My girlfriend thought she was being all grown up by topping up the level of the brake fluid in her car. Unfortunately, she actually tipped it all into the radiator reservoir. I'm not sure if this will cause any harm - anyone know for sure?
I'm not sure if that's a troll or not, but just in case.....
It certainly wont do it any good, you would be well advised to empty and flush the system, before refilling with fresh coolant.
Could have been worse, at least she didn't put water into the brake reservoir!
Could have been even worse still, I recently had to go and recover a truck where the 'driver' had got the fuel filler, and the oil filler mixed up (the oil filler is on the side of this particular truck) and filled (yes, completely filled) the engine with diesel. By the time I go to it, there were 60 litres of diesel, and several pieces of engine block all over the forecourt, as it blew the sides out of the block when he attempted to start it!
depends on how much she's put in lots will certainly cause a few problems a bit won't either way you are going to have to drain and fully flush the system once it's done, I'd boot the car because you never know what is going to go wrong with it in the future if the water system has been contaminated at least a rad swap, maybe a whole pipe swap youjust never know tell her off
I don't think it will do any damage at all. Certainly not to the block, radiator or water pump. I doubt there's much difference in the compound used for the water hoses, to that used for brake hoses, so I can't see it affecting those. Just drain and replace the coolant. IMO any brake fluid left in the system will have little affect on it's cooling properties. Mike.
For suitability of common oils and chemicals v's rubbers see
I understand Brake fluid has glycol components
Check the 16 section (OSHA compatible) MSDS for disposal requirements. It might also hint at the suitability of brake fluid for coolant use. Check the flash point (well it's in a coolant system) , boiling point (well it goes through a big radiator) , miscibility (it is!) and stability.
Here is one below, but the maker is duty bound to provide an MSDS if you ask for it for work purposes so check on the website of the manufacturer for their own MSDS.
Once again, thanks to all who have replied. I have a confession to make though... I can't live with the guilt any longer... it wasn't the girlfriend who did this... it was me. I've changed brake fluid before, topped up antifreeze many times. For some reason I just lost it. I really can't believe I did this, must be getting old or something.
Never done that, but I've left the oil filler cap off a few times after topping it up. Makes a real mess on a 2CV...
Yep, done that more than once.
Messiest one I managed was to use a 5 litre plastic oil container with the side cut off as an oil drainer. Then picked it up from under the car by it's handle and pulled it vertical. Whoops. Took me ages to clean the drive :-(
When I had my first Carlton (heh, sounds like a toy!) I was just leaving home to head back to uni (only 16 miles away so hardly a long trek!!) and I'd just given the car a good tidy inside, and checked and topped up everything if need be (washer fluid, coolant, oil etc.) and drove back to uni (uni=Guildford, home=Bracknell). About 3 miles outside of Bracknell, just at the end of a 2 mile stretch of NSL dual carriageway, I noticed a burning smell and some smoke near the front of my car. There was an old shed in front of me (can't remember exactly what it was) and I just assumed it was that - running rich or not quite right - I was stopped quite close to the back of that car, so hard to tell. Then at the next roundabout (M3 junction) the smell was still there, so was the smoke but the old shed wasn't in front of me. I pulled over within the next 100 metres or so and popped up the bonnet - smoke everywhere - oil burning off exhaust. I'd forgotten to put the oil filler cap back on and it had splashed everywhere and was burning off the 'zorst manifold. A quick check revealed that there was still just enough oil in it to get the Vauxhall main dealer about 1 1/2 miles down the road, where I promptly bought a replacement oil filler cap (about 2 quid). And as a little bonus, it was a plastic handled one instead of the old metal one which was always a bit hot to handle.
And that was that. The burning continued until it had all burnt off and it eventually stopped.
That brief oil-burning experience must have had a long-term effect on me, as I drive diesels now.
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