Technical Coolant change

[Andy Monty]

Any one got any tips or tricks to Draining the GP's coolant system? Cars coming up to 4 years old in the new year so its about time it had a change imo


found the drain cock on the bottom of the radiator

how many air bleed nipples are there on the system?

is there a separate drain cock to drain the heater matrix?


whats the procedure?

have in mind

drain system when cold...



fill header tank with correct mix of OAT based anti freeze and distilled water to max...

switch heater to hot.

run engine with cap off and keep topping up until level stabilises and cooling fan kicks in


(when does the bleed points need purging? what do you do leave it open till all air exits and just fluid emerges? )



Any help gratefully received (there might be a guide in it )

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I look forward to guide as I believe that the 1.2 and 1.4 Stilo and GP share the same cooling system

 

[Ffoxy]

Cant help Andy sorry, but my coolant was replaced as part of the normal Fiat Service schedule, and again when I had my cambelt done. Is yours still under 40,000 miles?

 

[Andy Monty]

Cant help Andy sorry, but my coolant was replaced as part of the normal Fiat Service schedule, and again when I had my cambelt done. Is yours still under 40,000 miles?

done about 25k

reading somewhere fiat recommend a change every 2 years

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

done about 25k

reading somewhere fiat recommend a change every 2 years

Yep, I think so.

 

[JimbbobW1977]

I believe mine has been changed on numerous occasions. One of these the leaking bleed screw will be fixed..

 

[T14086]

every 2 years! why???

 

[Ffoxy]

every 2 years! why???

Confusion with brake fluid maybe?

 

[rhys0308]

best bleed when cold add water first approx 3 litres open bleed on top left hand side of rad (13mm) do not completly undo bleed screw undo it to last few threads you should start to see bubbles frm the bleed screw add antifrezze until no bubbles appear at bleed screw now tightnen bleed screw & fill up coolant bottle completely start the engine rev at 3000rpm untill fan kicks in also heaters should go hot when u switch them on, shortly before fan kicks in thermostat will open and coolant leval should drop to just above max level, as soon as fan kicks in switch engine off and later check level from cold pressure test if nessacerry

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Confusion with brake fluid maybe?

That never gets touched so I've been told, and then by other been told every 2 years

every 2 years! why???

Corossion inhibitors get refreshed with new coolant, help keep to maximum boil over protection also, aswell as keeping freezing points low

 

[T14086]

brake fluid 2 years (there was talk of yearly recently) and coolant....well aslong as there is no leaks I wouldn't touch it.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

So why does brake fluid need doing then

 

[T14086]

its hydroscopic and your brakes are more important than your coolant system!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

its hydroscopic and your brakes are more important than your coolant system!

Come again

I know they're the most important thing on the car, why why does the fluid need changing anualy then

 

[ReaperX]

Come again

I know they're the most important thing on the car, why why does the fluid need changing anualy then

As he told you it's hydroscopic.

So after some years with all the moisture and water contamination the boiling temperature drops a lot,and believe me you don't want that..

 

[dpr59]

:yeahthat:

I used to work in a brake fluids lab, many years ago......
Yes definately needs changing, but for 'normal' road use well...
Maybe not less than three and not more than five years.

The difference between a 'wet' and 'dry' boiling point of the fluid can be 100degC.
Dry BP about 400-450degC wet can be under 300degC depending on DOT fluid used.
I'm guessing most of use use Glycol. The Silcone (DOT5) has higher BP, as much as 500degC dry.

As said above both coolant and brake fliud need looking after just as much as oil.

 

[sledge]

**Hygroscopic

 

[CLXCraig]

You'll need heater set to hot before you do any draining.

Usually 2 bleed screws, one on the top left of the rad, as you look at the car, and one just before or after the heater marix, likely to be after i think.

The few times i've drained cooling systems, i've generally found that the quoted amount that the system takes never comes out.

Another good idea is to use radflush type products about a week before you do the change, make sure the car gets fully up to temp at times to alow the mixture to flow through the whole system

 

[Andy Monty]

well i read this in the panda section

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/176180-anti-freeze.html

also its got a life expectancy of 5 years and knowing fiats tendency for Head gaskets and water pumps for the cost of the Coolent/antifreeze it would be worth doing to re fresh the lubrication and corrosion properties.......

 

[Thomas_Si]

My cars same age as your's Andy. I'm debating whether or not to do it in January's service.

Pink stuff is 5 year or 50K life I think, so in theory should get another year out of it.

I'm going to test mine and see what the freeze point is and then make a decision.

Was -23 last year so if it's gone off a bit more suspect I'll have to change it.

Good advice so far though


Comma X-Stream is OAT.