Coolant (again)

[dcmpriory]

I know this has been talked about before (I have seen the threads) but it has led to confusion on my part.
When I first received my beautiful T350C car from the previous owner I was told that the coolant level should be around 1-2 cm below the top of the top of the neck. Reading the manual yesterday I am sure I read roughly the same. With some of the threads I see that some owners think that the level should be halfway up the coolant container and therefore tend to measure levels with wooden spoons.

Why am I asking this? Well I seem to putting a large amount of coolant/water mix in recently. Yesterday I probably added half the volumn before doing about 30 miles and then last night checked and it had gone down again. I have gone through 1 and half bottles of coolant recently and it is causing concern for me. Anybody confirm that it is supposed to be using this much? I don't think I have a leak as it went to a TVR garage 3 weeks ago to check for such a leak and they said it was fine.

BTW anyone selling alloys as I have just curbed one of mine (seems to be the time that anyone is curbing/scrapping their cars)?

[sidpinup]

Hi,

I tend to go by the near the top method. i just use a chopstick to see the level and as long as its near the top of the expansion bottle I dont worry. I think they all need a top up now and then so as long as its not excessive you should be OK.

I curbed one of my alloys on the way to Gang on the Green last year. It was quite bad but had it fixed by a local alloy repair place for £50!! so you dont need a new wheel unless its actually bent.

Ed

[sacha]

Had similar problems with mine, call the dealer, and they said maybe they overfilled it, it should blow some water out and level itself out by itself, but the correct level is in the middle of the top pipe comming out the engine. done 3000 mile now in exactly one month with no problems since i did the above method and the level has stayed the same.

[rolex]

I think if you are overfilling the expansion tank the excess will be forced out through the valve in the cap, so when you come to check the water level again you may think you are losing coolant, when in fact its just the overfill being removed

[dcmpriory]

rolex said:

I think if you are overfilling the expansion tank the excess will be forced out through the valve in the cap, so when you come to check the water level again you may think you are losing coolant, when in fact its just the overfill being removed

Thanks all....So stupid question....but i'm gonna ask anyway.....Do you get a warning if the coolant is too low? Or do you have to rely on looking at the water temperature gauge?

Sorry....don't have my handbook to hand!!!