Dilute Coolant

[Dino]

I found my coolant needs some anti-freeze. So, I added anti-freeze to the lower clearer plastic over-flow reservoir right (from looking at front) with the high/low marks on it by the front radiator.

However, even after running the car for many miles, the anti-freeze still remains concentrated in the reservoir where I added it as though its not moving through the system.

When I checked the top black reservoir on the top of the engine with with inter-cooler, then its dilute.

So, I checked the front radiator itself by removing that radiator cap and that's still dilute in there also.

So, question is, what causes the coolant to move into the front radiator and rest of the system?

Does the inter-cooler have a separate coolant system because of the black reservoir with it?

Or is the coolant all one long system and there are 3 radiator caps (inter-coolant reservoir, radiator (cap) and coolant overflow) with reservoirs which take a long time for the coolant to move around? Cheers for any feedback.

[stants]

Not sure about your I/c do you have the water sprayer kit for it ? Maybe thats what the reservoir is attached to it as they are all air to air coolers.

The the only one you should top up is the main rad cap as the expansion bottle to the right will just fill up when warm & drain back down again when cool.

Maybe worth 'burping'the system see if you have an airlock ? If you post up a pic of your engine bay may shed some light

[JusNoGood]

Didn't put it in the windscreen wash bottle? [emoji4]

[Dino]

Thanks I didn't put anti-freeze in the windscreen washer bottle I checked it first and that we blue, not green. LMAO - good job I'm not colour blind HA HA

I reckon as stants says that the reservoir is not really taking it back into the main coolant system very quickly. So, I drained it from there along with a load of muck in the bottom and added this more concentrated anti-freeze liquid directly back into the radiator; green ethylene glycol, strengthened up to ensure there is more protection - it was really dilute there too, with only partial protection as it was.

Now the top black reservoir is definitely linked up to the inter-cooler and I traced pipes back to the radiator today, and this had the same concentration of anti-freeze in it as in the radiator. So I put some in there too.

I've just done a 100 mile trip with LOTS of queuing traffic so it should now be well circulated. I'm going to test it later in the week at the radiator and the inter-cooler reservoir to see if its any better.

 

I'll get some pics of the engine when I'm back... the top of the engine has got this "greenish" thicker sludgy film over the top like its been covered in the past with Supa-guard, or perhaps anti-freeze???

[Scooby Pete]

Did you put the anti freeze in the long necked yellow cap on the right hand side of the engine that says coolant?

 

Yellow arrow on Pic.

 

If so its just the over flow for the system, there is no return to the system from here. when I 1st got my classic scoob I thought this was for topping up the coolant and spent ages trying to fill the system up from here :)

 

 

 

[Dino]

Many Thanks Scooby Pete.

 

I put some anti-freeze in the main radiator and the top black reservoir (orange rad cap) near the inter-cooler.

 

Link - hope it works: http://s3.amazonaws.com/hires.aviary.com/k/qiijtm6t0kugjg2ubv8big/14103009/5b0ef9cf-5049-4e62-b360-334fcb52d5a2.jpg

I can't upload any images in this forum... tried all sorts of ways. Maybe because I'm using latest Windows PC version??? The "Link" does not work nor "My Media"...

 

Otherwise, how many litres of coolant does the Impreza WRX system hold? Just wanting to see if I can get near 50/50 anti-freeze for optimal protection. Hoping the more concentrated fluid won't expose any hole!!!

 

Anyone give me some hints on how to display images / photos here I'd appreciate it. Thanks again.

[stants]

Try photobucket or other file sharing sites, then theres an option to load the img link into here.

Thats the right hole, header tank for the radiator, reason it sits so high is it also sends water to the turbo to cool it. Have you tried expelling any air in the system ?

[Dino]

Hi stants, thanks for the feedback. I guessed it was the right one because the pipes linked up to the inter-cooler. And, yes I forgot to mention I believe I did expel some air from the system because the coolant in the reservoir (yellow arrow) dropped about 1 inch after squeezing a few hoses and then taking it for a hot run. I guess the radiator took some coolant from the clear plastic reservoir to replenish the system. If its a slow leak, I'll know when I get it home to my garage, but it looked ok last time it was in there two days back. I'm hoping adding more anti-freeze won't cause it to suddenly leak IF there's a hole anywhere.

[Dino]

No leaks, just very weak anti-freeze from years of none being added by the prior owner - I don't know how it survived two winters unless he parked it in the house LOL. So, its now got enough in and is winter ready. Thanks for all the advice and help here :)