Viewing: Antifreeze warning

***waynne*** · 07-01-2009, 10:27 AM

We are getting the lowest temperatures I have known in a long time in the UK. Reportedly we have hit -12 degrees already over night in some regions.

Please check your antifreeze strength and make sure it is suitable for these temperatures. Its a real pain sorting out a frozen engine, replacing core plugs etc...

You have been warned!

**prevtec** · 07-01-2009, 11:23 AM

thanks waynne, my timing belt was recently done and it was filled with coolant is
thats the same thing as anti freeze???

**turbonutter69** · 07-01-2009, 11:32 AM

I need to check mine. My window washers are frozen. But I don't go out in the car anyway in the morning.... It's usually thawed out when I get to it...

**pgarner** · 07-01-2009, 02:01 PM

yeah coolent and antifresse are the same thing.

mine was done along with the timing belt as well.
only -7 last night at 1130

**stamford** · 07-01-2009, 03:04 PM

A tad bit late!

My wife broke down this morning, luckily it was recovered by a 'very nice man' and had frozen. Seems her Jimny was a bit weak in the anti-freeze department. Good job it was that and nothing more, quite how she managed about 4 miles is beyond me!

*edit* sorry, got the thread all wrong, didn't see it was Antfreeze!

***old-git*** · 07-01-2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarner

yeah coolent and antifresse are the same thing.

Take issue with this. The coolant is the water

The antifreeze is there to stop the coolant freezing.

Take a look in your header tank or remove radiator cap. If the fluid is green or blue (or pink - thanks pgarner

) then it has antifreeze in it. However, to make sure it has enough for the prevailing and predicted temperatures, nip in to your local friendly garage and ask them to check it for you. Failing that, drain a a litre out and replace with neat antifreeze. Better to have too much than too little.

***HDi fun*** · 07-01-2009, 10:49 PM

Yep. Water has a far higher specific heat capacity than any proprietary antifreeze formulation. The problems with plain water are twofold:

1. Obviously - it freezes at zero celcius.

2. It has no corrosion inhibiting properties whatsoever.

So if you're going to use pure water (and I mean pure de-ionised water, not tap stuff) for high temperature usage (track, for example, where this is common because of the increased cooling efficiency) then it makes sense to use a corrosion inhibitor as well. Red line Water-Wetter or Royal Purple's Purple Ice work well, so I'm told.

Even if your anti-freeze is up to standard in inhibiting icing you might want to consider replacing the coolant mix anyway do maintain system cleanliness and ensure long component life.

***waynne*** · 08-01-2009, 08:34 AM

OOPS Antfreeze! I was having a bad day! Consider the thread re-titled now.

**stamford** · 08-01-2009, 09:43 AM

Well the wifes car is all sorted now, was out there last night draining the system and topping it up with fresh and Bars Leaks for belt and braces. No damage done and she was lucky!

**turbonutter69** · 08-01-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stamford

Well the wifes car is all sorted now, was out there last night draining the system and topping it up with fresh and Bars Leaks for belt and braces. No damage done and she was lucky!

Thats good to hear mate...

**pgarner** · 08-01-2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old-git

Take a look in your header tank or remove radiator cap. If the fluid is green or blue then it has antifreeze in it.

Unless youve got a bloody VW who want to use pink stuff

**stamford** · 08-01-2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarner

Unless youve got a bloody VW who want to use pink stuff

My MG has the pink stuff, as too did the jeep last night.

***HDi fun*** · 08-01-2009, 07:20 PM

The colour is not a perfect way to determine the antifreeze type. Traditional AF and OAT AF can both be obtained in pink/orange and green/blue colours.

You can mix the colours, but you must not mix trad with OAT

**stamford** · 08-01-2009, 08:30 PM

The colours also help determine the year so I am told, but that may be more to do with who supplies it.

**ChrisGTL** · 08-01-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarner

Unless youve got a bloody VW who want to use pink stuff

G12 antifreeze is very very good. Brilliant anti-corrosion properties.

--

Should the antifreeze level be checked on a cold or hot engine?

***HDi fun*** · 08-01-2009, 09:03 PM

VWs is reckoned to be amongst the finest. THe colours do depend entirely upon the manufacturers whims. Perhaps some standardisation would be a good idea. Much like the colours for conductors within an 3 core electric cable.

**ChrisGTL** · 08-01-2009, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDi fun

VWs is reckoned to be amongst the finest. THe colours do depend entirely upon the manufacturers whims. Perhaps some standardisation would be a good idea. Much like the colours for conductors within an 3 core electric cable.

Standardise the engine oils too, would make my job so much easier

**prevtec** · 08-01-2009, 09:20 PM

supposidly pink is stuff that turns to powder lets say theres a leak, it turns to powder around the hole to stop it. so i was told so anyway

***HDi fun*** · 09-01-2009, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prevtec

supposidly pink is stuff that turns to powder lets say theres a leak, it turns to powder around the hole to stop it. so i was told so anyway

Nope, never heard of that. ignore the colour and find out what the chemical composition should be

**Country Bumpkin** · 09-01-2009, 01:40 AM

If you're not sure and don't have the luxury of a local freindly garage, buy yourself a hydrometer, they're cheap as chips really, they can be bought at your local motor factors for £2-3. HERE's a link showing what they're like, this one is probably over priced for what it is.
You can get the same type of thing for measuring the specific gravity of battery acid, on those types with removable caps obviously.