When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
On the same subject..Should the overflow bottle have any coolant in it in normal operation or when cold? Just asking as it's new. There is none in there after hard driving so I think this is normal. Mines a 1999 RA classic
On the same subject..Should the overflow bottle have any coolant in it in normal operation or when cold? Just asking as it's new. There is none in there after hard driving so I think this is normal. Mines a 1999 RA classic
The "overflow bottle" is an expansion tank which allows excess coolant to go somewhere when it gets hot and is sucked back into the main system as it cools down.
It should be full up, but not overflowing, after hard driving (hot) and never below the min level when the engine is cold.
So i should just add water through it's yellow cap to full level. No water in it after long hard drive today which I think is good in one way?
the plastic expansion bottle should always have some coolant in it so's not to suck air back into the system which it would if the bottle became empty. It should be around 2/3 full when the engine is hot and about 1/4 full when stone cold, there are min/max marks on the side of the bottle. If as you say it's empty when hot that's not good and you should get someone who knows what they're doing to look at as it may have got air in the system. Personally I wouldn't drive it anywhere until you get it checked out.
Trev
Last edited by trevsjwood; Jun 2, 2017 at 11:41 PM.
sorry to bump this thread but I have an issue with my coolant level, 2006 blob sti, I had a recent coolant change and have noticed that the level drops below minimum when taking the car out, there is coolant in it but below the min level, I've topped it up a few times but the level seems to drop below the min level, could this be due to air still in the system? I can't see any leaks/smoke etc.