coolant leak...level low

i was doing some spirited driving on mountain roads in my 08 LGT 5eat earlier today and i just opened my hood to see coolant everywhere. will take it in to get the leak fixed tomorrow but problem is my coolant reservoir level is low, i mean 1.5 inches below the "low" line. maybe 1/2 an inch of coolant total left in the reservoir (measured about 45 minutes after driving)

 

it is 8pm on a sunday so no stores are open, and i have no idea what coolant is in my system (all i know is it's orange).

 

If the coolant level is that low, should i not risk driving my car anywhere? or can i top it off w/ water and take an 18 mile trip to my mechanic?

Personally I would have no problem adding water to bring the level back up before making the trip. I'm not sure what coolant you have either, but adding a little water probably won't push you outside the recommended coolant/water range.

 

The only thing that would make me nervous is not knowing where the leak was coming from. I'd probably pull over a time or two on the way to the mechanic, checking the reservoir level, and having a bottle of water on hand just in case.

I can hear a bubbling sound near the top of the radiator when the car has been off, but I'm sure that could mean a lot of things.

 

I found a bottle of the blue super long life Subaru coolant in my garage, but I shouldn't mix it with whatever orange coolant is already in my car, correct?

I can hear a bubbling sound near the top of the radiator when the car has been off, but I'm sure that could mean a lot of things.

 

I found a bottle of the blue super long life Subaru coolant in my garage, but I shouldn't mix it with whatever orange coolant is already in my car, correct?

 

Technically, you can, but it's not recommended; as soon as the blue comes into contact with the green or orange, all if its long-life properties are gone.

 

Snag a gallon of premixed green ASAP, and prepare yourself for the possibility of a head gasket leak. Not common on the 08s, but it can happen.

 

But, you probably need a new shortblock, too.

Technically, you can, but it's not recommended; as soon as the blue comes into contact with the green or orange, all if its long-life properties are gone.

 

Snag a gallon of premixed green ASAP, and prepare yourself for the possibility of a head gasket leak. Not common on the 08s, but it can happen.

 

But, you probably need a new shortblock, too.

 

Well that doesn't sound like fun....

 

So the premixed green, what brand?

 

I can mix this w/ the orange?

 

I'm just looking to get something in there to be able to drive 18 miles to the shop...but I don't want to mix the wrong thing and permanently F up my cooling system

Well that doesn't sound like fun....

 

So the premixed green, what brand?

 

I can mix this w/ the orange?

 

I'm just looking to get something in there to be able to drive 18 miles to the shop...but I don't want to mix the wrong thing and permanently F up my cooling system

 

Oh, well, orange, then. Can't mix green and orange. But, water is fine, too, just not a whole lot. Remember, antifreeze serves its namesake this time of year.

Do you know how to burp the coolant system? If not, read up on that.

 

Smell your reservoir. Yeap, put your nose in it and sniff it. Does it smell like exhuast?

Do you know how to burp the coolant system? If not, read up on that.

 

Smell your reservoir. Yeap, put your nose in it and sniff it. Does it smell like exhuast?

 

Don't know how to burp it. Didn't smell any exhaust

radiator is cracked...damnit! this happened on my 08 2.5i right around 50k as well...is this common?

Yep,

 

Also use Peak or Prestone premix or buy the straight that you mix 50/50 with water.

 

All my cars run that. Read the bottle, buy the stuff good for all makes.

 

Get a standard size replacement radiator, I have a big Mishimoto, it holds about 2 gallons more coolant and takes a little longer to warm up. You also need to be very careful about triming the top hose so the fan won't wear a hole in it. Been there done that.

The radiator is easy to replace, just get two gallons of coolant.

 

Then jack up the right front corner of the car, remove the turbo coolant tank cap, start the car, let it warm up, squeeze the hoses and watch the air bubbles come out.

 

Don't over fill the turbo tank, it will make a mess.

 

After you think the air is out put the cap on, lower the car, drive it for a while and watch the temp gauge, top off the overflow tank as needed the next couple of days. Carry coolant with you for a few days.

Yep,

 

Also use Peak or Prestone premix or buy the straight that you mix 50/50 with water.

 

All my cars run that. Read the bottle, buy the stuff good for all makes.

 

Get a standard size replacement radiator, I have a big Mishimoto, it holds about 2 gallons more coolant and takes a little longer to warm up. You also need to be very careful about triming the top hose so the fan won't wear a hole in it. Been there done that.

