Coolant level in reserve/overflow tank

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Nov 21, 2018 | 06:57 PM

#1 (permalink)

Jim Holian

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From: Alexandria, Kentucky

Coolant level in reserve/overflow tank

Just doing normal underhood cleanup and maintenance, I took the cap off of the res./overflow tank. I see there is coolant in the small chamber of the tank. The chamber towards the firewall. According to the shop manuals that I have, the coolant should only be in the larger chamber which is in the front of the tank. There is a white peg that sticks up in the smaller chamber, the one that the manual says should be empty, and the coolant is at the top of the white peg. The coolant is clean and has the proper green tint for antifreeze. I'm not having any cooling issues but I'm concerned that there is fluid where the book say's it shouldn't be. I don't want to do any damage so I thought I'd ask if any of you have the same situation. I don't smell any antifreeze so I assume that I'm not losing any. I welcome any thought's or opinions you may have. Is this fluid in the smaller tank OK and not capable of doing any harm?

Thanks in advance,

Jim

Nov 22, 2018 | 10:26 AM

#2 (permalink)

onehundred80

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From: Ontario

Re: Coolant level in reserve/overflow tank

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Holian

The top of the white peg is the height that the coolant is filled to. So how could you refill the system when you cannot get to the other tank, the one you say is the only one that should have fluid in it? Why would they put a filling cap over the tank that is supposed to be empty?
The larger tank is the overflow and makeup tank, the coolant flows back and forth between tanks as the temperature rises and expansion takes place. SRTs have three compartments I think. My SRT tank ( Mercedes part # 170 500 05 49) looks to be full in all compartments. Any excess coolant gets blown out the rear hose coming from the neck of the filling cap, the excess coolant causes the cap valve to lift just like a old time radiator cap.
I think you have misread the Service Manual.
The NA tank is Mercedes part # 170 500 03 49

Last edited by onehundred80; Nov 23, 2018 at 02:07 PM.