Engine coolant level?

[Fast-n-Furious]

I'd just leave it and only check the level after the Jeep has sat over night. I wouldn't consider checking it after the engine has stopped running for some hours. That might not be a "cold" status.

Let it sit over night, then pop the hood the next day and check your level. That level will be an authentic cold level which is what the reservoir levels are an indication for. If the cold level is over the max line after it has sat over night, then you have overfilled it.

Others can chime in about whether or not that's a major problem.

Thanks. Actually that's one thing I'm not sure. When I topped off the power steering fluid after waiting overnight, the reservoir clearly says COLD on top of the MAX mark. So I filled to the middle of MAX and MIN as you can see from the pic. When I checked again after driving, the level was a bit above the MAX while the engine is still HOT. I'm fine with this though since it says COLD on the reservoir.

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[TaiMc]

Thanks. Actually that's one thing I'm not sure. When I topped off the power steering fluid after waiting overnight, the reservoir clearly says COLD on top of the MAX mark. So I filled to the middle of MAX and MIN as you can see from the pic. When I checked again after driving, the level was a bit above the MAX while the engine is still HOT. I'm fine with this though since it says COLD on the reservoir.

Wait...are you asking questions about power steering fluid or coolant? It looks like your PS reservoir level is right in the middle of max and min. I think that's pretty safe (if the liquid is in a cold state)

I think for me...since both reservoirs are meant to be checked when the liquids are cold, whatever the level is at, at the time you fill it when it is in a cold state, will be your accurate level.

I wouldn't even be too concerned about the level when the fluid is hot, because it will expand because the system is pressurized.

After my previous engine issue...I now check my coolant levels at each fuel fill-up. This could also put your mind at ease if you adopt a similar "inspection schedule". Then you'll have actual data as to how the fluid expands, contracts, etc.

 

[Fast-n-Furious]

Wait...are you asking questions about power steering fluid or coolant? It looks like your PS reservoir level is right in the middle of max and min. I think that's pretty safe (if the liquid is in a cold state)

I think for me...since both reservoirs are meant to be checked when the liquids are cold, whatever the level is at, at the time you fill it when it is in a cold state, will be your accurate level.

I wouldn't even be too concerned about the level when the fluid is hot, because it will expand because the system is pressurized.

After my previous engine issue...I now check my coolant levels at each fuel fill-up. This could also put your mind at ease if you adopt a similar "inspection schedule". Then you'll have actual data as to how the fluid expands, contracts, etc.

I was asking question on the coolant level. Just used the PS pic to show it says COLD on the reservoir but the coolant reservoir doesn't.

I think you are right, the coolant does expand as the temperature goes up. So if it was right below the MIN mark at COLD, it shouldn't matter much if the level goes over the top of MAX mark when HOT, it can be hotter in summer time.

That's a good practice you have for the regular check. I'll keep in mind. Thanks.

 

[Rhinebeck01]

Right now at Amazon.......the price for the Mopar 68163849AB 10 Year/150,000 Mile Coolant 50/50 Premixed is down to $14.11 for a gallon. . Good price! Stealership will want double that+-.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017DP43ZC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ALRUI]

$12.41 on Rock Auto. If you need other stuff it may be a better all around deal even with shipping and you don’t support the Amazon beast along with avoiding Amazons consistently crappy packaging!

 

[Rhinebeck01]

$12.41 on Rock Auto. If you need other stuff it may be a better all around deal even with shipping and you don’t support the Amazon beast along with avoiding Amazons consistently crappy packaging!

Funny -- buy at Rock Auto..

With Amazon, shipping is included, if you have Prime... Rock Auto shipping prices are hefty in regard to fluids, especially.

I myself don't have issues with Amazon. Actually, I appreciate Amazon / Amazon Prime.

As for packaging... over the years I have had a couple of leakers.. Amazon replaced and let me keep the leakers... I made out like a bandit... $100's in fluids free thanks to a little leakage. One qt. in a case leaks a bit, contact Amazon and you get the whole case for free.. They refund yoyu $ or send another case... They do not want the stuff back. Try that with Rock Auto, etc. if you have leakage.. you'll go around and around with their customer service rep and typically get nowhere.

 

[4a4c55]

This thread is often referenced when people ask about coolant leaks. I've read through it, but it seems like there is lots of back and forth and few definitive answers here--adding coolant is fine, it's not fine, different times and periods reported, and so on.

Over the last couple of days., I've found that I can fill to the max line, and after a few hundred miles of driving, I'm down to the min mine. It seems like I have a slow leak--or is it normal? Seems like a lot of coolant to go missing in a short time, but it's my first Jeep.

