Coolant level...

[Bigmike62]

Greetings Gents, 

Just a short quirey, I've just noticed that my coolant level in the expansion tank is at the low level.. 

This has not happened before..recently had a new water pump put in and wondering if it might be the cause of the low level..?  Or is it normal to have a low level appear after a long interstate drive ?  I bought some Penrite Red OEM Pre mix today and will top it up from the low level to the high level..Im assuming the 1 litre bottle will be enough for that ?

would appreciate your advices and opinions, please.

Bigmike..🤔

Edited May 6, 2022 by Bigmike62

[campbeam]

14 hours ago, Bigmike62 said:

Greetings Gents, 

Just a short quirey, I've just noticed that my coolant level in the expansion tank is at the low level.. 

This has not happened before..recently had a new water pump put in and wondering if it might be the cause of the low level..?  Or is it normal to have a low level appear after a long interstate drive ?  I bought some Penrite Red OEM Pre mix today and will top it up from the low level to the high level..Im assuming the 1 litre bottle will be enough for that ?

would appreciate your advices and opinions, please.

Bigmike..🤔

I had the same issue on my last interstate drive. I am not going to say that it is normal because the cooling system is essentially a closed one and the coolant level should be constant. There were no obvious leaks or explanation for the low coolant level. I did not have coolant with me at that time but I did go to SuperCheap Auto and got some K-Seal coolant leak repair as a precautionary measure for a blown/leaking head gasket. 

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/k-seal-k-seal-coolant-leak-repair---236ml/357729.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwjtOTBhAvEiwASG4bCOYWBKuefxrpnGLayqFnv2Gr5YzkFDFce-HvsOZImx6mszH4ztfxVxoCozgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Surprisingly, the coolant level returned to a normal level. After returning home, I removed the remaining K-Seal coolant repair particles from the overflow tank.

I check the coolant level regularly and no issue. 

In your case, some possible explanations could be air pockets bleeding out of the system or coolant expansion and overflowing out of the coolant bottle. 

[Tony Prodigy]

On 5/6/2022 at 5:57 PM, Bigmike62 said:

This has not happened before..recently had a new water pump put in and wondering if it might be the cause of the low level..? 

Hey Big Mike, I reckon Ashley is on the money with the suggestion that there might have been an air pocket in there somewhere and I suspect the guy who did the work didn't spend enough time bleeding the system correctly.
The 2GR-FE has a specific method to bleed the cooling system and if he rushed that part of the job then perhaps it may have hiccupped afterwards and your reserviour level altered as a result.

It's possible he doesn't subscribe to The Car Care Nut's Channel. If he did, then he'd get it right the first time. 😆

 

 

[Bigmike62]

Thanks Tony Prodigy and Campbeam for your opinions and advice..

I've filled up the coolant reservoir with just under 1 Ltr of Penrite Red OEM Pre- mix .I'll keep an eye on it this week, as I'm off for an 8 hour drive in a few days to Rockhampton..

Cheers Gents...👍🤜

Edited May 8, 2022 by Bigmike62
Spelling

[Tony Prodigy]

21 hours ago, Bigmike62 said:

I've filled up the coolant reservoir with just under 1 Ltr of Penrite Red OEM Pre- mix

That's a decent amount, but yes do keep an  eye out for anything out of the ordinary for sure.

Have a safe trip my friend. 

[campbeam]

Just viewed this recent YouTube video by The Car Nut and was interested in the "Under Hood Inspection". I found it so worthwhile that I immediately went and checked the top of my radiator for any leaks. Fortunately there were none but it was the telltale sign for when I did have to replace the radiator on my now departed 1998 Toyota Camry.

Radiator hoses have previously been checked and appeared to be in good condition with no leaks, bulges or soft areas. Assuming that they are original and now 15+years old, I have bought replacement hoses.

 

[Tony Prodigy]

1 hour ago, campbeam said:

Just viewed this recent YouTube video by The Car Nut and was interested in the "Under Hood Inspection". I found it so worthwhile that I immediately went and checked the top of my radiator for any leaks. Fortunately there were none but it was the telltale sign for when I did have to replace the radiator on my now departed 1998 Toyota Camry.

Radiator hoses have previously been checked and appeared to be in good condition with no leaks, bulges or soft areas. Assuming that they are original and now 15+years old, I have bought replacement hoses.

 

I remember that video. Some numb nut put a real dodgy aftermarket headlight connector and was wondering why the headlight keeps burning bulbs. Always pays to check the smallest details.

I have future proofed myself by purchasing many Original Toyota spare parts both new and good used items. 

As for cooling system, I have all the relevant hoses in stock should at any time they look like they are due for replacement. Probably won't be for a very long time I imagine. The Original parts are very high quality.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Tony Prodigy

[Jamie Edwards]

ive noticed that with mine...the radiator is full but the top up bottle is sitting at low

Edited May 21, 2022 by Jamie Edwards

[Jamie Edwards]

whats every ones opinion on silicone radiator hoses ??? they look better then stock rubber ones

[Tony Prodigy]

14 hours ago, Jamie Edwards said:

whats every ones opinion on silicone radiator hoses ??? they look better then stock rubber ones

Although they can look prettier, they don't perform as good as EPDM rubber. Sure they can handle higher temperatures, but when does your average car operate in that temperature range to warrant these anyway ??
High performance cars are usually fitted with silicon water hoses due to the higher temperatures produced. That's it. The major downside to silicon hoses is that they are much more porous than EPDM rubber. Why do you think they don't use silicon for fuel and oil ? You will lose more coolant over time a compared to stock rubber hoses. It's just dumb.
If the factory intended our cars to have silicon hoses, then they would've put them there. 
At the end of the day, just stick to the original manufacturer recommended products and you can never go wrong.
Why would you want to introduce reliability issues in a reliable vehicle ?
 

[Tony Prodigy]

16 hours ago, Jamie Edwards said:

ive noticed that with mine...the radiator is full but the top up bottle is sitting at low

My car does the same thing and it never bothers me to be honest. If there are no obvious leaks anywhere, usually checking when the engine is hot, then it's more likely it's just evaporation through the hoses.

It's not uncommon to have to top up the reservoir on the odd occasion. Water evaporates over time so the coolant level will never be constant.