Question about coolant
 

Just looking at my engine today I noticed that the coolant level was barely above the line that says low. Does that mean that I should add more now or do I wait? Also is there a certain type of coolant that our cars use or do I have to go to toyota to get it? Please help Thanks!

If the engine was stone cold, then you are fine re coolant levels. If it was warm, you will likely find that the level drops below the low line when then engine cools.

I strongly encourage you to use the Toyota/Subaru coolant specified in the manual. The cooling system on this car, like most new vehicles, is designed to last basically the life of the vehicle. The various additives found in non-OEM coolant can cause issues with these relatively finicky systems. The OEM coolant is quite expensive, but you shouldn't really ever have to buy more than one jug. I think the coolant is rated for almost 200K miles in these cars.

If you choose to fill the reservoir, I strongly suggest you fill no more than halfway between low and high. Otherwise, you'll just be wasting coolant (it'll spill out) as this engine is quite dynamic in coolant levels during heat cycling.

If it's between the full and low lines when the engine is cold then you're fine. But if you want to put a little more for peace of mind, you need either Subaru super blue coolant or Toyota super long life coolant. Not prestone or whatever else.

I had same issue a few days ago but my reservoir was bone dry. Drove to dealership and they topped it off for me. This is the second time it's happened since I've owned the car. Service writer suggested at my next service in Oct. to get a closer inspection to make sure I have no leak. My car still has the new car warranty. Amazon seems to be the cheapest for me to get the Toyota coolant. ;)

HEY FELLA's! ok, so i last year, i noticed my coolant was low, stopped in had it topped off, made sure it was topped off at every oil change also. As of a few months ago, i stopped in to get it topped off and they put toyota red coolant in, thats a no no!! So they ended up doing a full coolant flush on them! Well my coolant level is low again and im stuck on what i should do. Bc they said keep an eye on it and its been like 3k miles since the flush they wanted to look into it...

so from what ive noticed/read, its a common issue for our cars to eat coolant. and most of ours havent had any head gasket issues, yet!!

In addition to what said above, since you live in a warm climate, and your car just needs a cup or two to bring up the level, I would suggest you just add some distilled or demineralized water.

It will be OK...... ;)


humfrz

Well, now, my 2013 hasn't "used" any significant amount of coolant in the last 3 years.

Your car may have a slow coolant leak ...... :iono:


humfrz

Ditto this. For some reason *knock on wood* it seems my car hasn't lost a drop of coolant nor oil in the time I have owned the vehicle.

If it's not leaking then it's evaporating. Since it's a large percentage is water. And you know.... Heat and what nots, typical middle school sicence class.

The amount of coolant to fill the coolant reservoir is like 2 cups. Kind of makes you question why you bought that $30 coolant, where all you needed was a cheap $1 gallon of distilled water. But meh, at lest you'll have that coolant for years or when ever you need it.

I have to ask, evaporating to where? Is it not a closed system?

Really?

Real question bud, I have never needed to refill coolent ever on any of my vehicles newer than 20 years.


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Theory is that overflow tank/reservoir isnt air tight, water vapor will escape through there.

Question about coolant
 

Tnx, but in practice this is shown to be negligibly little in a healthy system?


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I have a jug of distilled water sitting in my garage to top off with. I have gone through about 2/3 of that jug (bought it roughly a year ago lol). I usually notice the coolant evaporating on hot days/track days. I usually just fill it in the middle of the high and low lines.

Too many variables. No one has tried to really test and measure it.

I live in NYC and I'm pretty sure I need to top mine off, 9k miles on the car.

Ok, interesting. Done a couple of track days and skidpan events in 110degree weather, no usage over 15k miles.


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100K miles and I had to add my first cup of distilled water last week.

Interestingly, my service schedule shows coolant replacement at 195 k km. http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...66997f0a67.jpg


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Yep. I am getting to the big service. Also still have the original tranny and diff oil in it. No issues with anything though.

Over here we do the diff oil every 30k km according to the schedule.


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I have never found a Canadian schedule that even says it needs to be changed at any certain interval. It just shows inspect.


