brohaa Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Hi everyone, my name is Eric. I bought a 1991 Chevy Lumina Euro 3.1 a few days ago. It's a great car, 77,000 miles. The plastic coolant reservoir was low on coolant so I purchased a bottle of full strength antifreeze from NAPA. It took roughly a third of the bottle, filling to the hot line as the car was hot. I overfilled the reservoir by 3 inches or so by accident. The temperature is now running about 20 degrees cooler and the "low coolant" light came on. I drove it for about ten miles like this with no apparent problems. Checked the reservoir and it is still about as full. It isn't losing coolant. So I shut the car off for an hour or so and when I turned it back on the light was off. I then drove it about 25 miles and on my way back home it just came on again. Any ideas or advice are greatly appreciated. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5speedz34 Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Probably the low coolant level sensor on the radiator is gunked up or bad. You could pull it out and clean it, get a radiator flush, or replace it. Why did you put full strength coolant in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brohaa Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 It wasn't coming on before I added the coolant. I just ran the car with the radiator cap off for a few minutes this morning to burp it. The mix that was in there looked sort of watered down and I didn't intend to add as much full strength coolant as I did. I thought it would enrich the mixture and didn't think it would hurt the car. There's my backyard mechanics for ya. I'm 18 years old; this is my first car. I'm learning bit by bit and THANK YOU for your help. I tried to siphon some of the coolant out last night to no avail. The design of the tank prevents inserting anything larger than a straw into the coolant to siphon. I could siphon directly from the radiator though. I am curious if adding the full strength coolant as I did will harm the engine. It was not a great volume. Or if overfilling the tank will cause harm. Thank you all very much for any help. I am eager to learn. Oh and I intend to flush the radiator as soon as I get my next pay check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 What you did will do no harm to your car, don't worry. If you read the back of your bottle of antifreeze, you can run a mix higher than 50/50. Also being overfilled a little won't hurt anything. As for the light being on, as Tony said, it may be gunked up, or it could have gone bad. These coolant level sensors are fairly common to go bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brohaa Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Whew. Thank you, both of you. I will read every label much more thoroughly from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 also... just because you added coolant to the reservoir, doesn't mean you don't have air in the top of your radiator. the car says not to check "hot", so don't if you don;t know what you are doing. but do check it once the car cools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brohaa Posted March 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 I know enough to NEVER open a scalding, pressurized line. I did indeed start and run the car with the radiator cap off this morning. Attempting to "burp" the radiator. The light came on again today after some driving; and remained on. The coolant is at the "hot" level indicator or thereabouts when the car is cool. I intend to flush the radiator soon though and will replace the coolant level sensor in the process. Though I am not sure the location or difficulty associated with doing that. On a side note, I just raced my buddy who has an '88 firebird with a 2.8 in it. I beat him off the line and from 45 mph. We were nearly even from 45 until I began pulling ahead. I am very much looking forward to eventually getting a Z34. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mediabandit Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 Cooland level sensor on an LQ1 radiator, not sure if it is the same on the rad for the 3.1/3100. I am sure someone will chime in, if not i will look on my winter beater when i go on my next break It is the part circled in red, all it is to change it is unplug it and then there is a small metal reatinning clip you remove, then just put the new one on and replace the clip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted March 20, 2009 Report Share Posted March 20, 2009 same location, on the passenger side of the radiator, almost obscured from view. sometimes they just need to be removed, cleaned, and reinstalled. that said, I've never had a bad one, but i have had dirty ones. once the car has cooled a bit, physically take off the radiator cap. is the level in the radiator, and not the reservoir low?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brohaa Posted March 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 The level in the radiator is full. I also saw the coolant moving between the radiator and the tank so I know it's functioning. Thank you all very much for your help. I wish there was something I could contribute. Oh, I am going to post a separate thread for another problem lol. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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