Losing Coolant? Maybe not...

Looking at how the expansion or overflow tank and radiator work on your car and why you may think you might be losing coolant and common things to look for before taking your car to the dealer.

[@stephenmpanga]

You've made my mind rest, your explanation is crispy clear. I can now relax.

[@RaffiT83]

Thank you. Good advice and explanation for a system many may misunderstand. I would add that technically it's ok if the overflow is low/empty as long as the radiator is full. However it's not the optimal way to keep the car running. If you check the Subaru manual, it will tell you to check the overflow tank level when the car is cold (fully cooled down over night ideally). If the coolant level is at or below the low mark, fill it with coolant until you reach the full mark. That overflow tank serves two functions. It is an overflow tank and a gauge. When the car is warmed up, coolant will expand and flow into the overflow tank. When the car cools down, the coolant will contract and the radiator will suck back in coolant from the overflow tank. If the overflow is empty, it's sucking air in instead of coolant as designed. It's not the end of the world, but not ideal either. The tank also allows you to take a quick look under the hood and see if you're losing coolant or not without popping the radiotor cap off every time. It's only accurate when completely cold. When it's warm, it will go above the full mark, but that's fine. It's not going to spill out. If it does spill out, it means you were doing track days. If your tank is that empty and you fill it to the full mark when it's cold, don't be surprised if the coolant level drops after a few drive cycles. Keep topping it up while it's stone cold. Run the heat in the cabin to help get any air trapped in the system out. It'll eventually settle to the full mark where it should be when stone cold. If you're radiator is full to the top and after about 2-4 top ups of the overflow it's still going low, you may have a problem.

[@1984-e5v]

100!

[@ramonelegendre4130]

Bro, I'm a literal over thinker and most definitely I thought something was wrong with my car. Lol, but I must say without a doubt your video was very clear and clarified. Thank you

[@patriciamolina6476]

Thank you so much! This was so clear! I called my dealer and though they did explain everything you are showing in this video, I still felt I needed to see it! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[@pinkyg6508]

You mentioned what no one else has. Thank you for sharing :)

[@kylehorvatis7357]

I'm very thankful for this video. I'm that guy who always keeps my fluids "full". I was finding coolant under my car in the garage after it had been parked overnight and this is probably why.

[@kawai99100]

Please don't overfill the engine oil!!!!

[@MwolX]

"If you see the coolant leaking it could be a sign of a leak"

[@KurtofTrades]

😂 still true lol

[@CurboroughSprinter]

Yeah I saw coolant leaking from my car, so I suspected it could be a leak but this confirms it. Thanks. 👍

[@darlenebrooks8233]

Mine. Loses coolant but not dripping out?

[@hoodrich5686]

Could also be a faulty coolant cap

[@Tractortime-e7f]

Wow

[@Enki1013]

I cannot thank you enough. Here I thought I was helping the car to run cool during these hot Texas summers. Will follow your tutelage and observe for a few days as the weather will be going back up into the 90s again.

[@richardepstein3494]

That was a terrific explanation!

[@suzannesuter6317]

Thank you for this! I have been researching for an hour and going back and forth between all our Subarus thinking we had problems.

[@zachzachzach2130]

So glad the owner manual states these key insights...not! Thanks for the tip!!

[@patriciamolina6476]

🤣Exactly! I was freaking out because I had just had a checkup at the dealer!

[@user-5ee3zk1w]

Don't go to Walmart, they will ruin your engine.

[@muhammad-bin-american]

Agree.

[@stevestanton8281]

Thanks mate, was topping up my over flow bottle thinking it was low! Cheers 😃🇦🇺

[@SurtierWood]

My car is having the same problem I filled it yesterday between the two lines, just a bit ago I checked it. The coolant was down to the bottom line so I topped it off

[@stevestanton8281]

No need to as explained in the video, when the engines hot the overflow bottle should be at the full mark. When it's cold the coolant contracts and makes it look like it needs topping up.😉🤙

[@j.chenmuas]

Totally needed this because this early morning when I got off work, my heater was blowing cold air on one side and hot air by the driver side. Researched it up and this was one my issues. My coolant reservoir is low but also my radiator coolant is also low. I do not see any leaks or sign of color under or below the bottom of the car. My guess is it probably evaporated. Tomorrow I'm going to to drain whats left of it and refill new coolant. I'll be sure to run the car to cycle the air bubbles until there's no more bubbles. If I miss anything else please let me know for this is my 2nd time changing it. Thanks for the helpful video, it helped me see and understand things more clearly.

