Technical how can i tell how much coolant is in my punto?

[wildcatstrike]

hi Punto peeps! it's a really ridiculous question, i know, but the coolant bottle under my bonnet is not see-through at all! so i can't work out how much coolant's in there (see pic) and i suspect i need to top it up - any ideas?

also, i need to buy coolant for the first time (thinking Paraflu from shop4parts) but i've no idea what's in there at the moment and have no clue how to go about flushing it out - i'm thinking i just get the right product and put it in there, regardless of what's in there at the moment (eek?).

cheers guys! appreciate your time and help!!

 

[T14086]

shine a torch from behind the coolant bottle, this will clearly show the level.

 

[Brendan W]

Don't rush at the job do a bit of planning.
To drain the old stuff you have to take the big rubber hose off the bottom of the radiator and have a bucket to catch about 4 litres.Having the heater set to max/red helps the old stuff run out and the new in.
If the hose clip is still the original one you will need a replacement as the fiat ones are not reusable.
Depending on what runs out you may need to flush out things a bit using a garden hose and opening some top hoses.
Filling up with the new coolant will require bleeding air from the system so you need to find the bleed screws and understand how to use them.
Failing to bleed correctly can do more harm than the good of changing the coolant. There are good bleed guides on here so search for them and read all about it.
I don't use Paraflu just the regular blue holts stuff from the motor factors. Jubilee type hose clamps can be used for the rad hose as well.

 

[Ziggy122]

If you dont know how long or what is in there
Get it flushed and Replace with what you know

As for the Reading the Bottle - i find IF the engine is cold (ie sat overnight)
I open the Rad cap - shine a Torch into the bottle - My red Fluid shows up dead easy

IF its hot - i struggle to read it too - i find my side Near the Front Driverside near the headlight is slightly easier to see

Ziggy

 

[Ziggy122]

Also - what cable is that that runs around the filler neck of your radiator - what ever cable that is - it shouldnt be there!!

Judging by its position on the bottom right - its going to be the Crank sensor wiring...

Ziggy

 

[wildcatstrike]

Thanks for the advice! - i will try shining a torch at the bottle and see what shows up - failing that, i'll take the top off and shine it down inside.

BRENDAN W - thanks for the helpful info on flushing out old coolant etc. I realise that's probably the sensible thing to do, but it all sounds rather daunting as i don't know anything about cars, and the talk of hoses, plugs, bleeding etc is very scary to my ignorant ears! i'm not confident trying to flush out the old stuff - is it serious enough to pay someone to do it? is that a realistic (affordable?) option, do you think?

Also - what cable is that that runs around the filler neck of your radiator - what ever cable that is - it shouldnt be there!!

Judging by its position on the bottom right - its going to be the Crank sensor wiring...

Ziggy

Wow, well spotted - i have no idea what that is or why it's there (to my shame i know next-to-nothing about cars, as stated!) but i'll have a look when I'm at home and see where it's coming from and where it goes too. Thanks for the heads up on that, whatever the hell it is

 

[T14086]

Thanks for the advice! - i will try shining a torch at the bottle and see what shows up - failing that, i'll take the top off and shine it down inside.

I would look down inside, aside from obvious danger when hot even warm and under pressure the level can rise alot when releasing the pressure.

 

[Ziggy122]

I would look down inside, aside from obvious danger when hot even warm and under pressure the level can rise alot when releasing the pressure.

OH yes - Mine will go from Max line to Coating the whole enginebay in about 0.5seconds
And because its hot - it'll Burn like a B****

Best time is when the whole engine is cold - ie when its been stood all day or overnight
So that the engine is same temp as outside really

Ziggy

 

[Brendan W]

Getting the old stuff out is just a matter of taking off the bottom hose from the radiator - it falls out in the bucket. Put the hose back on and fill up using the bleed screws to let the air out. This part can take a bit of patience and squeezing hoses etc to chase the air out. There should be a bleed screw on the top of the radiator ( just like central heating) and another on the two smaller hoses that go to the heater. Read the guides on the forum - the job is really simple but you do need to get the air out ot the motor can overheat.
Flushing only becomes needed if the system has been abused and crud allowed to build up.
You could pay a garage but the job is simple and the sense of achievement is worth the effort - have you any family/friends with some experience who might help out?

 

[Ziggy122]

i must admit - i think i've had an air lock in mine - and i keep doing nothing but chase the bloody stuff out

Air will compress where as water doesn't - so hence why if there is air in the cooling system - it will come flying out - as mine kindly likes to keep doing

Ziggy

 

[turbo_jim]

Another way of checking the level is to dunk a stick of wood in there - although you need something quite long and thn on a punto.

 

[Ziggy122]

Another way of checking the level is to dunk a stick of wood in there - although you need something quite long and thn on a punto.

Wood = No No
If the dust / splinters come off it'll clog somewhere or start a clog forming as the Spike gets stuck somewhere!!
If your going to stick anything in there - make it a piece of Flexiable plastic thats clean!

Ziggy

 

[turbo_jim]

Obviously it needs to be clean, I'm thinking something like dowelling rod. Plastic may be safer, but then it's harder to see the wet line with plastic sometimes.