Hey everyone,

Just wondering if you could shed some light on a situation here.

To recap my situation, after driving my new outie off the lot in October, I didn't know for a day or two, but the rad cap failed and noticed only 1 inch of coolant on the overflow tank (never had any overheat warnings).

I filled the overflow back up and made sure the rad was full and got a new rad cap.

Fast forward a few months to winter. I now use the block heater occasionally.

I am losing coolant from the overflow tank (Not a whole lot, but noticealbe after about a week). However, the rad seems to be full. There is no coolant anywhere on the ground or in the engine bay that I can see. My old car I don't think I ever added coolant since the level never dropped very uch at all in the reservoir tank. Question 1 - Is this normal to be losing coolant like this from the overflow tank in a week?

Also, my temp gauges fluctuates one notch - takes a long time to heat up to and then cycles down one notch and then back up to it's opertaing temp (I'd say it is half way on the gauge - the highest point it goes is between the 3 and 5 in 3500 km for example when looking at the display). I have been told that our temperature gauges DO NOT fluctuate after reaching their operating temp, but some have told me they do. Question 2 - Does our temp gauge fluctuate or does it stay in one spot after heating up to normal?

I posted this pic before but never got any responses...I have air in the overflow tube as seen here. After driving, there is alot more air in it (almost the whole column is air) and this always happens - there hasn't been a time where there is no air in the tube after driving.
I was under the impression that it is a closed system and only coolant is passing through that tube. Question 3 - Is this normal?

I really appreciate any help since it is a pain in the *** to drive to the nearest dealership (90min highway).

I just want to know the cooling system is ok after that first problem.

 

1. My 2007 has always looked like that. no issues so far. No loss of coolant.
2. With the current temperatures in Calgary, mine fluctuates between half way across and one notch less than that depending if i'm reving the engine or idling along.
3. See 1.

 

Thanks for the response man. For my first question, every week my resevoir tank loses half the distance between the MAX and MIN levels when cold (my attached pic doesn't apply here). I just don't think I should have to add coolant that often. Again, the rad is full. LIke I said, my old car I NEVER had to. Didn't you say that you haven't lost coolant?

 

My overflow tank is always on the min side.

My old Eclipse did this too. So did a buddy's Lancer.

Must be a thing with Mitsu. I have never had any issues because of this.

 

Keep in mind it is a OVERFLOW tank. It should be above minimum but not close to maximum...if your cold level is above maximum, then the radiator could potentially explode when the system heats up. In the manual, it states it must be between the two...it looks like it is at max on yours.
Also, coolant expands/contracts in terms of volume when it changes temperature. If the outside temperature changes, then you will have more/less coolant even if you don't use the car.

 

you're probably barfing some when the engine is hot and running at higher than idle RPM. you may not see that as it's happening when you are moving and just running out the overflow. Just try to not fill it to the full line and let things settle out where they want to be even if the overflow tank is quite low. not an issue as it draws from the bottom, if required.

 

I agree, keep it above the minimum line. If you do not add fluid, will it fall below the min line?

 

If I don't add fluid, the level in the overflow tank drops each week when cold (i.e in the morning) - probably by an inch a week. However, I never let it get close to the min line when cold since I am topping it up so I don't know if it would fall lower than the min line...

Also, when pulling into the driveway after driving, I noticed the level in the overflow tank is only an inch or so higher than the cold level, so I doubt that I am losing some out the top of the overflow since there is ALOT of space between the HOT level and the top of the tank (but I could be wrong).

I also don't see any coolant in the engine bay or covering anything and I am guessing I would if it was spewing out the top of the overflow tank...

Like I said, I have no idea if this is normal losing coolant like that, and all I have is a comparison to my protege5 where the overflow tank was filled to the MAX line when cold, expanded when hot and it always went back to the MAX line after sitting overnight (never really went down the way the outlander is).

Thanks again guys....

 

You may have a blown head gasket/intake manifold gasket which is allowing the coolant to enter the combustion chamber where it is mixing with the fuel and being burned !!!
Your level should not fluctuate that much from week to week.
Look at your oil on the dip stick and/or look under the oil filler cap and see if there is a milkey white substance present, if there is, coolant is mixing with the oil. In addition look in the radiator when the engine is running(take the cap off before the engine gets hot) and see if you can spot any bubbles in the coolant, if u do it's another sign of a possible blown head gasket. Check the level of your oil as well, as any coolant that does not gets burned may find it's way down to the oil pan, in which case the oil level would be higher than normal.
Hope this is not your problem but if it is get it fixed ASAP !!!
Hope this helps.
Good Luck and let us know how it all turns out for u.
Russ
PS: your radiator will not explode if the overflow tank is filled to the max level when the engine is cold as the overflow tank itself has
an overflow port to let hot coolant escape when the engine is running !!!

 

WEll, I hope it isn't that. Like I mentioned, I never had a HIGH TEMP alarm that intial time and the car drove fine, so I am hoping it isn't a head gasket problem. I do not see any milky stuff in the oil. Also the coolant is it's normal color. WHat I do see is a lot of smoke from the tailpipe...Now it is frigid here so maybe that is normal, but I can see alot in the rearview - again, it drives fine and I am watching the temp gauge and it seems to be behaving (fluctuating one notch only)....

Mitsu dealers have said if I didn't see a HIGH TEMP alarm I am fine....