98 XLE Camry Antifreese level in reservoir?

[cammyjim]

Hi,
I was looking at the engine just checking to see why my CEL (Check Engine light) went on,so I disconnected one the the battery cables for a few minutes, released the gas cap, which a lot of pressure was released, hooked the battery back up, and voila! no more CEL.

I also noticed the plastic coolant antifreeze container was practically empty except maybe 1/4" on the bottom with some sediment. Is this normal and while driving the temp gauge was in the middle, between HOT and COLD.

Should there always be a fair amount of coolant in the plastic reservoir or is this only a over-flow? I tried to remove the metal radiator cap, but could not.
I was going to disconnect this plastic reservoir,,there are two screws on the side, but there is also some other ones below this container. is it always wise or more practical to buy pre-mixed antifreeze from the Toyota dealer?

Thanks!

[DjiNN]

Well the reason your CEL went out is because of the battery disconnect. The coolant inside the radiator should be filled. The plastic container is only for overflow. I always see the plastic container empty on my car.

[CraigW]

I always check my coolant when the engine is at operating temp (when the overflow tank has the most coolant present) & make a mental note of current level as it will vary slightly between winter and summer.

There are low & high marks on the bottle, ideal would be at the top mark when engine is at temp. Don't over fill or let reservoir be complete empty when engine is cold.

[mr1114]

There should be some coolant in the reservoir. If its below the LOW mark, some should be added.

[PhatRoyale]

Moved to the proper Camry forum.

[blkavalon]

your reservor should be filled to the correct level. it shouldn't be empty

[hill8570]

Originally Posted by DjiNN

The plastic container is only for overflow. I always see the plastic container empty on my car.

Sorry, but that's just wrong. The coolant reservoir is to allow the radiator to "breathe" -- when at operating temperature, coolant flows out of the cap and into the reservoir; when the car cools off, the coolant is sucked back into the radiator. When the car is cool, the reservoir level should be between the high and low lines (preferably closer to the "high" line, but it's not particularly critical). If the reservoir is always empty, then you're allowing air into your cooling system, and not allowing the system to fully pressurize -- that's flirting with boil-over during hot conditions.

[fenixus]

loosing coolant like its level constantly drops below some normal level (check always on warm engine to avoid confusion) means something happens to it. might be a leaking water pump or a hose or even bad head gasket (coolant sipping into engine block and getting burned). what color is the rest of coolant you have in return tank ? if its brown, it means bad.

and yes, every time you disconnect the battery, the computer (and stored CELs) will get reset, but if there is still a reason for it, it will come back sooner or later. once it appears, scan ECM for trouble codes, e.g. at local Auto Zone for free and write down error codes. post them here.

[JohnGD]

Pulling the EFI fuse for a minute is an easier way to reset the CEL light. Or to your local parts store that lets you use OBD-II reader to clear codes. Better yet, read them out for you so you'll know why the light's on.

Your coolant shouldn't be so low. You risk the radiator sucking air back while it's cooling down. 50%-50% mixture of Toyota Red and distilled water would be nice. Don't think your model year comes with the Toyota Pink, which is a variant of GM Dexcool (some call Death-cool) without the 2EHA acid (a plasticizer).

Originally Posted by cammyjim

Hi,
I was looking at the engine just checking to see why my CEL (Check Engine light) went on,so I disconnected one the the battery cables for a few minutes, released the gas cap, which a lot of pressure was released, hooked the battery back up, and voila! no more CEL.

I also noticed the plastic coolant antifreeze container was practically empty except maybe 1/4" on the bottom with some sediment. Is this normal and while driving the temp gauge was in the middle, between HOT and COLD.

Should there always be a fair amount of coolant in the plastic reservoir or is this only a over-flow? I tried to remove the metal radiator cap, but could not.
I was going to disconnect this plastic reservoir,,there are two screws on the side, but there is also some other ones below this container. is it always wise or more practical to buy pre-mixed antifreeze from the Toyota dealer?

Thanks!

[Mike Gerber]

The check engine light had nothing to do with the level in the overflow being a bit low. Some will evaporate a bit over time as it's not a completely seled system. Fill it back up to the full line when the engine is cold with a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water, just to be safe. Then watch the coolant level for a while. If it goes back down quickly, then you do have a problem.

The check engine light will probably return. When it does, as has been suggested, go to a parts store light Autozone and get them to read the code for you for free. Write down the code and report it back here. Then someone will be able to give you some direction.

Mike