Why does my car hold less than a gallon of coolant?

[3kgt1734]

Alright. I drained my coolant to replace it.

Went to fill it up and got less than a gallon in before it started over flowing. I started the car to let it circulate and the level didn't go down anymore. I'm pouring it directly into the thermostat/water housing

Wtf? It is supposed to hold 8.5 quarts correct?

[Austin@STM]

how much came out?

usually if you just drain it at the raidiator, you only get about half of it out. Most of the coolant is still in the block.

[3kgt1734]

how much came out?

usually if you just drain it at the raidiator, you only get about half of it out. Most of the coolant is still in the block.

Not as much as I thought should've. My coolant light is still on though.

[DocWalt]

Did you bleed it?

[green-lantern]

A good bit remains in the engine.

[blindmist]

Put some coolant in the overflow bottle, there is where the switch is for the light. 2ndly, you would have to unhook the bottom and top hoses from the radiator and run the engine to pump the water out from the block and heater core. Of course not for very long.

[Hans@GZP]

To drain the block, you are supposed to pull the block drain plugs... but they are a bitch to get to. With draining just the radiator, it will take less than a gallon. When doing a water pump, you will take about 2 gallons.

[B-Man]

To drain the block, you are supposed to pull the block drain plugs... but they are a bitch to get to. With draining just the radiator, it will take less than a gallon. When doing a water pump, you will take about 2 gallons.

This.

[Emilie@GZP]

Put some coolant in the overflow bottle, there is where the switch is for the light. 2ndly, you would have to unhook the bottom and top hoses from the radiator and run the engine to pump the water out from the block and heater core. Of course not for very long.

Uh... that may not be a very good thing to recommend to people

[Austin@STM]

Uh... that may not be a very good thing to recommend to people

Agreed.