Dave W

So as the temperatures have been warming up, I've noticed that the coolant has been spraying in the engine bay but there was still fluid in the reservoir.
However when I checked the coolant level this morning, the reservoir was empty and then when I drove it got back to just above the min level.
Is it possible that my water pump is going and that coolant is getting so hot that it is overflowing out of the reservoir? Any thoughts?
And yes my temp gauge looks same as always, but I will be getting an blue drive odb2 to actually see the exact coolant temp.

peter6

Leave the reservoir cap slightly loose so air can escape and you should be fine.

Dave W

But why have I lost all the coolant in the reservoir if it was tight? That doesn't make sense

AMTMJ

Check the bottom of your radiator cap and see if the spring-loaded valve is still attached.

thoiboi

Your reservoir cap likely has a crack in it

redbeard1

I see lots of dried coolant on top of your reservoir cap ( item 3 in picture). An old cracked reservoir hose can leak at point 1 or 2 and cause that type of spill.

If you replace the hose ($3 fix) and the problem remains, I'd replace the cap (item 3). The cap is also an inexpensive fix.

If you ran your coolant reservoir empty, you may have gotten air into your system. Bleed it out as Peter6 suggested.

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-p...p-hose-974974/

Dave W

@redbeard1 Thanks for the input, yeah I put a ziptie on the #2 end of the rubber hose, but I noticed it was still leaking from the #3 location in your picture where the 90deg part swivels if you know what I mean. I'll look to replace the plastic cap and update if that is fixed. It also does seem it's more prone to leaking on a longer drive.

nats007

Discovered this on my TL last Sunday before a road trip. I opened the radiator cap and didn't see coolant and then looked in the reservoir and saw it was empty. That's when I found the cracked cap.

I ended up ordering a replacement reservoir cap on Amazon for $10 and got 2

WDPanda

Could be a combination of all those leaks. Double check the rad cap. Also look at the lower radiator make sure it's not leaking.

Jackass

Don’t forget you can probably go to your local Honda dealer and pick up that tube, cap, joint, and hose for under $20. All the same parts on the 2006 Accord EX. If you wait a few days, order from one of the online Acura dealers. Most small items on Amazon are overpriced due to covering shipping. That cap is less than $2 usually....without shipping.

vpasla1

As a point of reference in Ontario, Canada. I paid about $13, taxes in, for the reservoir cap at a Honda dealer last year.

spamcop01

@peter6 Sorry to be dense, but when you say to leave the cap "slightly loose," for how long and under what circumstances (e.g., while driving it for a bit, or just running the engine while parked)?

I had a leak in my kid's 05 TL reservoir tube and the reservoir is empty. When I look under the radiator cap, I don't really see fluid. Just wondering what the proper refill sequence is and how to best insure no air gets in the system. I'm going to fully drain it when the late summer heat wave subsides...

spamcop01

@peter6 Sorry to be dense, but when you say to leave the cap "slightly loose," for how long and under what circumstances (e.g., while driving it for a bit, or just running the engine while parked)?

I had a leak in my kid's 05 TL reservoir tube and the reservoir is empty. When I look under the radiator cap, I don't really see fluid. Just wondering what the proper refill sequence is and how to best insure no air gets in the system. I'm going to fully drain it when the late summer heat wave subsides...