Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [coolant-reservoir]

An overflow container for coolant.

Coolant can occasionally boil under excessive heat. Under those conditions, coolant will flow from the cooling system and overflow into the coolant-reservoir.

The following artist's rendition shows how the reservoir is used as an expansion tank to keep the level of fluid in the system constant:

enter image description here

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Coolant expansion tank issue

My coolant tank is filled up to the correct level before driving off but I've taken a half an hour drive and it is very low and warning light comes on. Once stopped it cools down and the level rises. I've had it checked and theres no leak. Any ideas…
Anthony
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What is the point of changing coolant if it gets constantly replaced?

I drive a 2016 Scion FRS, and based on the maintenance schedule of the coolant: 1st replacement interval is 11 years/137,500 miles (220,000 km). 2nd replacement interval is 6 years/ 75,000 miles (120,000 km) after the 1st. ...I don't really…
Narcotixs
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How is it possible to lose coolant, if the coolant system in a car is a closed loop, and there are no leaks?

I have confusion as to why people need to top off their coolants from time to time. How is that a phenomenon if the cooling system is supposed to be a closed loop? I understand that if there were leaks, then losing coolant is apparent, but if there…
Narcotixs
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Excessive Coolant Expansion with No Overheating

I've noticed that my coolant expands quite a bit when I drive around, so much that I'm loosing coolant through the expansion bottle. When I park after a lengthy drive, I'll usually hear the coolant bubbling via the overflow bottle. When just…
Robert S. Barnes
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If coolant evaporates, does the anti-freeze portion evaporate as well?

If it does evaporate, then how much in comparison to the water? If it does not evaporate, can I be safe to assume I only need to add water when replenishing lost coolant? Edit #1 I just want to know in order to keep the right coolant to water ratio.…
Narcotixs
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Poured small amount of oil into coolant reservoir

I poured a very small amount of old oil into the coolant reservoir. I have a mechanic that's 15 minutes from my house. Should I drive it there to flush it out - or have it towed there? (I don't have the tools needed in my garage, as I'm not a car…
Robert Dewitt
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How to clean oil from cooling system?

I'm trying to sell my Citroen Picasso 2.0 HDI and got scammed by buyers putting used oil into the header tank of the cooling system and telling me that the head gasket had blown. Now I need to figure out how to clean up the mess they left. The…
Chris Wheelans
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Reservoir tank boiling over and steaming

I have a 2000 acura 3.2tl and my reservoir tank keeps boiling over and steaming quit a bit. My engine isn't over heating and it doesn't happen right away. I have flushed my radiator and changed my thermostat. I don't think that it is my heater core…
Jessica Behner
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2005 Chrysler Sebring coolant bubbling and leaking

I have a 2005 Chrysler Sebring and when I go down the street the temperature gauge starts going up. It doesn't ever go past the half way mark on the temperature gauge but my coolant is still bubbling and then it leaks when I turn the car off. What…
Dereka whitter
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Does Coolant Actively Circulate Through Overflow Reservoir?

If one adds fresh water or new coolant or some additive to the radiator/coolant overflow reservoir, will it end up actively circulating through the system in a reasonably short amount of time (i.e. hours or days)? While a mostly general question, my…
AA040371
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Coolant Reservoir keeps breaking Skoda Rapid

My car is Skoda Rapid 1.6 litre petrol engine, 2013 model. It has ran about 140000 Kilometres. Recently Smoke started coming out of my coolant reservoir and it was leaking not from the cap but from the mid of the coolant reservoir container. So when…
mSatyam
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Changed thermostat but the need to top the coolant up every few days

I have a Nissan March (Micra) 2003 and I had a thermostat problem (was jammed) and my friend changed it for me almost 9 months ago. Ever since then, I need to top up the water every few days. If I'm going long distances, this is more frequent. There…
akam553
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50/50 Coolant mixing

I just replaced my radiator today and decided to refill it with coolant concentrate and mix in water myself. Instead of mixing the stuff properly before hand, I poured in 1/2 gal. of water directly into the radiator, and then proceeded to pour in…
harvey
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Few questions regarding coolant

Checked my coolant level today and noticed in the reservoir it was lower than the “Low” line so I added 100% antifreeze which brought it up between the “L” and “H” marks as I couldn’t see properly Questions: Will adding this little amount to a…
ohmmy
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Why would a blown head gasket burst the coolant tank?

The coolant tank on my 2.3l duratec (Ford Transit) just burst while it was at the garage for an MOT. The mechanic said it could have been caused by a blown head gasket, but didn't explain any further. Why would a blown head gasket cause the…
Gus Hogg-Blake
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