Technical isit ok to top up coolent like this?

[kaosNW]

Hi I had a problem with my heater matrix and it looks likes its all fixed now
but when the problem was there i had the usual coolant spilling into my footwell! in total i would say my engine lost about 0.75-1.25 litres of coolant over this time.

I topped it up with just water as this is all i had at the time, however i just got a 2 litre bottle of antifreeze (ready mixed)

i just wanted to know isit ok to drain a little coolant so its under max, and retop it up with the new coolant? (I know you shouldnt mix coolants etc, and a full flush/swap would be best, but my circumstances wont allow this right now!)

if this is ok how would i drain it? undo the botton pipe and cap and let it pour out? then refil and bleed if neccesary?

 

[JoskeJTD]

Hi I had a problem with my heater matrix and it looks likes its all fixed now
but when the problem was there i had the usual coolant spilling into my footwell! in total i would say my engine lost about 0.75-1.25 litres of coolant over this time.

I topped it up with just water as this is all i had at the time, however i just got a 2 litre bottle of antifreeze (ready mixed)

i just wanted to know isit ok to drain a little coolant so its under max, and retop it up with the new coolant? (I know you shouldnt mix coolants etc, and a full flush/swap would be best, but my circumstances wont allow this right now!)

if this is ok how would i drain it? undo the botton pipe and cap and let it pour out? then refil and bleed if neccesary?

How did it fix itself? Are you sure it was the heater matrix?

Halfords sell a coolant that you can add to any type of coolant, ideal for people who don't know what the heck is in there.

 

[kaosNW]

na I needed the car so didnt have time to strip the dash and change the matrix, so i used some bars leaks in the radiator and it worked wonders!

so you reckon using the one i got could be dangerous? it says it suits all engine types, summer/winter. i was just thinking maybe adding a litre or 2 to 'up' the antifreeze/water ratio

 

[JoskeJTD]

Its not dangerous, its just some can be corrosive if the wrong type is used, eventually will cause more damage. I pretty sure the Fiat Bravo uses blue coolant, it'll say in the handbook.

 

[fiat_-_bravo]

My Bravo uses red anti freeze.

I always use Paraflu from Fiat and they always give me the red anti freeze off the chassis No.

But tbh it would not come as a suprise of they have been giving me the wrong one

 

[JoskeJTD]

Yeah i've checked my owners manual and its blue coolant you need. They recommend Paraflu" (Paraflu11 i think it is).

"Protective ethylene glycol based antifreeze compound. CUNA NC 956-16"

Shop4parts sells the Blue coolant only for the Bravo. My brothers Alfa has red and shop4parts specifys Red only for his car. Therefore that would backup the information in the owners handbook and my original thoughts.

 

[kaosNW]

cheers mate, heres another question! i got a 2 litre bottle of ASDA antifreeze, (just to top the system up until i can fully drain/flush/refil it

but it just states its suitable for all engines/protects against freezing/corrosion and can be used all year round

it says methanol-free

and contains Ethanediol

it doesnt say if its red/blue or ethylene glycol etc! :S

do you think its safe to drain a litre or so from the expansion tank and top up with this until i flush it fully?

cheers
dee

 

[JoskeJTD]

My Bravo uses red anti freeze.

I always use Paraflu from Fiat and they always give me the red anti freeze off the chassis No.

But tbh it would not come as a suprise of they have been giving me the wrong one

I would recommend you go back to blue, as using the wrong stuff can lead to corrosion of the radiator and/or heater matrix, fouling and death of the water pump etc. Its something to do with the rust inhibitors or something. Im sure google can clear it up.

 

[JoskeJTD]

cheers mate, heres another question! i got a 2 litre bottle of ASDA antifreeze, (just to top the system up until i can fully drain/flush/refil it

but it just states its suitable for all engines/protects against freezing/corrosion and can be used all year round

it says methanol-free

and contains Ethanediol

it doesnt say if its red/blue or ethylene glycol etc! :S

do you think its safe to drain a litre or so from the expansion tank and top up with this until i flush it fully?

cheers
dee

Ethanediol is ethylene glycol.

 

[kaosNW]

cheers mate your a real help, so ill drain 1-2 litres and add this (because i think it got too diluted when i added pure water)

 

[JoskeJTD]

When you come to renew, make sure you flush any crap out and use distilled water not tap water with your new blue antifreeze.

This is a good site..

http://www.eetcorp.com/antifreeze/antifreeze-faq.htm#q20