coolant question.. i'm confused!?

Question

so my 'coolant low' light came on.. I'm assuming I just add coolant to the coolant reservoir... I opened the hood, and coolant is on the "add" line.. so I was just gonna go add enough coolant to reach the "full" line..

I was reading the antifreeze label, and it says something about 'do not open radiator cap when hot'... why would i be opening the radiator?

I realize this is probably a really stupid question, but I'm a girl.. and i know nothing about these things... I'm confused@!

Answer 1

There are no stupid questions here.



You wont be opening the radiator cap to fill the reservoir so you can disregard that statement. But if you ever do need to open it, you want to do it when it is cold. Otherwise the system is under pressure and can burn you.

Answer 2

"Don't open the radiator cap when hot" is a warning that's intended to prevent serious burns.

Many vehicles don't have a reservoir but rather the fill container is part of the pressurized coolant system. If your vehicle doesn't have a conventional radiator cap, your reservoir may be pressurized and must be opened only after the engine has cooled down - if it does have a radiator cap, your reservoir is merely an overflow tank and can be topped off any time.

Answer 3

The reason you don't open a radiator cap while the engine is hot is that the coolant system is under pressure (intentionally) to raise the boiling point. If you twist off the cap while hot, you will be greeted with an explosion of scalding water in your face.

Answer 4

Add coolant to overflow tank for now. later you should check the radiator to see that it's full. remove hot radiator caps with extreme care, as they boil over and spray badly-you get scalded easily. If adding coolant to a hot radiator, have motor idling to mix the hot and cold fluids to prevent thermal shocks cracking the motor.

Answer 5

its just a warning label from company......and ya true u dont have to open the radiator....u know but not everyone knows

cuz if the car was running the coolent is super hot which brings the pressure inside radiator to make act like a firehydrent, its for persons safety otherwise it will cause burns if u get coolent on you.

Answer 6

wish you could have blanketed the 12 months make and form of your motor vehicle as that's a great deal which antifreeze formula you could desire to be making use of on your motor vehicle. shop on with the handbooks suggestion as to which antifreeze to apply. previous formed green sort antifreeze (which contains conventional Prestone) includes silicates which wears water pump bearings and reasons cavitation interior aluminum water-pumps, cylinder heads and blocks. Cavitation actual wares and gets rid of aluminum. at first, reckoning on the age of the motor vehicle and the regularity of cooling equipment centers makes a great distinction precisely what style of cooling provider your motor vehicle could desire to have. in case you haven't any longer had it drained and flushed in the previous 3 years that's suitable to do it up wisely and function it acid wiped sparkling to boot as drained and flushed. Prestone makes: great Radiator cleanser in a 33 oz.. plastic bottle that could desire to be run throughout the time of the equipment for no less than 200 miles *after flushing the equipment. This cleanser gets rid of rust, corrosion and previous antifreeze discolored deposits from the block, heads, radiator and heater center. As a suggestion, consistently set up a sparkling production unit thermostat of the right warmth value as listed on your preparation manual in the specification pages. Your motor vehicle's cooling equipment will warmth the heater center speedier if it is wiped sparkling and flushed exact. Scum and junk construction up in the radiator, heater center, cylinder heads and block acts as an insulator. The coolant can not *adsorb or burn up warmth as quickly because it ought to if the equipment become truly sparkling.