Low coolant level

[jdub3]

My coolant level is *extremely* low. Below the minimum. I can simply see a little bit floating around the very bottom of the reserve tank. Obviously I need to fill this. The closest shop that has Mobil Antifreeze in stock in about 20 or so miles away. I'd rather ride my bike and top her off once I get there than drive my car.

1) Am I OK to do so as long as my temps don't get too high?
2) Should I fill half with distilled water (even though Mobil says tap water is fine I'm not buying it) now and then top off the other half with the Mobil Antifreeze once I hit the shop?
3) Should I just take my car and be bored all the way there and back?

Thoughts?

Thanks

[jdub3]

Wow, apparently nobody anywhere near me (Illinois, US) carries the actual Mobile Antifreeze. Since it comes from the factory with this that pretty much sucks! Anybody know where I can buy this stuff online?

These shops seem to just be throwing whatever in there. Once guy said oh, you can just use car antifreeze. While this is somewhat true you absolutely have to use the right frikkin stuff! Madness. I've read a ton on anti-freeze and mixing the wrong stuff is B-A-D so I'm a bit paranoid to put in anything different without a full flush and fill with distilled water, which is not really fun, so I'd feel a lot better topping off with what I know came from the factory. Hmm....

[Speed3]

You can use any silica free antifreeze with out a problem. And definitely use distilled water.

[ES3]

Here you can see my coolant level. I think it's normal, because when I fill it, the coolant will be thrown out.

[Martin_R]

On 2006-04-15 09:46, ES3 wrote:
Here you can see my coolant level. I think it's normal, because when I fill it, the coolant will be thrown out.

What he said. If you top up the reservoir the engine will puke out most of the fluid via the breather hose after the next time you get the engine properly heated up.

And the Mobil Antifreeze is just your regular vanilla Mono Ethylene Glycol, which is pretty much the same stuff that 80% of the non-brand coolants are also.

[ This message was edited by: Martin_R on 2006-04-15 10:04 ]

[Geof3]

If you fill the reserve even a little past that low level it will spew... I will be changing out my entire cooling system with Evan's as soon as it comes in. No more boil overs from the little tank... This engine runs coolant at a pretty high pressure, hence the need for low levels in the reserve.

[jdub3]

thanks for the pic. that's the same as where my level is. how one makes sense of the min and max marks i am still uncertain.

[TrackerOldGuy]

Mine is at the same level. The tank must function like
those on the old Ford big blocks ( anything more than
1/2 inch in the 4 inch tank would go out----hence
it got it's name the "puke" tank )

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