Coolant levels
Asked by jb8099 Oct 13, 2018 at 11:32 AM about the 2015 Ford F-250 Super Duty Lariat Crew Cab LB 4WD
Question type: General
Will coolant levels in the overflow tank always return to the exact level each
time the engine is cooled? Are there any factors other than internal or external
leaks that would cause a slight variation on the level in overflow? The truck is
parked in the exact same spot everyday.
3 Answers
Hornet_2497 answered 6 years ago
Yes, coolant levels will return to the same levels when the engine and air temperatures are the same as previously. But if there is a leak, the level will go down and not come back unless somehow air entered the system and displaced the liquid loss, and that is rare.
So air temps can actually cause it not to be exact from where it was before? When ibsayvslight difference I mean an 1/8 of an inch lower.
Hornet_2497 answered 6 years ago
Yes, ambient (air) temperature changes can affect the volume of any liquid just like engine temperatures can. Warm things expand. Cold things contract. Now concerning atmospheric pressures...since liquids don't compress, I don't think the volume of coolant will change with barometric pressure change but I could be wrong. And yes, evaporation may account for coolant loss that is not a leak.
