marky11707

i was wondering if im low on the coolant liquid ,should i just add the liquid directly to the reserve tank or should i drain the tank first?

Will Y.

1) When the engine is COLD, open up the radiator cap and make sure there is coolant up to the neck.
If not, fill up the radiator. (BTW, at this point, I'd be concerned why so much coolant is missing. )
2) Once the radiator is full, fill to the appropriate indicator line on the overflow/reserve tank.

Don't bother with draining the overflow tank unless you are doing a coolant flush and replacement.

SouthernBoy

If you're just low on coolant (as indicated by checking the overflow tank), add coolant to this tank, not to the radiator. If, on the other hand, the tank is dry and you see this happen on a regular or frequent basis, you're loosing coolant abnormally.. there is obviously a leak somewhere. The only time you normally want to add coolant to the radiator is when doing a drain and fill. Maintenance top offs should be done via the overflow tank.

Majofo

Check your oil for milkyness, heater control valve for dried up coolant & passenger carpet for moisture.

liquiditys

I'm actually just having the same problem. There's actually conflicting advice here and both have a decent amount of posts:

Open the cap and fill coolant in the radiator or the overflow tank?
Should I still only be putting it in the overflow tank if the radiator isn't topped off?

Also, does it matter what kind of coolant it is?

Integral212

Not really conflicting, but a bit confusing.

1. Is the overflow tank bone dry? If not empty, but merely low, add coolant to the overflow tank until it is at the full line, cold. You should add pre-mixed Honda Type 2 coolant, if your system has the factory fill.

2. If the overflow is dry...with the engine and radiator cold, pop the radiator cap and see if the radiator is full up to the level of the overflow tube. If it is not, you have a leak. Diagnose the leak and keep an eye on the coolant level.

The reason you don't routinely just top off the radiator is that it should always be full if the system is working properly. The level in the overflow tank will vary as the radiator burps out excess coolant when hot or sucks back coolant when cold.

Note that Type 2 coolant is long-life, and isn't the same as gas station antifreeze. I believe you are not supposed to mix the two, and you can't just use any long-life antifreeze...most car mfr's have a specific blend. That said, if you flush your system, and put something else in (opinions vary), it would be best to use the same as whatever is in there.

liquiditys

thanks, I know a mechanic didn't use Honda antifreeze/coolant type 2 when he saw my coolant level really low. This was about 2 months ago, about 1.5-2k miles since.

I just bought Prestone 50/50 but am highly considering returning it. Can I just go to any Honda/Acura dealer to buy the Type 2? Also, should I flush the coolant since the coolant that is currently (or should be) in there is NOT Honda type 2?

Also, I had my oil gasket replaced 2 months ago because my engine was misfiring in the morning and the CEL was coming on. Is this the same as a head gasket? (sounds like this is one of the worst scenarios w/ coolant leaking so hopefully I can rule that out)

I've been reading for the past 2 hours about my coolant problem and feel like haven't gotten anywhere...
sry to hi-jack. just thought our problems are pretty much similar.

liquiditys

Sorry, so I realize that I can't mix coolant's in a A/T. So I'm guessing I have to flush it before adding the type 2?

If I have no means of getting my car up in the air, doing a coolant flush is not doable right?


How much is it usually to get a pressure test at say an Autozone? This test will tell me if it's a thermostat or a radiator problem right?
(symptoms are: car overheats when I'm stopped at a red light or in traffic. temperature goes back to the middle when I begin moving again. when I park and turn my engine off, the fan turns on, obviously indicating overheating.)

Integral212

Hard to say what the cause is...but as far as adding different types of coolant...I would flush it out, but, I wouldn't worry about that until you figure out where it's leaking.

One of the earlier posters suggested looking at your dipstick to see if you're foaming oil. That's a good indication your head gasket is leaking. Also, if you're throwing more white water vapor from the exhaust than usual (especially if it continues after the car is warmed up), that's another indication of the head gasket. Pressure testing is a good idea...also, sometimes it can be something as simple as a stuck radiator cap. Radiators themselves tend to fail at the seams, so look for a bead of coolant or a few drops on the ground around likely failure points.

I have flushed my S2K without lifting it, since the drain cock is roughly dead center on the radiator and I could reach down and open it. I think the TL sits even higher...it's just tough to get something under there to catch the effluent coolant/water. Also, be mindful that it's easy to trap air in the system. I don't have my service manual handy, but there's usually a drain plug and an air bleeder on the block or heater hose.

HTH... -i212.

I hate cars

I'm assuming you mean the headgasket. It's always possible he didn't check the deck on the block or heads for flatness and it's leaking coolant.

Check the oil for signs of water. If there's no obvious mixing and milkshake looking stuff, look on the backside of the filler cap to see if there's condensation. Check the exhaust for excessive steam. Look for dried antifreeze buildup around the overflow tube at the radiator. This is a common leak, mine had a very slow leak from the factory which a ziptie cured. Replace the radiator cap if you can't find any other issue.

If you still have problems, pull the sparkplugs and look for one that's super clean compared to the rest.

Two other things...

Get the other antifreeze out of there once you find the problem. It won't hurt anything right away but the TL needs a no silicate formula or you will develop leaks at the waterpump. Plus some antifreezes don't react well with others and you develop sludge. I do a drain and refill every other year. It's overkill but it keeps me from ever having to do a flush and draining the block. If you need to top it off and don't have the correct antifreeze, distilled water will work fine in small concentrations.

How quickly is it leaking? I've found that using a different/weaker mixture of antifreeze to water will cause it to evaporate somewhat. I add about an ounce every 4-5 months to the overflow tank because I run a slightly weaker mixture due to my hot climate and very mild winters. Straight water cools better than antifreeze. This is that gray area where if you've not adding much coolant very often you could try going to straight typeII and seeing if it cures the problem.

FWIW, any time the radiator cap is removed it's supposed to be replaced. Coolant is only supposed to be added to the overflow in normal conditions.

I hate cars

If there is coolant in the overflow tank, there will be enough coolant in the radiator. The cap is only taken off if the overflow is bone dry.

Will Y.

I've run across a couple of cases (inc. a bad radiator hose) where there is an inch or two of coolant in the overflow, but the coolant in the radiator was low enough to see the top row of plates.