[@KurtofTrades]

If half of your heat is hot and half cold it’s probably your blend door actuator. Look into it. Glad to help!

[@cartouchator]

You need to be careful. Not every vehicle works this way. Some european brands (fiat for example), dont have a radiator cap. The radiator is a completely sealed unit, and the expansion tank is directly attached to the radiator, and the radiator and expansion tank both get pressurised when the engine runs. The cap on the expansion tank then works as a radiator cap and has a spring loaded release valve and seals. With this design, the level in the expansion tank is directly related to the level inside the radiator, and if the level gets below the minimum line (and they mark is as minimum rather than low), it means your radiator isn't full.

[@topesaka5097]

I think this is the case with my Chevrolet Aveo 2012. I have been trying to find the radiator cap but I didn’t see it.

[@cartouchator]

@topesaka5097 yes, indeed, similar cooling setup, the expansion bottle cap is the radiator cap.

[@legend-jp5to]

​@@cartouchator Wtf how do you even check if their is coolant in the system with this if the car is not overheating and the resviour is empty?

[@cartouchator]

@legend-jp5to you cant.. you either add some and see if the level rises in the expansion bottle, or you open the drain under the radiator..also because it's a sealed pressurised system, it should never need topping up. If the collant is low, It means there's either a leak, a head gasket failure, or a expansion tank cap fault.

[@legend-jp5to]

@@cartouchator I have a Renault master van 2020 and the coolant somehow disappeared just after 2 weeks I took to the mechanic to pressure test it he said their was coolant in the system and the system holds pressure so their wasn't leak but their was air pocket because the previous mechanic didn't flash it properly so I told him to flash it properly and remove the air Pocket and top up again just 2 weeks later the resviour seems empty you can see some trices still remain at the bottom but it's way bellow the minimum amount I owned this car from new and I had no clue it didn't actually come with seperate radiator cap to check, so now I'm in this dilemma where I have no clue if the radiator is actually full of coolant or if it's low as the resviour, I can't see any leak its been pressure tested and their wasn't any leak but somehow the coolant is going somewhere, everything else was checked and the head gasket is good no white smoke no Milky oil, the car drives normal no misfire no overheating but it seems the coolant is just vanishing. What do you think could cause something like this?

[@SERGUMUM]

I got my radiator and this stuff repaired last year. I fill up that plastic tank to the “Full” marker snd I got my car leaking coolant at the front. May so much coolant blown off my radiator. Drops come from the very front. Car rans properly no overheat. It is a Rav1 First Geb.

[@sleepwalker29]

I over filled my reservoir 50% and it don't boil over. If it boils over you have a thermostat that is not opening. At 120k miles coolant O rings leak causing Subarus to slowly lose coolant. A new cars coolant reservoir is filled to the middle of L and H.

[@grabbergrabbs1]

WRONG : Full is where you should have your coolant level when the engine is dead cold. (actually anywhere between the full and low mark, but you should keep it at the full mark and be done with it) You have full mentioned to indicate that you should not have coolant over this line when cold. The rest of the reservoir above the full mark is there for the hot/expansion coolant to be allowed without overflowing to the ground. It has nothing to do with hot or cold, so this is why you don't see these terms on the reservoir.

[@muhammad-bin-american]

Yeah that makes sense.

[@EthanOtton]

I disagree, should be at min for cold, max for hot

[@jamesiv2456]

Thank you for this, coming from a newbie

[@jesusceballos7277]

My car radiator is low but my tank is full and it’s bothering me

[@robbhill7894]

Thanks for the level explanation!

[@user-gv8kh3cd8m]

Should I top up the radiator, in the case it is not full?

[@KurtofTrades]

Yes you definitely can and should

[@user-gv8kh3cd8m]

@@KurtofTrades Thank you Sir!

[@hehaheadshot97]

Well, I feel targeted but I'm glad I now know why I'm losing coolant between FULL and LOW. Whoops lol, I've been dumping it out.

[@ahmadshadaab433]

My wahite tankis always full ...i check daily in the morning and it remains full...means the radiator doesnt suck back when its cool...why?