Every 30K seems way excessive.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...9000a6add0.jpg



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So, I don't know if this is definitive but here goes.

I lived in NY and AK, never used a drop.

Moved to Miami, leave town for several weeks for work, car parked outside in the sun. Return to find the coolant bottle a little lower every time... And it's not like I'm driving it when I'm gone.

The water is evaporating, because the bottle isn't sealed.

I take the thing apart on a regular basis. Never found any coolant residue anywhere it doesn't belong.

I've used a few cups of distilled water in a year, both turbo and not.

funny thing, i checked it yesterday... and its all there idk. this car is strange

Maybe the engine was warmer .. ??

Maybe your eyeballs are playing tricks on you .. ??

Maybe the crickets pissed in the overflow tank .. ??

Maybe the cooling system burped ... ??

:D


humfrz

Like Hum said.
My usual spiel on this:


The coolant reservoir is an expansion tank not a storage container. When hot the coolent expands and gets held in the tank. When the engine cools it get's sucked back into the system. A low expansion tank is NOT an indication of a low cooling system but still should be between the lines when hot. Don't fill it to the top when cool or it will spill. The tank just makes it easier to add water/coolant and being filled is not a critical aspect of the system.


Back in the day car's just dealt with the expanding coolant by pissing it out on the ground until the level was equalized between hot and cold but for some reason they frown on that now.

Question about co
 

So I know that you are supposed to fill your coolant by starting the engine and letting the air work itself out of the system. My question is that with the engine running should there be coolant flowing into the overlow tank? If so is it all the time or only when the thermostat is open?

The coolant will flow in and out of the tank depending on temperature and pressure. It does not flow through the tank but in when hot and gets sucked back into system when cold.

I would stick with the oem coolant itself. Water doesn't have the same rated life as a higher content chemical coolant. Guys who pour straight distilled water have better cooling than antifreeze, but you need to change it out every year or two to prevent corrosion. Mind you this only applies if you in an area that doesn't freeze. A little might be okay, but I eventually you have to make sure the ratios stay correct.

The reason I was suggesting it would be OK to "top off" the coolant level with distilled or demineralized water is that a little bit of water is not going to wreck up the glycol/water balance.

* the concentrated Subaru super blue stuff is 5% water to start with.

* most of the loss of coolant is due to evaporation and the water is the first to go.

So, there .......:popcorn:


humfrz - @Tcoat has learnt me well ..... :D

The glycol component of coolant is hygroscopic. Depending on the relative humidity at the breather hole of the overflow bottle, either evaporation of the water component of the coolant or absorption by the glycol will occur.
Factors I can think of varying the relative humidity at the breather hole are ambient temperature, engine compartment temperature, ambient humidity, air flow past the hole, how long the hot and cold periods experienced by the bottle are and there may be other factors.
I know many people have never had to top up for 5 years whereas I need to every few months and put it down mainly to our average humidity is much lower than the world average. I am confident I have zero leaks (other than at that breather hole).
To minimise losses I have heat-shielded the bottle with Al foil and put some foam over the hole to soften air flow past the hole, and reduced the hole size itself. My dad's old Mazda had only a pinhole.
The overflow bottle idea is a good one but a sealed variable volume would be ideal, e.g. a bladder or piston but with a sealable opening for additions in cases of leaks. There would be zero corrosive oxygen from the air getting in and consuming certain coolant components.
I agree that for the most part top-ups with PURE water is fine but the makers play safe by stating fresh coolant in case there is a true leak and it also means fresh additives are introduced.

distilled or DI water is fine.


Unless there's some more volatile component mixed in there, I'm pretty sure you're just gradually increasing the concentration of the coolant if you top off with the solution. Meh.


https://session.masteringchemistry.c...LB10.11.49.jpg

WOW! Maybe I shouldn't have used that popcorn emoji - :D

I see you have put some thought into that situation - :thumbsup:

You must be a young fellow - :)

:cheers:


humfrz

Still an old fart at 76 (similar to you I believe).:slap:

OK, OK, I got the picture - :D


:lol:


humfrz