Zorro Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 So yesterday, I needed washer fluid. As you know, it was really cold yesterday. I was in a hurry. I popped my hood, popped the cap off, and dumped the fluid in the empty reservoir. It took about 3/4 gallon. When I put the cap back on, I realized my mistake....I put washer fluid in to my antifreeze reservoir!Before I started my truck, I called a bunch of people. I got different opinions. My opinion was this - hell, it's better than water since this is rated at -20 degrees.Anyway, before I started my truck, I disconnected the overflow hose. I drove it a mile home. In order to drain the reservoir without removing it, I used my air compressor by inserting the compressor nozzle in to the reservoir overflow and letting 'er rip!Enjoy a laugh on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HellBender Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 You were lucky! I've seen some guy fill his transmission with 5 quarts of motor oil. At least your mistake had an easy fix!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yotaman88210 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I have seen a guy drain the tranny fuild for an oil change, then put another 4.5 quarts back in the oil fill!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Lucky you noticed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Drordy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 How did you open the coolant reservoir without boiling hot fluid bubbling up everywhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 How did you open the coolant reservoir without boiling hot fluid bubbling up everywhere?Nobody let this guy work on your car..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Drordy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 What? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Drordy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 O wait the car was cold, nevermind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 O wait the car was cold, nevermindCoolant reservoir:Radiator: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Drordy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 It doesn't matter look at the giant ! on the reservoir. Releasing pressure on the system will all have the same result. Take a physics or chemistry class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomcat0403 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 wow...this is a two for one laugh! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 It doesn't matter look at the giant ! on the reservoir. Releasing pressure on the system will all have the same result. Take a physics or chemistry class.The reservoir isn't under pressure. The fluid is just hot, hence the "!". Do you really think it'd be under pressure and not explode being made of thin clear plastic? Take a physics class, then take an automotive maintenance class.Just giving you shit man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Drordy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 It's cool I guess I'm miss understanding then. Both of my cars have plastic reservoirs and are under pressure, of course they're both German so that might have something to do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yotaman88210 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Youre both right. Some cars ARE under pressure in the reservoirs... but these cars most of the time do NOT have a cap on the radiator itself. And then you have the goofy cars where both have a cap and the reservoir is still pressurized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 It's cool I guess I'm miss understanding then. Both of my cars have plastic reservoirs and are under pressure, of course they're both German so that might have something to do with it.I've never worked on a car where the coolant reservoir was under pressure. The reservoir serves three purposes:1) overflow tank for excess coolant when experiencing higher than normal operating temps2) extra coolant for when the coolant level drops in the cooling system3) safe place to add more coolant when the cooling system is hotAs for your German cars having a plastic reservoir that's under pressure, I think that means it's not a reservoir. I think what you're referring to is called an expansion tank. It's used on some newer cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Drordy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Now that I think of it, aren't the overflow reservoirs on our bikes under pressure? They're plastic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Now that I think of it, aren't the overflow reservoirs on our bikes under pressure? They're plasticI believe those are made of ABS plastic, same as a coolant expansion tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Some good reading:http://www.familycar.com/Classroom/CoolingSystem.htm Pressure cap and reserve tank As coolant gets hot, it expands. Since the cooling system is sealed, this expansion causes an increase in pressure in the cooling system, which is normal and part of the design. When coolant is under pressure, the temperature where the liquid begins to boil is considerably higher. This pressure, coupled with the higher boiling point of ethylene glycol, allows the coolant to safely reach temperatures in excess of 250 degrees. The radiator pressure cap is a simple device that will maintain pressure in the cooling system up to a certain point. If the pressure builds up higher than the set pressure point, there is a spring loaded valve, calibrated to the correct Pounds per Square Inch (psi), to release the pressure. When the cooling system pressure reaches the point where the cap needs to release this excess pressure, a small amount of coolant is bled off. It could happen during stop and go traffic on an extremely hot day, or if the cooling system is malfunctioning. If it does release pressure under these conditions, there is a system in place to capture the released coolant and store it in a plastic tank that is usually not pressurized. Since there is now less coolant in the system, as the engine cools down a partial vacuum is formed. The radiator cap on these closed systems has a secondary valve to allow the vacuum in the cooling system to draw the coolant back into the radiator from the reserve tank (like pulling the plunger back on a hypodermic needle) There are usually markings on the side of the plastic tank marked Full-Cold, and Full Hot. When the engine is at normal operating temperature, the coolant in the translucent reserve tank should be up to the Full-Hot line. After the engine has been sitting for several hours and is cold to the touch, the coolant should be at the Full-Cold line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Drordy Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Fair enough, but on some cars (mine included) the pressure cap is on the expansion tank. There aren't two points of entry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 I'm having a brain fart....What's the name of the cooling system Yota and Campus Racer are talking about where the radiator has no cap and the entire system is under pressure. I know a lot of newer cars use it. The system has to be bled like hydraulics. Any air bubbles in the system can cause the car to overheat. I cannot remember what the hell it's called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flounder Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 When I was in brazil, My buddies finance put Ethanol in the rental car tank instead of Gas. Evidently its a pretty common mistake to make as the pumps are in close proximity and people dont pay attention. The attendants at the station had the tank pulled and drained in about 40 min. Kudos to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 When I was in brazil, My buddies finance put Ethanol in the rental car tank instead of Gas. Evidently its a pretty common mistake to make as the pumps are in close proximity and people dont pay attention. The attendants at the station had the tank pulled and drained in about 40 min. Kudos to them.Holy shit!? 40mins!? They've definitely done that a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flounder Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Holy shit!? 40mins!? They've definitely done that a few times.It was something crazy like 40 min from the time the attendent realized what she did and walked over and told her until the car was on the lift, tank was drained and back at the pump getting gas. And they only charged like $35US to do it. They said it happens all the time especially with people getting rentals and not realizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 It was something crazy like 40 min from the time the attendent realized what she did and walked over and told her until the car was on the lift, tank was drained and back at the pump getting gas. And they only charged like $35US to do it. They said it happens all the time especially with people getting rentals and not realizing.That's freaking awesome. I've only had to pull a tank on one car, 90 Trans Am. Those suck. You have to drop the rear end to pull the tank. It's a half day job. Sucks because the fuel pump is in the tank, so you have to pull the tank to replace the pump. Horrible design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorro Posted January 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 How did you open the coolant reservoir without boiling hot fluid bubbling up everywhere?Coolant overflow reservoir was empty. I didnt open radiator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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