How often do you need to top off coolant?

dgeesaman · Mar 19, 2014

I topped off the coolant in my 2005 TC45DA back in August and less than 50h later (probably 20h to be honest) my overflow/fill tank is empty again.

Is this par for the course or should I be concerned about the engine?

CobyRupert · Mar 19, 2014

Tighten/check all hose connections, look for indications of leaks/drip trails. (Sometimes a big piece of cardboard under a warmed up tractor is good if you don't have a clean cement floor). Notice any white smoke?

BeezFun · Mar 20, 2014

It's not par for the course, I change fluid every two years and never add any.

Park it on clean spot or cardboard and let it run for a good while. If you don't see any drips it's possible it's dripping on something hot enough to vaporize the coolant, which you might smell if you sniff around.

Any sign of water in the oil, like on the filler cap or dipstick?

If you know anyone with exhaust analyzer you can look for unburned hydrocarbons in radiator (that would be bad). You should be rubbing your prayer beads hoping it's a loose hose clamp and not a head gasket.

ruffdog · Mar 20, 2014

Like others have said, your either leaking it or burning it. Tighten all your hose clamps and see if that helps.

ovrszd · Mar 20, 2014

If it's not displaying any other indications of mechanical problems, such as getting hot, steaming out of the exhaust, etc., it's not an internal problem. More likely an external problem such as seeping around a hose clamp or something simple like that.

Not knowing the history here, fill the tank again and run it somemore, watching the level in the tank.

If it became low over a long period of time and emptied the tank, it might have also sucked air into the system. When you refilled the tank, it emptied it by doing what it's supposed to do and refilled the radiator. The second fill will tell you if it's a continued leak or whether you are just catching up.

I run a JD Road Grader. It's got 500 hours on it. The other day the low coolant level light indicator coded. I checked the level and it was low. Added a gallon to refill it. Have never found anything resembling a leak. Not worried about it at all unless it indicates a low level again soon.

Some of my vehicles will use a little coolant ocassionally. Others never take any. I don't worry about any of them unless it becomes habitual. Or if the machine starts indicating other signs of a mechanical problem as I mentioned in the first paragraph.