Keeping an eye on Coolant Levels using Washer sensor

After cruising around town, I pulled into my friends house popped my hood, checked the coolant level in the bottle, and it was almost bone dry. Ran over to the gas station, got some Coolant, then went home and mixed it 50/50 and added it to my resivour[sp].

To keep this from happening again, I came up with an idea to use the washer float in the washer bottle to monitor the level of the coolant.

Pics:
Washer Bottle with wires to float disconnected


Float


Washer float in coolant bottle. Fits perfectly! Just need to extend the wire on the connector to plug up to it.


I tested to see how much the foam part of the float needs to be in the liquid to push it up into the top. It needs about 1inch to be submerged to make it float. So i just need to find a way to extend the float/foam so that it will not float when the coolant level is at the ADD line.


So when the coolant level is at ADD, it will cause the Washer Light to lite up and thus you know you're running low on coolant.

Questions for ya. Will the coolant desolve the foam? Anyones see any problems with this method? Desides you'll have to cover up the hole in the washer bottle and you wont be alerted that you're out of washer fluid.

The wheels are turnin'... I like it!

I would be a bit concerned with the foam disolving. Keep us posted!
Billy

I got the float chillin in a Solo cup with coolant in it. I'll report back in a while with the verdict on the foam desolving issue...

I think a better long term solution would be to find out where your coolant is going. When mine started dropping it turned out to be the water pump leaking.

RichP said:

I think a better long term solution would be to find out where your coolant is going. When mine started dropping it turned out to be the water pump leaking.

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exactly, that seems like a lot of work without fixing the real problem. If your coolant level drops on a daily basis it's time for repairs..

True that but I dont know if I'm losing coolant like that on a daily basis. I just happen to check it and it was low. I'll keep an eye on it and then go from there. This was just an idea i had...

PstrKd4BrthCntrll said:

True that but I dont know if I'm losing coolant like that on a daily basis. I just happen to check it and it was low.

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So how about this: When was the last time you filled it? Have you ever filled it??

:dunno:

91 Jeep Project said:

So how about this: When was the last time you filled it? Have you ever filled it??

:dunno:

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I dont know when the last time was. but I always kept my eye on the temp gauge.

Kept the float in the coolant for hour and the foam didnt desolve or get soft...

Is that HOT coolant in the cup you're checking? Temperature makes a huge difference in longvity.

As has been said, I'd be more concerned about the reason your coolant was so low rather than trying to monitor the level

not hot, just outside temp. I'll look into where the coolant is going.

Part of a yearly maintenance schedule should be a complete drain and refill of the cooling system and a good flush every 2 to 3 years. Fresh coolant and DISTILLED water to make up your mix.
The rearranging of the sensor is a good thing, handier than a light that tells me I was too stupid to keep the windshield washer bottle full.

RichP said:

Part of a yearly maintenance schedule should be a complete drain and refill of the cooling system and a good flush every 2 to 3 years. Fresh coolant and DISTILLED water to make up your mix.
The rearranging of the sensor is a good thing, handier than a light that tells me I was too stupid to keep the windshield washer bottle full.

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Instead you would rather have a light that tells you your to stupid to keep the coolant bottle full..............:dunno:

91 Jeep Project said:

Instead you would rather have a light that tells you your to stupid to keep the coolant bottle full..............:dunno:

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Or just hook up another float and then you will know that you are low on one of them. Then pop the hood to find out which one it is....Ta-Da!!

PstrKd4BrthCntrll said:

Or just hook up another float and then you will know that you are low on one of them. Then pop the hood to find out which one it is....Ta-Da!!

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Or pop your head under the hood more than once a year and look at it for yourself...

I think is an ok idea. It would let you know your bottle is empty before you lose enough of your fluid to get hot. Maybe you spring a small leak that you just cant see thru the jeep while your driving.

I'm wondering if the sensor can handle the constant hot water temps. Considering it wasn't designed to monitor heated fluids.

:dunno:

i was thinking about taking off the foam and glueing a plastic bottle[about the size of a small medicine bottle] to the bottom of it where the foam was. Thus it would get rid of the foam issue. Just make sure to seal off the bottle good so that coolant wont get in there.

91 Jeep Project said:

Instead you would rather have a light that tells you your to stupid to keep the coolant bottle full..............:dunno:

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LOL, back when I got it new I had no idea there even was a low washer fluid light, after driving 70 miles in 3 hours and 2 miles from home in the middle of a snow/sleet/ice storm I was heading up this off camber hill trying to keep out of the shoulder ditches and avoid the sideways cars on it and out of the corner of my eye this friggin light pops on and off faster than I can shift my focus and read it. Just what I needed right then, something else to worry about, when it finally came on the next day long enough for me to read it I was about ready to rip the damn thing out... the low windshield washer sensor works great but could they build a reliable gas sender....sheesh...