Radiator/coolant question--need QUICK answer
 

Long story short, I forgot to screw the radiator cap on the '95 last night when I was checking the fluid levels (overflow tank was 3 inches over FULL HOT despite the car not being driven for 24 hours and had some sludge on the tip of the dipstick, and the radiator level was exactly where it should have been).

And I drove the car about 4 miles today. Went to an auto parts store, then grocery store, then home. Discovered at the grocery store that the car took a piss (about a quart or more). I drove the car home the 0.5 to 1.0 mile home with the heater on and drove about 20 mph. Unloaded the groceries and popped the hood. The radiator cap wasn't screwed on and was just sitting on top of the filler neck.

The overflow tank remains about 3 inches overfilled for some reason, and the radiator looked 5 to 8 inches low in fluid.

QUESTIONS:

1) If I wait a few hours, will the fluid in the overflow tank transfer over to the radiator?

I don't have any green coolant on hand. I intended on getting the coolant changed tomorrow ironically because of rust in it. The mechanic is about 6 miles from me, and it's a 10 to 20 minute drive depending on traffic.

2) Should I just fill up the radiator with distilled water? Or should I contaminate the cooling system by adding a 50/50 mix of DEX-COOL (which I DO have on hand) and water? Or should I have somebody go buy me some green coolant just so the stuff can be taken out tomorrow when the fluid gets changed?

Doesn't answer your question, but I would have your mechanic do a cooling system pressure check. I have had those same symptoms(even the cap blown loose) and a couple days later the blown head gasket became very clear it was the cause.

That's ok. I called the mechanic and he told me to just fill it up with distilled water and open the bleeder screws to let out any air.

Unfortunately for me, when I started the car and ran it for 4 minutes... I forgot to close the bleeder in front of the alternator ... and the car peed on the ground again. :shame: (At least I remembered to close the one over the optispark!)

I actually shut it off a few seconds before 4 minutes because the car started making a high pitch noise and the oil pressure started dropping very slowly. :think: Don't know the reason the oil pressure started slowly dropping, but I know why it squealed... which I'll explain in the paragraph after next...

I turned off the car, closed the stupid bleeder screw I forgot to close, checked the level in the radiator, filled it back up with another half cup or so, made sure everything was closed and started it up again.

The car immediately started making the loud squealing noise. I popped the hood and realized it was the belt on some of the pulleys slipping or something (I could see water droplets being flung around by the serpentine belt), and it quickly stopped making the noise after it stopped throwing droplets. I let it run about 5 minutes and shut it off.

Again, to my dismay, the car peed on the ground again. Why? Because I opened the radiator cap halfway, didn't hear a hiss, and unscrewed it completely and it started overflowing onto the ground :shame:. I screwed it back on without burning myself and gave up.

Looks like I'll be going back outside in another 2 hours to top it off once it cools down. :shame: On the bright side... when it was overflowing, it was nice and green and not rusty...

Oddly the overflow tank level still hasn't changed. It's still wayyyy too full. :think: Is it possible the line(s) that lead to the tank are so full of gunk that the fluids aren't transferring?

If the overlow is over filled, when it gets hot , it will burp it out through the lid. It might surprise you when it does it, but no harm will be done.

Well, just got done checking it after it had time to cool off. I opened the radiator cap and the level was absolutely fine, and the coolant overflow level is down about an inch to a closer to appropriate level. I opened the bleeders and no liquid or hiss came out. I closed everything up and I think it's good to go.

Maybe the volcano out the radiator was just what the doctor ordered to get rid of some of the overfill.

Hopefully it'll make the drive to the mechanic without any problems. It has me worried now after all that. :uhoh: