coolant level

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rdb

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Has been so long since I had a car without a radiator expansion tank, I forget how full it should be since it expands. Should you see any when cold, or fill to what point cold?

Thanks
 
The thing is, unless something is wrong, it will find it's own level. that is, if you get it too full, after a week or two of average driving, and being warmed to full temp, it will puke out whatever is "extra" and find a normal working level

This has changed with the advent of coolant recovery systems. Those, ideally, will expand, puke, and suck back in as they warm and cool from the external overflow, and will keep the radiator expansion tank essentially nearly completely full. This keeps air from being sucked in on cool - down, and helps prevent rust / corrosion.
 
My '62 Dart's FSM says to run it 1-1/4" below the cap (cold). Seems that is about where it wants to be. I run a 16 psi cap.
 
Hey thanks... will go check on the 1 1/4" level. Mine car came w 2 caps -both Stants... A 13 pound, and one that says 50KPA. Does that mean 50 pound.. seems like a lot. But I did top it off some. I can see that excess just goes out the hose on the side.
 
No, LOL, 50 kpa is "kilo pascals" you have to convert that to lbs/ sq in which is about 7 1/4 psi
 
Would have never known. So I have choice of 7. 25 and 13. Got the 13 on now.
 
I started with w 13p psi, and the coolant would tend to boil off a small amount if it got just a little bit hot. (But you never know about caps these days if they are all that good though, and the 13 psi spring sure felt light....) 15-16 psi was optional for A/C equipped cars and I had no more issues with that cap.
 
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