designed to assure that the radiator remains "topped off" all the time!

But you are supposed to check water in bottle occsionally and be sure it is full to a certian level marked somewhere on container! BUT if bottle has been "run dry" then you have no idea if radiator is ful or not, -- you may have overheating problem (that will tell you water is too low though)! Do not remove radiator cap when engine is hot (and system is presurized), - as it will spew out very hot water and possibly scald you if not done properly! It is safe to remove cap on cold engine, and look inside radiator and fill as needed, - but if only slighly low, it will do ok by just topping off,- and driving. It will "take care of itself" next time it cools off! The main thing here is that you do not want it low enough to make engine run too hot. So keeping bottle full will automatically take care of water level in engine, - if pressure cap is ok, and no leaks in system!

 

[nek]

I dont want to thread jack but I also have some questions about my coolant reservoir. I am consindering relocating it because I installed a short route and I really can either move it or get a smaller one and Im not sure what to do. Does it matter the elevation that the reservoir bottle is located at? I know water wants to level itself out but under pressure what will happen. Id like to locate it lower under the fender infront of the wheelwell.

 

[gunner87]

i have a degree in auto mechanics and know a lot about cars but my reservoir is always full and when it started to get cold i noticed the heat wasnt working as good as i thought it should so i checked the coolant reservoir and it was full like it always is. so i decided to add some 50/50 coolant in the cap instead and its been working fine. so for some reason it is not pulling it out of the reservoir like it should be...that was my question as if anyone knew why

 

[antilag]

I had this problem once and it is a tsb for 3g's, that the tube in the reservoir is kinked and won't suck anything up. Either that or there is a clog in the tube to the neck or the cap is bad/coroded around the nipple inlet.

 

[jrohner]

If coolant is not being sucked in from the bottle, you probably have an issue such as a bad radiator cap, an air leak from a bad/loose hose connection, bad head gasket pushing air into the system, you never had the system full to begin with, etc.