G4 reservoir is slowly leaking coolant. Update - solved: heater core hose.

[Dirk Diggler]

Dumb question: On my 2014 Mirage, not the leaky G4, I overfilled my coolant tank slightly pass the "F" mark on a cold engine. I didnt realize it needs to be a the "L" mark when the engine is cold. When the car heats up and the coolant expands is the excess coolant dumped off somewhere? A tube or something?

[inuvik]

Dumb question: On my 2014 Mirage, not the leaky G4, I overfilled my coolant tank slightly pass the "F" mark on a cold engine. I didnt realize it needs to be a the "L" mark when the engine is cold. When the car heats up and the coolant expands is the excess coolant dumped off somewhere? A tube or something?

There is a overflow tube on the reservoir. You're fine, nothing bad will happen.

[Fummins]

It might cause the cvt to fail prematurely. But otherwise you should be fine.

[Dirk Diggler]

I looked for one and couldnt find it, an overflow tube.

[Fummins]

I can't remember if they have one, either way, not a big deal. Over filling the coolant reservoir won't damage anything(on these cars).

[Dirk Diggler]

I can't remember if they have one, either way, not a big deal. Over filling the coolant reservoir won't damage anything(on these cars).

Is it because theyre so simple/archaic? Im trying to learn and thank you!!

[inuvik]

Is it because theyre so simple/archaic? Im trying to learn and thank you!!

Having too much in the overflow reservoir doesn't do anything one way or the other (except maybe make a mess if you put too much in). It will simply overflow the top with no damage. The important thing is to make sure it doesn't get too low. Overfilling is not a issue.

[Eggman]

Hey Dirk, does this help?

Champion Cooling Systems: Overflow Tank vs. Expansion Tank

Many vehicles back in the 1960s and earlier had a tube attached to the radiator’s filler neck, and that tube vented to the atmosphere (the ground). When coolant expands from engine temperatures rising, it typically creates steam, and the vented cap allows that steam to vent in order to protect your cooling system. But as the steam expands, so does the pressure, and often times the vented cap also expels coolant.

This process was good for the radiator, but bad for the environment. Adding a reservoir to that vent tube allowed the steam to be expelled, but also allowed for the coolant that came with it to be captured instead of being discarded to the ground. Capturing that expelled coolant meant that it could then be recovered and reintroduced back into the radiator.

Lots more good stuff at the full article.

[Fummins]

Is it because theyre so simple/archaic?

I just looked, they don't have a vent hose. That's too fancy and expensive. Instead they just punched a hole near the top of the bottle. It's kinda hard to see, it's about 1/2" from the top. Just a little bump in the plastic on the Drivers(lh) of tank. Smoke more, worry less.

[Dirk Diggler]

All the advice and articles are a big help, I thank you all. Well the fiance just came home and I checked her coolant tank. She's about ounce a day, I filled it up half way 2 days ago and it was just below the low mark. She hasnt seen any white smoke or idiot lights thank God. I even put my finger in the exhaust and only tasted soot not sweet. She refuses to drive my car to work, she's scared of the hatch's blindspots, so I have to keep wasting asian blue coolant filling it back up till Saturday morning. Where Im sure the warranty will be denied lol. Then off to my trusted mechanic. If only this was an external leak!