Question about a stupid mistake
Question about a stupid mistake Last night, after fiddling around under the hood, I started my car and took it for a quick spin around the neighborhood (about 500 yards). While I was going around, the low coolant light comes on. Pull the car in the garage, pop the hood, and there's coolant everywhere. Evidently I forgot to hook the coolant lines going through the TB up 
Car never got past 110*, didn't drive it for more than a minute. Was still a good bit of antifreeze left in the radiator when I checked earlier this evening, so I filled it back up using distilled water. After connecting the TB coolant hoses, I left the radiator cap off and started the car. Let the air bubbles come out of the radiator, filled it until it was full, repeated until the car was at operating temps. Few questions, though.
1. Is it normal for the coolant level to surge slightly while the car is running? Every 3-4 minutes, the coolant level would go up slightly, from the bottom of the neck on the radiator, to right to the very top where the cap goes on. Seemed to be completely unconnected to anything else.
2. As the engine warmed up, I got a pretty nice steam bath. I'm assuming this is from the coolant and water cooking off the engine and hoses it was sprayed on (it's been chilly here, so nothing really evaporated).
Do I have anything to worry about here? Didn't see anything suspicious in the oil indicating a blown head gasket, car ran fine after the radiator was filled back up, ect ect. Just want to see if there's anything else to check after making a mistake as stupid as this
Car never got past 110*, didn't drive it for more than a minute. Was still a good bit of antifreeze left in the radiator when I checked earlier this evening, so I filled it back up using distilled water. After connecting the TB coolant hoses, I left the radiator cap off and started the car. Let the air bubbles come out of the radiator, filled it until it was full, repeated until the car was at operating temps. Few questions, though.1. Is it normal for the coolant level to surge slightly while the car is running? Every 3-4 minutes, the coolant level would go up slightly, from the bottom of the neck on the radiator, to right to the very top where the cap goes on. Seemed to be completely unconnected to anything else.
2. As the engine warmed up, I got a pretty nice steam bath. I'm assuming this is from the coolant and water cooking off the engine and hoses it was sprayed on (it's been chilly here, so nothing really evaporated).
Do I have anything to worry about here? Didn't see anything suspicious in the oil indicating a blown head gasket, car ran fine after the radiator was filled back up, ect ect. Just want to see if there's anything else to check after making a mistake as stupid as this
As long as it didn't overheat, you should be fine.
Just fill up the coolant, and go on your way (you may need to burp the system to get all the air out)
Be aware you may smell coolant for a few days, maybe even a week, due to the coolant cooking off
Just fill up the coolant, and go on your way (you may need to burp the system to get all the air out)
Be aware you may smell coolant for a few days, maybe even a week, due to the coolant cooking off
Originally Posted by joblo1978
Mine did that after a TB swap for some reason, must have got air in the system depending on what you were doing maybe?
As a side note, I think Dex-Cool smells almost as bad as old dirty gear oil.
You shouldn't have anything to worry about. You might want to get the 50/50 ratio of antifreeze and water back in the system since alot of it got puked out and replaced with straight water. Just a suggestion, I know it can get kinda cold in WV.
1. This is the result of your thermostat opening and closing, its normal.
2. Just the water evaporating, might burn the eyes a lil with the coolant. If the engine never got hot, nothing to worry about.
2. Just the water evaporating, might burn the eyes a lil with the coolant. If the engine never got hot, nothing to worry about.
