General ice at top of coolant bottle?

[benny279]

hello,

so last night i pump my tyres up and did some usual checks in the bay which consisted of checking the coolant seeing as i havent in a long while, even though im told the mk2s on coolant are reasonably okay - so i popped the cap off to find a little ice block on the side of the bottle at the top, never seen this before but i know the weather here has been really crappy lately quite low temperatures etc...should i be concerned with that ice block

thanks!

 

[Ziggy122]

when was your coolant last changed? and how was it mixed?

Sure you get a little steam in the filler neck - which could freeze if you left the cap sorta on but not on?

But i'd be curious as to why ice is forming when the cooling system gets pretty darn warm in general

Ziggy

 

[benny279]

when was your coolant last changed? and how was it mixed?

Sure you get a little steam in the filler neck - which could freeze if you left the cap sorta on but not on?

But i'd be curious as to why ice is forming when the cooling system gets pretty darn warm in general

Ziggy

according to the service history november 2011 when it had the headgasket done and other stuff like cambelt, water pump etc, but the car is unaffected by this as it starts instantly the temp gauge always sits nicely in the middle etc.

do you think it's time for a coolant change?

 

[Ziggy122]

according to the service history november 2011 when it had the headgasket done and other stuff like cambelt, water pump etc, but the car is unaffected by this as it starts instantly the temp gauge always sits nicely in the middle etc.

do you think it's time for a coolant change?

Depends if OAT 5 year long life stuff, or the cheaper 2year stuff?

Ziggy

 

[Eklipze3k]

I'd be inclined to change it personally, the last thing you need is for some of that water to freeze in the block. Not a big job really.

 

[Karletto]

All that comes to my mind is that the coolant was mixed with water too much...

Add coolant concentrate.

 

[benny279]

Depends if OAT 5 year long life stuff, or the cheaper 2year stuff?

Ziggy

that i couldnt tell you cause i dont know what coolant they used, cause this service was done when the guy before me had the car. but i would of assumed that garages use the long life stuff? i know some garages tend to use the 2 year stuff...

 

[s and b]

just change it

 

[benny279]

would someone mind telling me the procedure on a punto on changing the coolant, never done it before on this car only on my old car...i can only assume it differs from car to car?

 

[Karletto]

Use search. Five threads below... ->
https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-ii/319923-bleeding-cooling-system-air.html

 

[benny279]

thanks everyone for the help, will do it sometime this week when i find time

 

[Ziggy122]

Crack bottom hose off rad
drain
wait
Reattach loosly
Fill with water with bleed screws open
dump again
Reattach pipe securly with new clamp
Refill about 1L of conc stuff
then fill with 50/50 mix
leaving bleed valves open to allow air to escape

May need to bleed several times, as the punto is a Swine for bleeding

Ziggy

 

[benny279]

oh how nice i'll need to find free day to do it with my old car it was plain simple it only took one bleed and it was all good to go...

whats the best coolant to use as in the conc and the 50/50? mix dont wanna put any cheap stuff in there! and are these clamps just like jubilee clips? i guess you can pick the clamps up from any local factors?

 

[s and b]

oats or glycol
its down to you
if keeper then oats is best
dont buy in litre pots though
buy 5 litres and hope to share with another car
its much cheaper

 

[benny279]

cheers man, hopefully get round to doing it this week what size clip would i need when i have to replace it, rather get everything i need before doing it.

 

[s and b]

i think its 2 and a quarter inch
no idea what that is in modern stuff
best measure it
i bought a load in screwfix the other week and they dont go small enough

 

[benny279]

i just take your word for it, wouldn't be a first getting the wrong size thing for my car. i have the wrong size silicone elbow on my induction kit havent got round to changing that :bang:

would you say my best bet is motor factors? i have another one thats about 10-13 minutes thats andrew paige they quite decent i brought my handbrake cables from them last month.

 

[s and b]

i use pages
just be aware everyones on bonus so try and haggle

 

[benny279]

aha will do