Most recently, I filled to max line and drove all day. While the engine was still hot at the end of the day, the fill line hadn't moved. After letting the Jeep cool, it was just above the min line. I never smell coolant, and my oil is clear. I never notice spikes in water temperature (or oil temperature) on the dash.

Where are coolant leaks on Jeeps most commonly found? How would I identify the location of the leak? How can I tell if I have a leak, or if this is "normal"?

 

[ScotM]

This thread is often referenced when people ask about coolant leaks. I've read through it, but it seems like there is lots of back and forth and few definitive answers here--adding coolant is fine, it's not fine, different times and periods reported, and so on.

Over the last couple of days., I've found that I can fill to the max line, and after a few hundred miles of driving, I'm down to the min mine. It seems like I have a slow leak--or is it normal? Seems like a lot of coolant to go missing in a short time, but it's my first Jeep.

Most recently, I filled to max line and drove all day. While the engine was still hot at the end of the day, the fill line hadn't moved. After letting the Jeep cool, it was just above the min line. I never smell coolant, and my oil is clear. I never notice spikes in water temperature (or oil temperature) on the dash.

Where are coolant leaks on Jeeps most commonly found? How would I identify the location of the leak? How can I tell if I have a leak, or if this is "normal"?

Leak at aux battery

 

[4a4c55]

Leak at aux battery

I have the 3.6 eTorque, so no aux battery here.

 

[Maverick909]

I have the 3.6 eTorque, so no aux battery here.

you will have a good amount of expansion when the coolant is hot. When it cools it will drop the level a bit until it warms back up to operating temperature thats normal. It dropping from cold at the max line to cold at the minimum line in just a couple hundred miles.... with no visible leak would worry me with a head gasket issue rising up. If under warranty I would make an appointment so its documented that way you have it on the record with the dealership and it would be easier to have the motor replaced or fix under warranty

 

[4a4c55]

It dropping from cold at the max line to cold at the minimum line in just a couple hundred miles.... with no visible leak would worry me with a head gasket issue rising up.

I think I've got it sorted. This Jeep is new to me, but used. I don't think the selling dealer really "did all of the maintenance", so I've been debugging things as I go.

Over the weekend, I noticed the fluid was very low -- under the MIN min mark, just barely overt the bracket that cradles the expansion tank. I added about a liter, just barely up to the MAX mark cold. We drove about 300 miles.

After cooling off (the next morning) the cold level was under MIN but higher than before. I added another liter to get to the MAX mark -- that was Tuesday morning. We drove about 225 miles, maybe 250.

Tuesday evening, after the Jeep cooled about 6 hours, the fluid was again under the MIN mark when cold. Not by much at all, but still low. I added less than a liter, and set off to find a Jeep dealership. After driving about 60 miles, the hot level was about a centimeter over the MAX mark.

We drove another 220 miles, and the hot level is still well over the MAX mark.

I think my Jeep was really that low on coolant, and the fill-and-drop cycles were burping air out of the system. We never noticed any overheating, but we did previously notice (before this past weekend) that the coolant temperature would spike sometimes, and the fan would run very loudly on high. Never any leaks or smells (not even from the exhaust) at any time.

I'll continue to keep an eye on it, but I think it was just getting low, neglected, and then full of air when I finally added coolant.

 

[Evahlast]

I just top off mine. So when I open the tank it was completely empty at cold engine. I started adding the coolant and when I reached some point it started leaking ffrom the bottom of the tank! And I was only half way to the min line. Is this some kinda safety mechanism where the tank is designed so if u add too much coolant it will leak it? I'm sure I didn't spill it it just started "draining" from the bottom. At that point I stopped and the leaking stopped. But I could only fill it out as u can see in the picture. That's like 10min of engine running and heater also running.
I might try to add more tomorro I'm just curius to see if I actually have a bad leak or is meant to leak like that after some threshold.
Too bad I'm out of warranty already else I would have taken it to the dealer

I have your answer in the attached pictures. I had this same fear today when I was trying to top up coolant..
It began leaking as you mentioned.

I even purchased a new reservoir....But through closer examination of the new reservoir that was off the jeep i realized that the overflow connects to the upper ridge where the CAP screws on to the reservoir...

solution - use a funnel when topping off your coolant...

 

[WorkingMan]

What's up with this? I'm so confused.

 

[ALRUI]

Check it on another site but the 68163849AB is the 50/50 & the 68163848AB is the concentrate which is what I have for our 2018 3.6 V6

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