[WopOnTour]

Here is the underhood fluid fill points for the 2017 Bolt.
Three separately managed thermal loops, for the cabin heater, lithium-ion battery, and power electronics team (on-board charger, power inverter module, and auxiliary 14V power module)
As with the Volt these heating/cooling systems require a "specialized" premixed coolant from GM. (PN# 12378390 and #10953456 in Canada)

WOT

 

[Steverino]

Now I just need a Bolt EV.

 

[Raymondjram]

I should add that the Bolt EV generates much less heat than any ICEV, even less than the Chevy Volt. So these coolants will last many years before replacement. In the Spark EV, the coolant is replaced after 95,000 miles or ten years, whatever comes first. I haven't read the Bolt EV Owner Manual yet, but as soon as it is available at Helm, Inc, I will buy it and add it to my collection (Chevy Volt, Chevy Spark EV, Chevy Fuel Cell Equinox, Ford Fusion Hybrid/Energi, and Chevy Electric S-10).

The cost isn't that much but the investment allows me to understand the layperson's view of their operation, and make intelligent comparisons and complaints about each one without needed to buy any of them. I have a Chevy Equinox and have done three test drives of the Fusion Hybrid.

Edit: The name of "Heater Coolant" seems ironic! I doubt I will ever use that "heater" here in Puerto Rico.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Here is the underhood fluid fill points for the 2017 Bolt.

Any idea of whether the washer fluid reservoir under the front hood also supplies the rear wiper and the squirter for the camera that drives the rear-view mirror?

 

[WopOnTour]

Any idea of whether the washer fluid reservoir under the front hood also supplies the rear wiper and the squirter for the camera that drives the rear-view mirror?

Yes, common reservoir for front and rear systems
WOT

 

[Sean Nelson]

Yes, common reservoir for front and rear systems
WOT

Terrific, thanks!

 

[Miredian]

After watching this, I'm not too sure of the type of coolant I want in my Volt.....

https://youtu.be/PbX4CuE8auY

Any reason I can't flush and fill with the green stuff?

 

[Steverino]

Yes, common reservoir for front and rear systems
WOT

Does the line to the rear washer run A) along the floor inside the cabin (under the carpet) or B) along the underside of the car? Seems like A would be better protected and less likely to freeze up in the winter. No?

 

[Steverino]

Any reason I can't flush and fill with the green stuff?

This is the Bolt EV forum. Where is the gas engine coolant fill tube? I don't see it in the illustration, Miredian...

 

[WopOnTour]

After watching this, I'm not too sure of the type of coolant I want in my Volt.....

https://youtu.be/PbX4CuE8auY

Any reason I can't flush and fill with the green stuff?

LOL this is about the 100th time we've seen this sort of BS posted on here. Give it a rest. lol

Yes, there's a very good reason NOT to do what you're suggesting.
Doing so may damage the cooling system, create high voltage loss of isolation issues and void your warranty.(including the Li-Ion battery)
While that should be "nuff said" let me continue...

Having worked 20+ years now, nearly every day with cars and trucks using Dexcool exclusively, I can say that video is total garbage. (as was the class-action suit from the 90s that GM settled on years ago for that matter)

Clearly that 20 year old car had a coolant contamination of some sort (engine oil?) and was never properly maintained.
Dexcool is still ethylene glycol just like the old green stuff but with an additive package that makes it less reactive to certain metals (especially aluminum and aluminum alloys) less corrosive to modern OEM rubber coolant hoses (not necessarily to cheap Chinese replacement hoses) certain pump seals, AND will also increase it's service interval up to 5-years 150,000 miles.

The gunking in that video really had nothing to do with Dexcool other than it being chemically intolerant with whatever it was coming into contact with or whatever foreign substance was added to that cooling system (to me it looks like perhaps some sort of stop-leak, like Bar's) Notice they don't even show the drained coolant that was removed from that system in that video so there's no way to know what the visual condition was like in the first place.

All too often often regular green coolant (or worse dirty/bad water) gets added to a "long-life" coolant car (many other manufacturers are using something similar to Dexcool) and it gets discolored and starts chemically reacting AND THEN it doesn't get replaced at the "old" 50,000 mile interval.
An air intrusion/caviation due to a bad seal, head gasket , rad cap, reservoir check valve etc can also create a contamination, but again that's just improper maintenance and/or sub-standard repairs.

Additionally the intake gasket in that video clearly had been replaced before as that was NOT an OEM GM gasket or proper silicone sealer being used, (yes, those intake gaskets on the 60-degree V6s were infamous until GM finally redesigned the seal ~2001) That seal is clearly aftermarket and may have been introducing EGR gases and/or engine oil into that car's coolant. (seen it lots on that 2.8/3.1/3.4 V6)

Prevent incorrect non Dexcool coolants or unknown additives from being added to your car and service it as per the owner's manual and your Volt's cooling systems will outlast both the car and the driver.

WOT

 

[WopOnTour]

Does the line to the rear washer run A) along the floor inside the cabin (under the carpet) or B) along the underside of the car? Seems like A would be better protected and less likely to freeze up in the winter. No?

Good question. I'm not actually sure where that rear washer solvent line runs, I'll have to look...
WOT

 

[Sean Nelson]

Does the line to the rear washer run A) along the floor inside the cabin (under the carpet) or B) along the underside of the car? Seems like A would be better protected and less likely to freeze up in the winter. No?

The washer fluid had better be formulated to prevent freezing in the winter, otherwise it's just going to freeze up in the nozzle. Doesn't matter whether the hose feeding it runs inside or outside.

 

[GSP]

The Bolt EV's motor is oil cooled internally, and it has a built-in heat exchanger to cool the oil with WEG. Has anyone determined which of the three WEG cooling loops cools the motor? I think the battery coolant would be unlikely. That leaves the cabin heater coolant loop or the power electronics coolant loop.

If the motor is connected to the cabin heater loop, then waste heat from the motor can be used to keep the cabin warm.

GSP

 

[WopOnTour]

The Bolt EV's motor is oil cooled internally, and it has a built-in heat exchanger to cool the oil with WEG. Has anyone determined which of the three WEG cooling loops cools the motor? I think the battery coolant would be unlikely. That leaves the cabin heater coolant loop or the power electronics coolant loop.

If the motor is connected to the cabin heater loop, then waste heat from the motor can be used to keep the cabin warm.

GSP

The drive unit plate cooler is part of the electronics cooling loop.
WOT

 

[samotlietuvis]

Comparing with Spark EV, it appears that the cabin heater reservoir was combined with the main battery radiator, and the oil cooler radiator went away and the electronics radiator cools the drive unit?
Does Bolt have only 3 radiators - 1 for AC, 1 for Battery/Heater, and 1 for electronics?

The drive unit plate cooler is part of the electronics cooling loop.
WOT

 

[bluzer1]

If the motor is connected to the cabin heater loop, then waste heat from the motor can be used to keep the cabin warm.

GSP

That's great for us northerners but how would you use that same loop for AC in the south?