correct coolant level, filler bottle vn series 1?

[anth34]

Hello,
I have a vn series 1, have only had it for a few days.
I flushed out the coolant, and would like to know after filling back up, what is the level of the coolant it should be sitting in the filler bottle that is normal level?
I like to know this so to see if the car is using coolant.

[Cheap6]

With only the single overflow bottle on the driver's side, about 25mm above the mould split on the overflow bottle. (The level was raised above the mould line part way through production as a service fix for early water pump failure).

(If you have the second overflow bottle on the passenger's side, the driver's side bottle is filled completely and the level for the passenger bottle is moulded into it).

[kniever]

just remember to leave the car running with the heater on full blast to make sure the coolant goes right thru the heater core aswell

[Keesh]

if you have 2 water bottles, remove the one on the passenger side and buy a solid cap for the driver side, then you only use the 1 bottle,

the series 1 had 2 bottles, one was a reservoir and one was an overflow, because the series 1 radiators didnt hav caps, you would treat the one on the drivers side like it was part of the radiator, any coolant that boiled over or the car didnt need went over to the passenger side, now its all removed and you just use the drivers side one with a new solid cap (no tubes) you will notice that if you fill it up to the level on the side(about 3/4) it should stay at that level unless its started to boil, if it boils then the coolant will evaporate

[Keesh]

and you dont need to run it at full blast, that can shorten the life of the heater resistor, as long as its switched onto hot it should go through the heater

[Cheap6]

if you have 2 water bottles, remove the one on the passenger side and buy a solid cap for the driver side, then you only use the 1 bottle,

the series 1 had 2 bottles, one was a reservoir and one was an overflow, because the series 1 radiators didnt hav caps, you would treat the one on the drivers side like it was part of the radiator, any coolant that boiled over or the car didnt need went over to the passenger side, now its all removed and you just use the drivers side one with a new solid cap (no tubes) you will notice that if you fill it up to the level on the side(about 3/4) it should stay at that level unless its started to boil, if it boils then the coolant will evaporate

Actually, the first Series 1 had only the driver's side bottle. When some water pumps failed during the warranty period, reportedly because they sucked in air, a rework was conducted which involved "correcting" the level and adding a sticker to the bottle indicating the higher level. A procedure for bleeding air from the cooling system after a coolant change was also provided.

The second bottle was introduced later as a production line "fix". The caps with the off take for the second bottle are no longer available. If one of those caps was (is) leaking, GM's alternative initially was to replace the internal, sealing components with those from a standard type cap. If the cap is broken, reversion to the earlier type system with the higher coolant level is acceptable.

A cap identical to the "standard" type is also no longer available. Substitution with one common to Calibra (and probably some of the other Opel based products) was suggested instead.

Also, you are correct in that the fan doesn't need to be on full blast (although the fan doesn't use a resistor on the highest speed). In fact it doesn't need to be on at all; the heater tap will be open if the temp. dial is off the coldest position and is a purely mecahnical, vacuum operated system.

(All that is sooo anorak ).

[anth34]

I only have the one filler bottle on my vn 1990, flushed coolant filled filler bottle to fullest now the coolant sits slightly above half way of the filler bottle, Is that normal?

[89 vn]

hmm to make it a bit easier on the side of the coolant tank it says FILL or COLD or something someword indicating you should fill to that line ive always just kept it full to that and my temp has barely gone to the halfway mark so i guess it should be right

[jas98]

hmm to make it a bit easier on the side of the coolant tank it says FILL or COLD or something someword indicating you should fill to that line ive always just kept it full to that and my temp has barely gone to the halfway mark so i guess it should be right

mine dont have that neitehr does me mums vn or the vn that i have out back...all series one...all the tanks dont have a full/cold or any marks for that matter

[Cheap6]

The stickers tend to disappear with age. While the old level is cast into the driver's side tank (but may be hard to see), the correct level is what I described above.

[Keesh]

I only have the one filler bottle on my vn 1990, flushed coolant filled filler bottle to fullest now the coolant sits slightly above half way of the filler bottle, Is that normal?

if you fill it to he top most of its should over flow, keep its just over half way and start using hlden coolant, it wont boil at 100 degrees and you wont have to top up as much due to evaporation. steer clear of other coolants because they dont have the rust inhibitors in them to prevent corosion

[anth34]

When I bought the car had plain water in the radiator,gave it a good flush out, the water was brown with rust in it, I put in $5 coolant (the one from super cheap that doesn't need mixing with water)
Being a cheap coolant how long will it last in the radiator before requiring a flush and change of coolant?

[vnv8driver]

if its a cheap coolant chances are it lack the glycol mixture that is required for the vn's alluminium radiator...

as to filling the coolant, and to what level? just fill it up to the top and put the cap back on. any air pockets will dissapear and all unneeded coolant will be drained through the overflow pipe, resulting in the exact amount of coolant the system needs.

[Keesh]

dont use that crap ever, its like green water