Low Coolant Level - Mod for reservoir bottle or even the rad itself?

[Shayne]

Coolant expands when heated thats why it has a pressure release sprung cap and overflow bottle . From memory typically about 7% increase in volume .

 

[Towpack]

I suppose you could fit a level sensor on a non pressurised expansion tank and set it at the minimum level. When I ran a Sierra with a cracked block for a while some years back it would lose coolant when hot and the (pressureised) tank would gradually get depleted. I carried a 5 litre bottle of water in the back until I eventually fixed it.

 

[Shayne]

Early warning system in the event of a bust pipe dropping all your coolant would be an EGT alarm .

 

[Lorin]

My cruiser isn't leaking, it's just it does be sitting up for most of the winter and only doing circa 1000 miles in the entire year for the past 5 yrs. The coolant just evaporated or such, I have topped up the overflow and the rad and it's fine since.

The cartek one or it's type seems the best option, easiest to fit too. Why does it detect air though and not coolant, is it because it's too difficult to get a coolant sensor to differentiate between fully emerged in coolant and only a few drops of coolant on the sensor when empty? Would a couple of drops or traces of coolant on the sensor after the hose with the sensor has emptied be enough to trick the sensor into thinking it was detecting coolant and not indicate a problem?

Is any member here running such a sensor as the Cartek type?

I had the Cartek one. I installed it in the radiator top hose. Brilliant solution for raising alarm if you ever sprung a leak - would alert you way before any temp gauge would. Unfortunately, it had an electrical short internally and melted itself. It is now no longer available. I’ve not come across any similar product.

 

[MisterCruiser]

Early warning system in the event of a bust pipe dropping all your coolant would be an EGT alarm .

Exhaust gas temp?

@Lorin - Cheers for the feedback on the CarTek one, I think that type would be best too. Pity it failed though, hard to get anything decent these days, break your heart it would. They hardly warrantied it or refunded if discontinued?

 

[Shayne]

Yes , hottest part of your engine will spike a gauge or alarm before any damage was done to more delicate parts i would hope .