Re: coolant question

Ian Dalziel wrote:

On Thu, 31 Aug 2006 10:16:15 GMT, Chris Whelan
<cawhelan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Ian Dalziel wrote:

On Thu, 31 Aug 2006 08:08:41 GMT, Chris Whelan
<cawhelan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Ian Dalziel wrote:

On 30 Aug 2006 10:41:05 -0700, "psy93" <msee117@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:


Stu wrote:
I would suggest you drain & replace the coolant, as the plain water
used by
the breakdown guy will have diluted the strength significantly. As it
has
already been filled up, you won't be able to add enough antifreeze to
get
it back to the required strength.


How likely is it to freeze in August?


Not very. However, "antifreeze" should really be re-named as "coolant".
Its use is essential all year round because it contains anti-corrosion
additives. These are required when any elements of the engine or cooling
system are aluminium, and desireable in all other cases.

The antifreeze also raises the boiling point of the coolant; again this
is needed on modern vehicles because they run so hot.

Thirdly there are additives that help to lubricate the water pump
bearings.

With the milder winters we often experience now, the "antifreezing"
properties of antifreeze are arguably not its most important property!


All true. But I don't see any urgency, and I don't see why you should
*drain* the cooling system.

I'm not sure anyone mentioned that a drain and refill should be done
*urgently*

If an unknown quantity of coolant had been lost and replaced with water,
how otherwise would the OP ensure that he ends up with the correct
dilution ratio?

The OP's car is 10 years old. The maintenance of it may not have been
recorded accurately. The advice to drain and refill is surely very
sensible?


I'd have said the dilution ration was hardly critical so long as there
was enough antifreeze.


Huh?

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.
.

Relevant Pages

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