Problem with cooling system?

Question

My car was running hot today, so when I popped the hood and checked things out, my coolant tank was empty. Obviously there is a problem with the system, the real question is what. There are two tubes runnings from the coolant tank, one runs from the tank into a device just in front of the engine, and the other runs from the lid of the tank to absolutely nowhere.

I know very little about cars, but something seems wrong, the one running from the lid of the tank is about 3 inches long, and then looks like it has been cut off, a clean cut. I've never paid attention enough to notice if this is normal, but I suspect that it is not. 

Does anybody know what that second tube should be running to, if anything, or how I can have it fixed, or if the car needs to be taken to a shop to be fixed.

Country Boy · Accepted Answer

When asking specific questions such as yours, don't forget to include the year, make and model of the car. There are many cars out there that have a pressurized plastic coolant supply tank. There are engine vent lines that run into this tank.The system pressure cap is mounted on-top of the reserve tank.

Get your car up on jack-stands and inspect the water-pump "weep-hole" on the bottom of the input shaft aluminum housing. If thge hole is wet, you need a new water-pump. Use only the antifreeze as recommended in the specifications page of the glove-compartment hand-book. Mixing your cars factory coolant with any discount store antifreeze will plug-up your cooling system!

From your description it sounds as if your coolant recovery tank is not pressurized thus vented to atmosphere. If you see one hose from the tank to a fitting on the radiator opening neck beneath the radiator cap, this is normal.

bandit_60 · Answer

the 1 on the lid goes to the radiator and the other 1 is the overflow hose.

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Problem with cooling system?

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