The radiator is easy to replace, just get two gallons of coolant.

 

Then jack up the right front corner of the car, remove the turbo coolant tank cap, start the car, let it warm up, squeeze the hoses and watch the air bubbles come out.

 

Don't over fill the turbo tank, it will make a mess.

 

After you think the air is out put the cap on, lower the car, drive it for a while and watch the temp gauge, top off the overflow tank as needed the next couple of days. Carry coolant with you for a few days.

 

i wish i had the time and tools to do this. unfortunately this is my only car, i work 12 hours a day and need it done like yesterday...so i will have to fork over $440 to the dealer to get this done. as for the coolant, i will use the subaru stuff since they dealer will use that and i already have a bottle in my garage...is that ok?

why is it that the radiators go so early on these cars?

plastic bits get old and brittle.

my first car was a '95 so i forget that 2008 is actually kinda old for a car haha. then i wonder why things go @ 50k mi

i wish i had the time and tools to do this. unfortunately this is my only car, i work 12 hours a day and need it done like yesterday...so i will have to fork over $440 to the dealer to get this done. as for the coolant, i will use the subaru stuff since they dealer will use that and i already have a bottle in my garage...is that ok?

 

It's OK, insofar as you trust that your dealership will put in the blue long-life coolant, just like you have in your garage. . .

It's OK, insofar as you trust that your dealership will put in the blue long-life coolant, just like you have in your garage. . .

 

They will, I had them make a note of it

...or at least they said they would. After the job I still see orange in the reservoir. Am I tripping or is this totally wrong?? They said they used blue...I hope they didn't mix it or drain the orange improperly

...or at least they said they would. After the job I still see orange in the reservoir. Am I tripping or is this totally wrong?? They said they used blue...I hope they didn't mix it or drain the orange improperly

 

The long life is blue, and, technically what you should have had from the factory.

 

Personally, if it runs right and isn't overheating or leaking, let it go. Long life coolant lasts 100k; the orange or green can go for like, 30k. I think you can live with changing out coolant in a couple years. . .

The long life is blue, and, technically what you should have had from the factory.

 

Personally, if it runs right and isn't overheating or leaking, let it go. Long life coolant lasts 100k; the orange or green can go for like, 30k. I think you can live with changing out coolant in a couple years. . .

 

i'm taking it back, i understand what you mean, but if they mixed blue w/ orange without knowing that's bad news bears

i'm taking it back, i understand what you mean, but if they mixed blue w/ orange without knowing that's bad news bears

 

No, it's fine. There are no ill effects, save for that whatever is in the LongLife is now basically just blue regular-life coolant. When the two are mixed, its robbed of its long life properties. And color.

 

If the two were mixed, you'd see an awful color in your reservoir. My guess is that since you had orange in there, they used orange.

 

. . Unless you'd like to pay for a coolant flush to have them switch it all over to blue? And even then, there's no guarantee it's 100k mi coolant -

No, it's fine. There are no ill effects, save for that whatever is in the LongLife is now basically just blue regular-life coolant. When the two are mixed, its robbed of its long life properties. And color.

 

If the two were mixed, you'd see an awful color in your reservoir. My guess is that since you had orange in there, they used orange.

 

. . Unless you'd like to pay for a coolant flush to have them switch it all over to blue? And even then, there's no guarantee it's 100k mi coolant -

 

Its actually a milky orange, so it looks like they mixed orange and blue. Big deal or not, they can flush and refill with blue only for free so I might as well

There you go!

Uh oh...now I see a thin grey layer of liquid on top my my blue coolant. It isn't gunky like oil, just thin. And when i run my car and look into the reservoir I don't see bubbles, nor do I smell exhaust gases in the reservoir. The coolant itself is clean and blue as it should be, should I be concerned about this light grey layer on top? Maybe its just impurities in the system that came out after flushing?

bump...please help guys

Uh oh...now I see a thin grey layer of liquid on top my my blue coolant. It isn't gunky like oil, just thin. And when i run my car and look into the reservoir I don't see bubbles, nor do I smell exhaust gases in the reservoir. The coolant itself is clean and blue as it should be, should I be concerned about this light grey layer on top? Maybe its just impurities in the system that came out after flushing?

 

If they did indeed flush your system, that might be what it is. Can you strain it off the top and see if it comes back?