Author Topic: Water reservoir. (Read 3792 times)

guest5040 · « **on:** November 01, 2014, 03:30:26 AM »

Quick question, when I purchased my 2012 Jazz in the middle of September this year I noticed that the water reservoir level was about 2 cm from the max mark. I topped it up to the max level at that time. I checked it this morning and it was about 2cm from the max again. I have driven 1500 miles between top ups (Car has 13.5k miles since new). Where is the water going? Is it normal to have to keep topping up the coolant on a Jazz? I can't remember ever topping up my previous car (Kia Proceed) as the water level was always constant.

monkeydave · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2014, 09:58:22 AM »

the water will expand when hot and if it goes over the max mark when hot it will vent out of the top of the lid and then go down again when cool

guest5040 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2014, 03:11:23 PM »

Ahh, that explains it! I will keep it at the level it is now and check for any changes, thank you!

guest4871 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2014, 07:05:05 PM »

I see you are talking about "water reservoir". I am guessing you are talking of the engine coolant and have been topping up the white plastic reservoir in front of the engine by the bonnet catch (which is an expansion box for the liquid to expand into).

I second the explanation by monkeydave. As reassurance, the level (when cold) in my own white plastic container is about 2 cm from the maximum mark.

I had a Honda Civic for over 10 years from new (old model) where the level (when cold) was just on the MINIMUM mark. Each year I pointed this out to the Honda dealer who, each year, assured me this was fine. Certainly I had no problems.

Several thoughts though....

If you have been topping this up with water alone, you will have diluted the antifreeze content in the coolant. This is fine now, (and in a real emergency), but not in winter when the diluted coolant may freeze with great damage likely to the engine.

I understand that it is important that the correct type of Honda coolant is used (I am now getting out of my depth!). Honda, I think, supply, as standard, a coolant that does not need to be replaced (touched even!) for 10 years. I think other general coolants need to be replaced every two or three years.

To be safe, I would visit a Honda dealer and ask them to check the strength of the coolant that remains in the car (i.e. do a winter check) and to replace the coolant to the correct Honda type and strength as necessary.

There are those here, much more technically knowledgeable than I, who may have other views. I know I was equally puzzled by the coolant level.

culzean · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2014, 09:23:51 PM »

Never had a Honda that I had to worry about the coolant at all - as it will either be a leak or a blown head gasket - sometimes if there is air trapped in cooling system it can cause extra expansion (air expands a lot more than water when it gets hot) and can force water out of reservoir in same way as monkeydave described.

You can safely use a silicate free universal OAT (organic acid technology) antifreeze in any modern engine after about 1990 (but not some classic old cars) - the ethylene glycol (the stuff that stops it freezing) never wears out, only the anti-corrosion chemicals (OAT part) gets depleted. Good quality OAT will last 10 years, the colour of anti freeze is a bit misleading as the colour is only added to show up leaks, not to denote what type of antifreeze it is - and every manufacturer seems to have a different colour. The optimum ratio of antifreeze to distilled water (not de-ionised water as that will cause corrosion of metal because the water will scavenge back the lost ions from any metal it contacts) is 50% for a good reason, as both below and ABOVE that ratio the freezing point actually rises.