Coolant Level question

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kev1n
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Coolant Level question

Postby kev1n » Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:09 am

Hi All,

I was experiencing the no heat at idle issue so I decided to put a little coolant in the reservoir. After filling it I could see the coolant in the reservoir. But after driving around for a bit it looks like it got sucked into the system and I no longer see any in the reservoir. Is it supposed to be at that level there? I don't see any lines/markings to indicate the max level so I though I would just ask the question here.

Thanks for your help.

Kevin


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disallow
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Re: Coolant Level question

Postby disallow » Wed Jan 06, 2010 11:42 am

kev1n wrote:Hi All,

I was experiencing the no heat at idle issue so I decided to put a little coolant in the reservoir. After filling it I could see the coolant in the reservoir. But after driving around for a bit it looks like it got sucked into the system and I no longer see any in the reservoir. Is it supposed to be at that level there? I don't see any lines/markings to indicate the max level so I though I would just ask the question here.

Thanks for your help.

Kevin
IIRC there are lines for max hot/max cold, but they are hard to see. I just try to make sure its half full.

This happened to me my first winter with the 05. Was concerned since I added almost a gallon of coolant. Where did it go? Had a leak test performed, and no leak was found. Since then I have topped up once, but only about 1 quart.

The other item of note is that there are 2 caps on the system, one on the rad, with no spring in the cap, and the pressure cap on the coolant bottle. However, they are the same size of cap, and are easily interchangeable. Just remember the pressure cap goes on the coolant bottle.

t

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trance34
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Postby trance34 » Thu Jan 07, 2010 4:29 pm

jack the front end of the truck up first, let it run with the radiator cap off. once up to temp rev it a few times easily. Have some rags around and coolant will come out of the radiator. Burp the system a few times and just continue to top off until it won't take any more fluid. Then fill the reservoir up to just over half full.

This is what it took for me to finally get heat at idle. I had to do this twice for it to finally really take effect.

ravrunner
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Postby ravrunner » Fri Jan 08, 2010 1:15 pm

I had this issue as well but just added coolant and got heat at idle.

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bigmankz
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Postby bigmankz » Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:05 am

weird. it seems that loosing coolant is a common problem and most of the people here are low on colant but have no leaks anywhere in the system. I had the same and topped the fluid recently. But still, where does the coolant go? any ideas? I checked the the leaks in every gasket possible, checked all the hoses, checked the exhaust and all seems fine.

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trance34
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Postby trance34 » Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:27 am

It is odd, I have checked everywhere for leaks and have found nothing.

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Sun Jan 10, 2010 1:49 pm

trance34 wrote:It is odd, I have checked everywhere for leaks and have found nothing.
The reason I let this go is because I didn't know over what period of time I lost the gallon of coolant. Over a periood of a year or more, I doubt losing even this much coolant is bad.

I posted my issues in this thread in Dec 08:

http://www.thenissanpath.com/viewtopic. ... highlight=

And since then I've only had to do minor top-ups. Less than a liter cumulatively.

So I'm guessing no leaks. My theory is that some of the water in the coolant may be lost to atmosphere as steam when engine is under extreme load. (Towing my gargantuan camper.) Another good reason to keep your coolant fresh! Change regularly.

kev1n
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Postby kev1n » Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:28 pm

After filling I notice that at initial startup the heat is very cold even if it is on on for a while. After I get moving though it is fine, even at red lights. Coolant level looks to be good as well. Time for a burp ?

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bigmankz
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Postby bigmankz » Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:22 pm

definately an air bubble in the system. Someone on the post above made recommendation on how to top up properly letting air out. once you do that the heater will be heating properly at idle. I had to top up again because i let some fluid by removing the bottle. now everything works fine.

Citcope
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Postby Citcope » Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:15 pm

bigmankz wrote: But still, where does the coolant go?
I think it goes out the exhaust while running.... i see puddles under my car when i am sitting at idle.... like it drank to much the night before! :lol:

G35TR
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Postby G35TR » Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:34 am

I know where, I know where....It's going into the transmission!!!!! :shock: hehe...j/k (hopefully)

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disallow
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Postby disallow » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:01 am

Citcope wrote:
bigmankz wrote: But still, where does the coolant go?
I think it goes out the exhaust while running.... i see puddles under my car when i am sitting at idle.... like it drank to much the night before! :lol:

Thats from the A/C drain. Its just condensed water.

t

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Tech
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Postby Tech » Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:05 pm

FYI - Some (older ones - 05-07) also have bleeder nipples where the heater hoses go thru the firewall.

Citcope
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Postby Citcope » Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:01 pm

funny thing i was shoveling out my path yesterday and i started it to warm it up and once i moved it i noticed bright green liquid spots under my exhaust. right where the "condensed water" usually drips. i have to take a closer look at the piping. "Thats what she said" (quote from the tv show "The Office")

oyarsa
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Postby oyarsa » Sat Feb 13, 2010 11:15 am

I wish I had seen the post about the radiator cap a few months ago. I'd been avoiding bleeding my system because that kind of thing makes me nervous and I live at an apartment complex. I suffered through a couple of miserable months before succumbing to going to a PepBoys. The guy was really backed up, but still came out to take a look at it. Sure enough, some idiot (and not me...I'm nervous about radiator caps, too) had gotten the two caps switched. Solved my problem immediately by buying a new pressure cap (the old one had been bent to fit the wrong spot and no longer fit the new spot). The guy there said I probably didn't need to get a new cap for the reservoir (which now has a pressure cap). Is this true, or should I go ahead and have one ordered?


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