Just overfilled the coolant / antifreeze reservoir...
Discussion
... and the question is - does it really matter?
I know, I know, amateur night at my house. It's late, dark and I never really learnt the difference between 'jobs that can wait until the morning' and 'well, well, well, the coolants low, can't have that can we...'
So, it's gone from being just below 'low' to being at the top of the reservoir, well above 'high'.
So, you tell me PH, I am not in the mood for making decisions.
Leave it, it'll be fine.
Syringe the excess out before the car detonates in a ball of flame.
Thanks for helping.
I know, I know, amateur night at my house. It's late, dark and I never really learnt the difference between 'jobs that can wait until the morning' and 'well, well, well, the coolants low, can't have that can we...'
So, it's gone from being just below 'low' to being at the top of the reservoir, well above 'high'.
So, you tell me PH, I am not in the mood for making decisions.
Leave it, it'll be fine.
Syringe the excess out before the car detonates in a ball of flame.
Thanks for helping.
Definitely remove it, my car is going into the garage this Wednesday because i though it would be fine, what a wally i was!
Sitting in traffic the next day i see a nice constant plume of steam rising from the engine.
If a syringe is too much hassle, just dip any old kitchen towel in there and soak it up.
Sitting in traffic the next day i see a nice constant plume of steam rising from the engine.
If a syringe is too much hassle, just dip any old kitchen towel in there and soak it up.
I did notice that on the header tank cap, there is a pipe that goes into the reservior, but also little pipe that runs off from the cap.. Hence my thoughts that maybe it didn't matter as it'd squeeze out any excess that way. Still, won't take too long to dunk a few wads of kitchen roll in there to soak it up.
matt uk said:
I did notice that on the header tank cap, there is a pipe that goes into the reservior, but also little pipe that runs off from the cap.. Hence my thoughts that maybe it didn't matter as it'd squeeze out any excess that way. Still, won't take too long to dunk a few wads of kitchen roll in there to soak it up.
Absolutely should be fine ... but better safe than sorry ... done it myself 
and only takes minutes to sortsyringe is the easiest bet, but there'll probably be a drain plug on the radiator which you can undo with a 2p piece - unscrew it a couple of turns and drain some out, then do back up again. RUn th eengine with the cap off for a bit and squeeze the hoses to make sure there are no airlocks and you should be laughing.
The pressure cap will prevent the system from developing too much pressure so don't worry too much about it bursting something, but without the appropriate amount of air in the system to act as a spring you might find it spits water out and then takes a fair time to build the pressure back up again. If you're driving it hard in the meantime you could be in trouble. I suggest you just run it for ten minutes with the cap off, if it's as full as you're describing it'll probably spit water out anyway.
I think we have all done it at some time or another. I remember i did it on a Supra Turbo a few years ago, a quick trip to the local Asda store, down the baking aisle, then paid my 89p for my new turkey baster. However the only turkey it was going near was me for overfilling the coolant.
On the upside, i still have that Turkey baster in my garage and it has come in useful on so many other jobs, so much so i now consider it an essential tool in my garage.
On the upside, i still have that Turkey baster in my garage and it has come in useful on so many other jobs, so much so i now consider it an essential tool in my garage.
I dont know which of your cars it is. if its the E39 it will be fine.
Thats what the overflow pipe is for, it will find its own temperature/gas phase equilibrium at the right pressure and push the rest out.
I've over filled my old E21 and let it find its own level, done it to alfas, VWs , modern Jags with precision cooling and My amercan cars, I dont imagine it being any different for your Renault.
It amuses me that all the plebes on another thread say its fine to mix petrol and diesel arguing with the experts in the industry where as on here- there's advice of excessive caution
Thats what the overflow pipe is for, it will find its own temperature/gas phase equilibrium at the right pressure and push the rest out.
I've over filled my old E21 and let it find its own level, done it to alfas, VWs , modern Jags with precision cooling and My amercan cars, I dont imagine it being any different for your Renault.
It amuses me that all the plebes on another thread say its fine to mix petrol and diesel arguing with the experts in the industry where as on here- there's advice of excessive caution
matt uk said:
Better pop out leter and replace the new turkey baster I found in the kitchen.. Great idea that 
Levels now down just below the 'high' mark.
It was the MX5. First track day tomorrow. Could have been a disater!!
Knew I could rely on PH so see me right. Cheers for your help
I have a turkey baster in my toolbox at work just for such emergencies..... Levels now down just below the 'high' mark.
It was the MX5. First track day tomorrow. Could have been a disater!!
Knew I could rely on PH so see me right. Cheers for your help
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