General Anti-freeze
- Thread starter BCD
- Start date
Currently reading:
General Anti-freeze
Two different things have got mixed here:
The hydrometer is used to measure the density of the liquid, from which you can work out if the antifreeze concentration is strong enough. But it wont help measure the level.
To measure the fluid level if you have the tank on the side of the radiator, (which it sounds like Simonsky has), wait until it's getting dark! Then, take a small but bright torch and press it against the plastic tank, with the torch round so it touches the radiator itself. Slide it up and down and you should be able to make out where the level is because the light passing through the tank will change colour! (Seriously - this worked a treat on my 1.2 4x4) You can also point the torch so the light shines out towards the front of the car and then peer through the air intake above the numberplate, but you need long arms... The 'normal' level is only about half way up the tank, not to the top as you might expect.
The level should be checked when cold - it get higher when warm as it expands.
Pete
The hydrometer is used to measure the density of the liquid, from which you can work out if the antifreeze concentration is strong enough. But it wont help measure the level.
To measure the fluid level if you have the tank on the side of the radiator, (which it sounds like Simonsky has), wait until it's getting dark! Then, take a small but bright torch and press it against the plastic tank, with the torch round so it touches the radiator itself. Slide it up and down and you should be able to make out where the level is because the light passing through the tank will change colour! (Seriously - this worked a treat on my 1.2 4x4) You can also point the torch so the light shines out towards the front of the car and then peer through the air intake above the numberplate, but you need long arms... The 'normal' level is only about half way up the tank, not to the top as you might expect.
The level should be checked when cold - it get higher when warm as it expands.
Pete
Last edited:
Follow-up -- picture's worth a thousand words! Bit tricky to hold a camera left handed and take this shot: I have a very compact but very bright LED bike light, and by holding this against the side of the tank as described in previous post, you can see the fluid level clearly. (See picture 1) - the level in mine is a little low after bleeding air from heater (mentioned in another post)
Note this is only necessary on the 1.1 and 1.2 engines when the expansion tank is mounted directly on the side of the radiator (picture 2). Models with air con or other engines have the expansion tank mounted on the wheel arch and the fluid level in that can be seen easily though the clear sides of the tank.
Note this is only necessary on the 1.1 and 1.2 engines when the expansion tank is mounted directly on the side of the radiator (picture 2). Models with air con or other engines have the expansion tank mounted on the wheel arch and the fluid level in that can be seen easily though the clear sides of the tank.
Attachments
Last edited:
Does the tank get that dirty after just a few years of use? I assume that's the same radiator/tank arrangement as my 500 and after 4 months and 5k miles it's still very much clean and very much see-through.
Thats the colour they come out of the show room as. Completly different colour to the tanks mounted up on the inner wing on the A/C Panda's.
You sure? Looks dirty to me?
Dirty?? Of course its dirty! Its a 4x4!!
Seriously though, the side mounted tank was a mid beige colour from new, damn nearly impossible to see through. Mine is a bit mud splashed, and that photo was taken with the camera on ISO1600 which adds to the grainy effect. The wing mounted tanks are much clearer, and basically white. Suspect 500s have a newer design which is more transparent.
(BTW, note the new exhaust heat shield - the original one had cracked by each of the six bolt holes and rattled like mad. £20 and an hour of swearing later and all is quiet. Had to remove the radiator fan to get it out!)
Pete
Seriously though, the side mounted tank was a mid beige colour from new, damn nearly impossible to see through. Mine is a bit mud splashed, and that photo was taken with the camera on ISO1600 which adds to the grainy effect. The wing mounted tanks are much clearer, and basically white. Suspect 500s have a newer design which is more transparent.
(BTW, note the new exhaust heat shield - the original one had cracked by each of the six bolt holes and rattled like mad. £20 and an hour of swearing later and all is quiet. Had to remove the radiator fan to get it out!)
Pete
Last edited:
:yeahthat:
Same stuff on the Classic Panda's rad tanks except on them you can undo lid and look in to see level
Similar threads
