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Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:41 pm
by pilajake
My Resevoir tank is just below "low" on a cold engine.
Can i top up with coolant/antifreeze to the full level rather than a complete change and what is the best coolant to use
There is no obvious leak just evaporation of water i hope.
regards
Sue & John
Re: Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:51 pm
by scanner
As has been said many times before, unless you know exactly what is already in there it isn't "safe" to top up with anything else.
Not all anti-freezes will mix and some can cause disastrous problems if mixed because their compositions are totally incompatible.
E.G.
This sort of problem.
http://autorepair.about.com/cs/coolings ... 52601c.htm
Dexcool® is just a brand name for a certain type of antifreeze which is known to cause problems if mixed with another incompatible one.
Re: Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:53 pm
by westonwarrior
What you realy need is the same as already have in.
However if you dont know I would just use water as that little bit cant make that much difference
But I freely admit, I know nothing
Re: Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:02 pm
by scanner
Here's what Bluecol say (and they should know)
http://www.bluecol.co.uk/index.cfm?page=75
Re: Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:03 pm
by pilajake
scanner wrote:As has been said many times before, unless you know exactly what is already in there it isn't "safe" to top up with anything else.
Not all anti-freezes will mix and some can cause disastrous problems if mixed because their compositions are totally incompatible.
E.G.
This sort of problem.
http://autorepair.about.com/cs/coolings ... 52601c.htm
Dexcool® is just a brand name for a certain type of antifreeze which is known to cause problems if mixed with another incompatible one.
Thanks it looks like serious problems will happen
I have only topped it once before in three years, so i think i should be safe
to top up with water until i give it a complete change.
Re: Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:07 pm
by missfixit70
3 years? - time for a change then, with a proper flush.
Re: Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:15 pm
by mikeonb4c
missfixit70 wrote:3 years? - time for a change then, with a proper flush.
nearly 3 years for me too. Must bite the bullet and do it.
Re: Topping up with coolant/anti-freeze
Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 10:21 am
by Biobongo
pilajake wrote:My Resevoir tank is just below "low" on a cold engine.
Can i top up with coolant/antifreeze to the full level rather than a complete change and what is the best coolant to use
There is no obvious leak just evaporation of water i hope.
regards
Sue & John
lidi has a coolant antifreez tester at presant:
http://www.lidl.co.uk/uk/home.nsf/pages ... Tester.ar1