[@harmoniousembodiment7203]

BUT WHAT if expansion tank is way above maximum line, and radiator starts at full immediately after replacement radiator and fill, but the next day overflow reservoir tank is way above maximum level adn coolant in radiator lowers so cant be seen. So i siphoned off coolant out of overflow tank, then filled radiator to top level again. Went a couple cycles like that. Confuisng. 2008 nissan xterrra, which has a pressurized coolant reservoir overflow cap, non pressurized radiator cap.

[@gallagherscott11]

dude, how would my coolant tank dumb it on the ground? i can't even see it because it's so dirty. so, your saying the hose doesn't connect to anything?

[@lilbuggers4258]

Awe that gone be after him . This is a life saver videos . 🎉

[@amgmerc5303]

Very helpful many thanks

[@Popagano]

My Water bottle is leaking,what can I use for now,to protect the engine being damaged

[@aspjake123]

Thank you for your very helpful video.

[@gogetit3222]

Any tips theres no fluid in reservoir and my radiator

[@hariffasgarally]

thank you so much, i have a small toyota starlet 1995 automatic gear

[@azzedyala1527]

Thank you

[@YungToyBreaker]

I have full expansion tank but the radiator is empty everyday when I remove the pressure cap in the morning to check it. Haven’t seen any leaks. Is it okay to refill it?

[@KurtofTrades]

It’s fine to refill, you need to find out where your coolant is going. Might be a leak or might be going into the oil cooler or engine oil, or out the exhaust

[@YungToyBreaker]

@@KurtofTrades I changed the radiator cap. I also used k-seal before but don’t know if I should keep using it. Do you have a video that demonstrates how to check for these leaks you mentioned?

[@shappirefishing1186]

Thanks ❤❤

[@bobbymarwah]

thank you , important and helpful information

[@caseyhenry2748]

What happen if the raditor cap blow off?

[@ms.vicious1872]

What if I keep putting coolant but it’s still low. It’s not leaking or anything so where is it going?

[@KurtofTrades]

If you keep adding it to the radiator it could be going into the engine, leaking, evaporating or going out the exhaust. Lots of options

[@ms.vicious1872]

@@KurtofTrades just got back from the mechanic it needs a water pump and a coolant outlet flange.

[@LoonyLoneNewYorker]

Thank you this helped a bunch.

[@tracymoore4102]

Only my radiator is low my overflow tank is a little bit over full when it’s cold, but my van got hot the other day because it was low on antifreeze. I’m constantly putting antifreeze in my radiator. My radiator is only a couple years old. My water pump is a couple years old. There’s no antifreeze on the ground. I’m not blowing white smoke and my oil is not mixed.

[@youknochent]

Have you found the problem ?

[@tracymoore4102]

@@youknochent I traded that van in for a 2017 Kia forte five

[@vaughanbowles8258]

I love ur tips

[@mudfoot4017]

Go Blue, Baby!

[@iamonline3221]

good vid, learned some

[@andrewmanyore9913]

my coolant tank is totally empty but radiator full

[@muhammad-bin-american]

Add to 'full' or 'Cold' line ASAP when engine is completely cold. Monitor and see if its still going down. If so then check for a leak. If no visible leak and engine is still losing coolant then its most likely leaking mixing with engine oil. Major issue.

[@alcameron6071]

@@muhammad-bin-american

[@killa9478]

Radiator wasnt full and overflow empty

[@Teo.23431]

Thank brooo

[@Michael-yi4mc]

Never allow your pet cat or dog lick up the antifreeze. Antifreeze is sweet. It could be fatal.

[@grabbergrabbs1]

it could be fatal... should be said '' it will be fatal ''

[@vincentleeadams]

THANK GOD FOR ADR! Am I right?😂

[@lunner505]

Haha😅😅😅😅, thanks man

[@maressawilliams6708]

Yeah i panic when i see low si now i know thnx

[@andrewthomas405]

Obi

[@TheCreameryPort]

Hi! I just bought a subaru impreza 2017, and when i open the radiator cap and ut se water in and then fill it, i could see some oil. ¿Is it normal? Some guy told me that it's normal, beacause the coolant on this cars are oilly 😅. Hope you can respond to my question.

[@muhammad-bin-american]

I have never heard of an oily coolant but you never know. My advise is to check Subaru online forums.

[@kornelobajdin5889]

Bro your head gasket is leaking for sure.