Going on a trip day after tomorrow, so decided to do a quick check of tires, oil, etc. Lifting the hood I noticed that the cap for the coolant reservoir was gone. Who knows when...
So...I found (don't laugh) a pill bottle cap that snaps in just fine. I am not sure if I will have time to get to a dealer for a replacement (ASSUMING they even have the part) so will this be adequate for a period of a thousand miles or so. Also that thing isn't pressurized is it?
coolant reservoir
I wonder where it went. Did you check the underbody tray to see if it was on that?
However, the cap is really more a dust cap and to prevent evaporation. A temporary pill cap should be fine.
However, the cap is really more a dust cap and to prevent evaporation. A temporary pill cap should be fine.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
Yes, dug out the flashlight and looked all over. It is possible that when the car was serviced a couple of months ago they didn't replace it. Too late to ask about that with the dealer... I have just gotten so lazy with this car, I seldom open the hood. I know, shame on me, I really have no excuses (other than age? Nah...that's no good).
Thanks, guys, for the info, I appreciate it...
Thanks, guys, for the info, I appreciate it...
Another reason to not let anyone else work on your car.
Is the coolant system really not pressurized? This would be the first modern car that I've ever seen without a pressurized system.
For a while in the winter, I would smell coolant from the front of the car. And under the hood I noticed a small drop of residue on the fan shroud. There's a small connection on the reservoir that has a clamp that pinches the hose to the plastic nib. It was a very small leak (maybe one or two drops) from there. I've seen these type of clamps fail before, but not on a fairly new car. The solution was to rotate the clamp and that fixed the leak.
Is the coolant system really not pressurized? This would be the first modern car that I've ever seen without a pressurized system.
For a while in the winter, I would smell coolant from the front of the car. And under the hood I noticed a small drop of residue on the fan shroud. There's a small connection on the reservoir that has a clamp that pinches the hose to the plastic nib. It was a very small leak (maybe one or two drops) from there. I've seen these type of clamps fail before, but not on a fairly new car. The solution was to rotate the clamp and that fixed the leak.
The system is pressurized, but not the overflow reservoir. The pressure remains since the hose from the radiator to the reservoir is submerged in the reservoir's coolant.
2025 Mazda CX-50 Preferred Hybrid
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
The "reservoir" is an overflow bottle. It stores/ catches the "extra" coolant from the pressurised part of the cooling system. When the pressurised system cools a vacuum is created which sucks back in any coolant that was expelled / expanded during engine operation.
The radiator cap maintains the coolant pressure and the hose in the overflow is submerged to ensure it only sucks back coolant when the pressuried part of the coolant system cools down. Otherwise you'd end up with air getting sucked in.
The radiator cap maintains the coolant pressure and the hose in the overflow is submerged to ensure it only sucks back coolant when the pressuried part of the coolant system cools down. Otherwise you'd end up with air getting sucked in.
David
Ah dummy me. I somehow read that it was the radiator cap that was missing. I was wondering how the car hadn't overheated!KuroNekko wrote:The system is pressurized, but not the overflow reservoir. The pressure remains since the hose from the radiator to the reservoir is submerged in the reservoir's coolant.
