# Question on coolant reservoir



## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

1 line is the engine hot line which if I scratch me head enough should be the top line .

You do want to make sure that it is topped off to the proper level . And if you do need to add coolant always use a 50 % Dex -cool to 50% distilled water mixture only to maintain the correct properties of the cooling solution . Do not just add water that will only dillute the solution of Dex -cool .


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## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

Welcome to the party! Many if not most of us with the 1.4 are loosing coolant to some extent. To answer your question it should be on the line when cold, sounds like you're loosing it somewhere as many of us are.


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## Gnfanatic (Oct 2, 2013)

Brian= 1st line when hot

Cruze01= 1st line when cold.

Who is correct??????


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## Robby (Mar 1, 2013)

The line with the arrow is the full marker.
Since there is no 'Full Hot or Full Cold' line it (in the automotive world) would be assumed 'Full Cold'

However......I respond with great caution to your question.
A large number of members, filling to the arrow, end up having coolant venting after shutoff and the odors that come with it.

It seems that many of these surge tanks are incapable of holding the full, 20 psi rated pressure.

Personnally, I operate mine were you have your level now, with no odors, no problems whatsoever......that includes a dry water pump.

Keep track of the level.....not uncommon for a initial drop due to some air still being in the system that has now purged out.
If it drops no further, all is well.

Rob

BTW.....See pages 10-17, 10-18, 10-19 in your owners manual for coolant info.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

If you really want a shocker Google ( GM DEX-Cool )


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The coolant, when cold is supposed to be at the top of the arrow. However, this seems to overpressure many of our systems with the resulting vapor pressure release. I run mine at the bottom of the arrow cold and don't have any temperature issues or vapor release.


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## Gnfanatic (Oct 2, 2013)

Thanks guys, I have heat and no leaks that I can see so I am not adding coolant. I will keep an eye on the level.

thanks again!


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## Bohdan (Apr 28, 2012)

I also have had no problems with my level and I use the arrow as Top of arrow=HOT bottom of arrow=Cold.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

To be more specific, the coolant fill procedure for the Cruze is to open the surge tank (this is the only place to fill the coolant) and fill the surge tank to the top of the arrow. Then, as the coolant cycles into the system and the tank level drops, continue filling to the top of the arrow until coolant starts coming out the small tube going into the top of the tank. Turn the engine off and fill or remove coolant to the top of the arrow. This doesn't take very long and if you do this with a cold engine the engine temperature will still be lukewarm (below 100F).


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## Erastimus (Feb 9, 2012)

Splitting hairs here. If I can see coolant in the reservoir, I shut the hood. If I can't see any, I add some, to somewhere around just below half way up the reservoir. The difference between my method and all this back and forth about arrows and lines is about 4 ounces of coolant. No big deal in a 210 ounce system. And if all I have on hand is water, I don't hesitate to use just water to make this adjustment. If my freeze protection was -30F when I started, it probably climbed to -29F by adding just water. Just can't do this too many times without an occasional dose of straight DexCool. Of course these "timing by ear" approaches do need a back up test, and that comes once a year by drawing a sample of the coolant in a freeze point tester. Do this in the Spring or Fall to avoid any overheat problems with A/C on in the summer or freeze problems in the winter. I know, I know, I am a first class hacker, but I've been at it too long, problem free, to change. First car was an air cooled 1956 Beetle, which is not the car that taught me all this anti-freeze stuff.


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