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Old 11-08-2010, 10:19 PM   #1
rumatt
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Low coolant light

So my low coolant light came on today, and the little floaty thingy was at the bottom. I only had to add a little bit and it was at full again.

So what are the chances that this is NOT a crack/leak? How often does the level drop in a healthy system? Should I go get a pressure test done ASAP or just keep monitoring it?

I'm at 90K miles, so I guess it's pretty likely the radiator is going. Driving the car into a snowbank probably didn't help my odds.
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:22 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rumatt View Post
So my low coolant light came on today, and the little floaty thingy was at the bottom. I only had to add a little bit and it was at full again.

So what are the chances that this is NOT a crack/leak? How often does the level drop in a healthy system? Should I go get a pressure test done ASAP or just keep monitoring it?

I'm at 90K miles, so I guess it's pretty likely the radiator is going. Driving the car into a snowbank probably didn't help my odds.
The thermostat assembly was the weak point on my E46. I went through three altogether, over 120K or so.
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:24 PM   #3
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...or sometimes, they just eat a little coolant.

Anyway, at 90k, it should probably get a new cooling system.
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:24 PM   #4
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My E39 would trip that light occasionally -- about 3-4 times over the last couple years I owned it. I topped it off once -- and it only took about 12-16 ounces to fill up. The other time, it was going in for service the next day, and they topped it up and inspected and didn't find anything...
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:25 PM   #5
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I got a new thermostat and expansion tank 15K miles ago. But not a new radiator.
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:27 PM   #6
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OK thanks guys. I'll check it for a while and see if it drops.
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Old 11-08-2010, 10:29 PM   #7
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Dude. Radiator time.

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Old 11-08-2010, 10:53 PM   #8
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I've found that when the weather turns considerably colder, some O-rings tend to shrink and results in a slight seepage.

As a result, I tend to add a couple of ounces of coolant every month to keep the floaty thingie (for a lack of a better term) at its max level.
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Old 11-08-2010, 11:12 PM   #9
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floaty thingie (for a lack of a better term)
I believe the real name is "floating level indicator".
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Old 11-08-2010, 11:23 PM   #10
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I believe the real name is "floating level indicator".
Hey, I wasn't even that far off with "little floaty thingy"!!!
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