Does Coolant Level Drop When Engine Is Hot?
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A coolant is a transparent fluid that absorbs excess heat from the engine to protect the engine from various damages. This cooling system operates through a radiator, a water hose & an overflow tank, sensor, thermostat, etc.
Well, maximum automotive owners have a query: does coolant level drop when engine is hot? In this article, I will discuss the details of coolant level falls reasons when the engine is hot & risk factors of unusual coolant drop. It will help to ensure a safe & smooth ride without worries.
Does Coolant Level Drop When The Engine Is Hot?
The overflow tank is containing a small tube that passes coolant when the engine becomes adequately hot. Basically, you face frequent coolant level drops on hot summer days while using the air conditioner. It is wise to inspect the coolant level periodically to ensure your overflow tanks consist of a minimum amount of coolant.
Because an empty coolant tank can make an unwanted stop or damage the engines. You should maintain sufficient coolant & water mixture to fill your vehicle overflow tank. It is highly important to avoid coolant drops. You can prevent it when you find out the reason behind engine heat. Read the full article to know why the engine becomes hot & how it affects coolant level.
Radiator leaks
Well, coolant level drops also happen due to a small leak in the radiator. This kind of small hole is not visible while you fill the coolant. Because it probably gets leaks in time of running the car under a load.
But after completing the ride, the radiator may ejaculate a sharp moist scent. It represents a sign of the radiator leaking. Also, this kind of small leak becomes large with time. So, it is essential to replace the radiator from a shop before it is too late.
Blown Head Gasket
A blown head gasket is another factor that generates water to leak into an unwanted area. As a result, the coolant level drops unexpectedly without a visible leak on the coolant overflow tank, hoses, or even radiator. So, it is essential to inspect a blown head gasket when you face an unexpected coolant level drop & engine hot.
You can follow the below steps for a safe & accurate head gasket inspection.
- Open the oil dipstick.
- Check the oil color at the end of the dipstick
A well-blown head gasket consists of water bubbles or milky views if you find any exception that needs repairing.
Hose Connection
Well, hoses contain multiple connections towards the radiator & engine. You should check all the hose connections crucially to find any kind of fluid. The Wick hose does not display any leaks before you turn on the engine.
You can replace the wick hose & hose clamps. It is beneficial to check the radiator hose while refilling the coolant or doing maintenance of the cooling system.
If you want to protect your engine with an effective cooling system, then don’t forget to inspect hoses. Wick hose can spoil your cooling system & make the engine hot. As a result, you will face a coolant level drop.
Cap
A broken or malfunctioning radiator cap is also responsible for causing frequent coolant leaks. That spoils the whole cooling system in your engine.
Guess what? The coolant fails to protect the engine from excess heat. It is very risky to take away the radiator cap immediately after a ride. Because when you just switch off the engine, the systems contain high pressure.
You should give the radiator time to cool down for taking the radiator cap safely. You will be glad to know a replaceable radiator cap is very cheap & flooded in the market. It is a simple task to replace your malfunctioning cap to prevent unwanted coolant levels from dropping & the engine hot.
How to solve engine overheating to protect coolant drop?
Well, it is ideal to use a belt-driven water pump to blaze coolant. A 50% of water mixed with coolant is effective in protecting the engine. Coolant is a great tool to absorb excessive heat from the engine produced from a combustion process.
An electric fan circulates heat coolant as air across the radiator. It is mandatory to ensure the fan’s functionality & smooth coolant flow across the engine to extract excessive engine heat.
But there are so many factors that can harm the cooling system & makes the engine hot. Let’s learn how to get rid of this type of engine overheating to ensure a smooth cooling system to protect the engine.
Step-1
When you face an overheating engine, immediately turn off the engine. Then wait till the engine completely cools down. Now, check the radiator hoses & connections to find out visible splits or leaks.
It may be the reason behind frequent coolant level loss & makes the engine overheat. Make sure the viper belt is remaining in the right place. Basically, a belt is required to operate the water pump, alternator & power control.
Step-2
In your engine compartments, check the passenger side & find the expansion tank to inspect your accurate coolant level. This tank contains a clear sign of low & full.
You can easily check the coolant level & fill the tank if required. You need to take out the pressure cap from the tank. Then fix the tester to the expansion tank replacing the pressure cap.
Step-3
Now It’s time to pump the tester till it identifies the same pressure that is displayed on the pressure cap. After completing the tester measurement with pumping, check all the radiator & coolant hoses to find out any small leaks. If you find any leaking hoses, immediately replace them.
Also, check the water pumps to find any hidden leaks behind the pulley. Similarly, you need to replace leaking pumps to avoid unusual coolant level drops.
Step – 4
Finally, it’s time to turn on the engine & run the car until the thermostat fully reveals. Generally, it makes the upper radiator hose hot. But when you find an overheated engine with an upper coolant hose, that indicates a malfunctioning thermostat. So you need an immediate thermostat replacing to solve coolant dropping.
Step-5
Now, it’s time to inspect the cooling fans with crucial observation. When the thermostat reveals, the cooling fan also activates automatically. But if you don’t find the fan & see the engine overheat, then stop your engine. Then take out the electrical connector plug of the fan. The cooling fan is situated underneath the motor fan.
Step-6
After unplugging the fan connector, inspect the cooling fan functionality by a test light. It helps to check the fan power & ground when your engine is high temperature. So, turn on your engine. Now, hook your light to the negative side of the battery & jack the electrical connector of the cooling fan.
Guess what the test light comes on with your touch on any terminals by the jack. That indicates the power is supplied accurately to the fan.
Step-7
Now swap the test light to the positive side of your battery. Then again, touch the connector side with a probe or jack. If the test light is on by an opposite probe touch that defines ground is serving the fan.
Well, when you find both the supply & ground is performing absolutely fine, that indicates the problem is from the motor. You need to replace your fan motor with a new one.
On the other hand, if you find any power supply issues with your cooling fans. That indicates replacing the fan fuse. Similarly, if you find interrupt ground serving to the fan, that indicates replacing the coolant sensor. Generally, it is situated on the cylinder head below the ignition coil with a screw on the engine.
Why Coolant?
Coolant or antifreeze is a great fluid to extract excess heat from the engine. It is an engine saver to evaluate the engine cooling system successfully.
Unfortunately, you need to maintain an appropriate amount of coolant in your coolant reservoir to derive a safe ride. If you have overfilling coolant or low coolant, both can damage your engine instead of protecting it.
See, you are circulating coolant to perform an engine cooling technique yet if you notice a hot engine. That indicates your coolant level drops unusually & unable to protect the engine. In this scenario, you should apply troubleshooting to protect the engine.
I try to cover all the reasons behind engine hot & coolant level dropping. You should check the engine regularly to make sure whether it is hot to avoid an accident.
Final Thought
Well, it is highly essential to know does coolant level drops when the engine hot. As the engine is run hot, this obstacle’s environment may break your coolant within a specific time frame. Besides, the engine radiator becomes vulnerable due to a defective cooling system.
During this period the engine can easily be damaged by corrosion. Day by day, your whole cooling system will be ruined. Undoubtedly, that is very dangerous & can take a huge repair cost.
To avoid this robust hassle, follow my tips & tricks before it’s too late. I also include the troubleshooting tips to solve these engine overheating issues. Follow my tips & tricks to derive a smooth ride.
