This weather calls for a good antifreeze so what do you all use and why?
I use Carplan Blue Star Antifreeze, not sure why, I just do.
I use Carplan Blue Star Antifreeze, not sure why, I just do.
What antifreeze do you use and why?
- Thread starter Shadeyman
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What antifreeze do you use and why?
cheap blue 2 year one, because i'm tight
how much should you use? I never really use it but thinking I may start doing.
OP
OP
I was told a 50/50 mix is best, antifreeze/distilled water. A 60/40 mix can be used if the weather is extremely cold. Most places will sell it already mixed so you just have to do a complete refill of the cooling system.
How would one go about that? Stupid question but what is the purpose of anti-freeze? I know the name sounds self explanatory but what exactly does it protect?
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Besides preventing the coolant freezing it prevents oxidisation of engine parts that are constantly immersed in coolant. Stops the lime content of tap water furring up the narrow waterways around the engine block & especially in the radiator & heater cores whilst serving to extend the life of the waterpump. Manufacturers usually state a certain make, type & concentration, usually for a reason, sometimes that reason is a commercial agreement between them & suppliers of new build cars.
As a footnote, it is real foolishness to run a car without coolant as opposed to pure water for lots of reasons, many of the failed Headgasket issues on all cars as well as in this Forum may have been avoided by ensuring the correct coolant was used in the required concentration.
OP
OP
Have a read of this:
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifreeze"]Antifreeze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Ethylene_glycol_chemical_structure.png" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Ethylene_glycol_chemical_structure.png/100px-Ethylene_glycol_chemical_structure.png"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/2/28/Ethylene_glycol_chemical_structure.png/100px-Ethylene_glycol_chemical_structure.png[/ame]
Anti freeze (well the blue type anyway) seems to say on the packaging that it has a life of 2 years. I have sypnoned some out of the expansion tank and it all looks pretty clean, and tested it with an anti-freeze tester and it gave a reading of about -20c, but I know mine has been in more than 2 years. What exactly happens to it after 2 years? With oil you can see that it gets filthy and diluted and it's obvious it needs changing, but with coolant there doesn't seem to be anything obvious to see when it is going or gone off. Am I wrong?
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Good shout POC.... maybe there is an assumption it may become diluted with the odd water only top-up, or maybe the anti corrosive / anti furring properties have a limited life-span... pure conjecture of course but as you say I've tested old coolant which still indicates it has anti-freezing properties down to -20deg.
so what should i get then when i put some in? And how much should i put in? Can i just whack it in, or do i have to bleed the system as start again with anti-freeze?
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See what is recommended by Fiat in your Handbook I say, to be on the safe side. If your coolant level is already at the correct level you wont be able to "whack some in". You'll need to drain out half the current stuff & re-fill with Anti-freeze to give you a 50-50 mix, then purge out any air locks via the usual bleed method.
you be better off fully draining, flush and refill
Much like a toilet.
OP
OP
I used extreme G48(green stuff) in my bikes.
You can get a tester for a couple of quid, but the problem I found is that they won't fit down the spout. I had to add a length of tubing, but if you can do that, at least you will know if the anti freeze is actually antifreeze, or just water. Actually I think you would know already this week if that was the case!
In the 6 years owning my Punto 2, I have topped up the anti-freeze once and touch wood never had any problems. Though I should probably change it sometime in the future.
As long as it's sealed you shouldn't get any problems. It's when you get corrosion and it floats around in the system blocking up apertures and the water pump which is probably why it's worth changing every now and then. Or if you spring a leak and get air in the system, but that could happen anyitme.
Often times I think you're just causing yourself more problems, by the potential to leak or get air in the system.
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