Cooling System Question

[hawaiianeye]

I often hear radiator repair shops say this about the radiator:
What does the phrase "top off" or "topping off" mean?

Is this a minor maintenance done by the car owner?

Thanks

[Krypto]

It means exactly what it sounds like....you literally top off the radiator with fluid, level it flush to the top.

Kruso

[Jeeves]

Krypto's wrong. You almost never want to "top off" a radiator by adding coolant to the radiator (other than when installing a new radiator). You add it to the overflow reservoir. Most overflow reservoir's are white(ish) containers that have a smaller line running from the radiator to them. In the Mk3 Supra it is next to the drivers side headlight between the bumper and hood support bar.

You'll also note that there is a "fill" line on the overflow bottle to indicate where it should be. If you just topped off the radiator, you don't know if the heater core is open, or what, and you will be low on coolant.

[Krypto]

Originally posted by Jeeves
Krypto's wrong. You almost never want to "top off" a radiator by adding coolant to the radiator (other than when installing a new radiator). You add it to the overflow reservoir. Most overflow reservoir's are white(ish) containers that have a smaller line running from the radiator to them. In the Mk3 Supra it is next to the drivers side headlight between the bumper and hood support bar.

You'll also note that there is a "fill" line on the overflow bottle to indicate where it should be. If you just topped off the radiator, you don't know if the heater core is open, or what, and you will be low on coolant.

Dude....you're a sad little man....lol. He asked what it meant. I replied by telling him what it meant! How the fuck am I wrong???

[Jeeves]

you literally top off the radiator with fluid, level it flush to the top.

Because that's incorrect. It's a saying, it's not literal. You do not open a hot radiator to top it off, you fill the overflow tank to the fill line.

[Krypto]

Originally posted by Jeeves
Because that's incorrect. It's a saying, it's not literal. You do not open a hot radiator to top it off, you fill the overflow tank to the fill line.

Why the "automatic assumption" that the owner is an idiot that doesnt know to let the car cool down before opening up the radiator cap. You still failed to tell me how I was wrong in giving him the definition of the phrase topping off???

Kruso

[bgrieger]

Ok kids, enough of the rough housing in our living room...you both made your points, and both are right in your own regard, and now waste bandwidth pissing over semantics. Lets move on to real topics again shall we?

Bob

[cam2Xrunner]

There's nothing wrong with topping off the radiator then filling the overflow tank to the full line. In fact thats the way it supposed to be done. Let the engine cool down. Open the radiator cap and add coolant/water. Turn the car on and wait for the themostat to open once it does it's probably going to make the level in the radiator go down if it was low. Add more water to it then when it is full put the radiator cap back on and re-check the overflow tank.