antifreeze question

SparrowTown

How do you know if a car needs antifreeze?There was some put in last year. How long does it 'last'. It is a 01 Fiesta

Midnight_EG

Check your coolant level in both the overflow tank and the radiator.

If you're not sure where the overflow tank is, the radiator has a hose going to another small plastic 'bottle', that's the overflow tank.

Also, make sure not to use 100% coolant, mix it with water at a rate of 50% water/50% coolant.

SparrowTown

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Check your coolant level in both the overflow tank and the radiator.

If you're not sure where the overflow tank is, the radiator has a hose going to another small plastic 'bottle', that's the overflow tank.

Also, make sure not to use 100% coolant, mix it with water at a rate of 50% water/50% coolant.

Ok thanks.

CiniO

Normally every car's coolinig system should be filled with antifreeze coolant.
That's the case with every new car.
But because winter temperatures in Ireland usually aren't too low, many people top up missing coolant with just water. Even some of them fill the whole system with water.
It's bit risky though, as whenever it get's colder water easily can freeze down, and blow your radiator, or even whole engine cooling cannals, head gasket, or in worst case the whole engine housing.

To prevent it, just make sure your coolant has adequate freezeing temperature.
Go to pretty much any garage, and ask them to check freezing temperature with a meter. Or even you can buy one of those meters on ebay.
In Ireland I'd recommend that it has at least -20.
If you are travelling to the continent, probably -35 would be the safe option.

If it's just little bit less then it, you can try to drain a bit of your current coolant, and add some antifreeze concentrate. Then check temperature again.
If it's very bad (i.e. your whole coolant is a water) change the whole coolant for the proper antifreeze. You can buy already premade antifreeze coolant, or you can buy a concentrate, which you mix with water (best deionisied water) with adequate proportions (depending on what freezeing temperature you want to achieve).

Good antifreeze coolant, will last for good few years.
F.E in new car with antifreeze with freezeing temperature of about -40 degrees, after 5 years, it still should be no more then -30.

T-Maxx

"Anti-freeze" doesn't just lower the freezing point of the coolant it also raises the boiling point thereof, but very importantly it also contains corrosion inhibitors.

50% is the rule-of-thumb mix.

Check your manual for the correct spec, color is normally a good indication of the type.

DO NOT MIX COLORS.

Ardent

T-Maxx wrote: »

DO NOT MIX COLORS.

Can you expand on this?

I have a minor coolant leak in my Vectra and have been topping over the past couple of years with blue pre-mixed coolant. I recently bought red coolant mix and was considering using that in future. What's the problem here?

dunsandin

If you mix different types of coolant it can lead to rapid sludgeing and production of gunge. EG,Toyota anti-freeze is very reluctant to mix with other types and adding non-type approved can lead to big problems. Check your owners manual and dont just throw in whatever comes easiest to hand. Worst case scenario leads to engine coolant channels getting blocked and overheating. Stick to what the mfr recommends as a good rule.
Also, if draining and re-filling, be sure to follow the correct procedure so's as to avoid air-locks. More punto's have been ruined (head gasket gone) due to incorrect re-filling of coolant than anything else.(Then people say they have a bad engine - no, just bad mechanics.
Many other cars are the same, and most need to be filled from a point higher than the expansion vessel - eg by a raised tube or bottle, and also need to be bled of air correctly. Again, check the 'net, or leave it to a good mechanic, and they are rarer than you would think.

mathepac

Ardent wrote: »

Can you expand on this? ...

AS a general rule of thumb, in your motor factors you will find generic pre-mixed or full-strength coolant in two types - pink and blue. You must not mix them as explained above, consult your car's manual.

If you drive a VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda use only the recommended VAG coolant in your engine (G12 plus / G12 plus plus) as using anything else may have serious consequences. (This coolant is actually purple, but turns pink when mixed with the appropriate amount of water. )

buckshotbrolan

Hi all, don't mean to hijack this thread but I need advice on changing the coolent in er'selfs 1.6 opel tigra. Draining is not a problem but worried about air locks when filling. Any advice will be welcome.
Cheers

Atlantic Dawn

buckshotbrolan wrote: »

Hi all, don't mean to hijack this thread but I need advice on changing the coolent in er'selfs 1.6 opel tigra. Draining is not a problem but worried about air locks when filling. Any advice will be welcome.
Cheers

Here's a guide, should help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mStP8rcczUc

WildOscar

is it necessary to flush as he is doing in the video

biko

Not really necessary but if you can't remember when coolant/antifreeze was last changed now would be a good time to get it done. Particularly if you've been topping it up with just water.
It's a simple DIY or you can have a garage do it cheap-ish.

WildOscar

biko wrote: »

Not really necessary but if you can't remember when coolant/antifreeze was last changed now would be a good time to get it done. Particularly if you've been topping it up with just water.
It's a simple DIY or you can have a garage do it cheap-ish.

i have the car 18 months and it was fully serviced before i bought it would that include AF? Would the tesco AF/Coolant mix do?

have a garage do it cheap-ish

what would cheapish be?

biko

It depends on the garage whether they changed coolant for you, if you still have the receipt it may say there.
If not then it won't hurt to do it again.

Cost from garage could be from 50 to 150 depending on car model and what coolant is required (for some cars you need 5 litres of coolant at almost 7-8Euro/litre). Ring and get 2-3 quotes locally.
If you do it yourself all you need is 30 mins, fresh coolant and a container to bring old coolant to the recycling centre.
You save money and get to know your car a little better