19 replies to this topic

[mike.]

My old rad was full of gunk and looked very rusty after being flushed out.

So I bought a cheap chinese alloy rad off ebay which came yesterday.

I'm going to fit it, fill it with water and some rad flush and flush the system out fully, then refill with fresh stuff.

I'm just wondering what the best sort of coolant is to use to stop it and the inside of the head/water lines corroding and turning the fresh water/coolant mix into a gunky mess that needs changing more often.


So what about halfords advanced stuff like most modern cars take. Obviously it must be safe for use with various types of metals because alot of cars have alloy engine parts now.

Also should I be mixing this with de-ionised water like in batteries to stop it corroding my cooling system?

Link

Thanks

[andyapanel]

I would not buy anything Chinese , its a waste of money. Minispares do a really good rad, which is RELIABLE.
HOWEVER, I run water in the Summer and water/ antifreeze in the Winter.

[mike.]

Everythings made in china these days.

Plenty of people off here have them and say they're great. It cost £55 as opposed to £250 for a british made radtec one.

Obviously quality isn't as good but its good for the money.

Edited by mike., 14 September 2010 - 03:39 PM.

[Mal_whitby]

Well plenty of people off here have them and say they're great. It cost £55 as opposed to £250 for a british made radtec one.

Obviously quality isn't as good but its good for the money.

I wouldn't unnecessarily dismiss anything from China, the idea that they only produce junk is just as outdated as saying that everything from Germany is high quality. The Chinese produce just as much junk and just as much good quality items as anybody else. Whether it comes from China or not isn't the issue, it's whether its good quality that counts.

Always run corrosion inhibitor in your system, whether it's summer or winter. Generally, cooling systems have a mix of iron (bock and head), aluminium (inlet manifold and water pump body) and copper / brass (most radiators). Each metal needs protection, this is generally done with anti freeze not because of the ethylene glycol, but because anti freeze also contains corrosion inhibitors and also a water pump lubricant. As to which is the best is difficult to say but any anti freeze from a respected company will probably have the required inhibitors included.

Anti-freeze does lower the specific heat capacity of water, so it's effect on cooling is lower, in theory I say in theory because the reduction of heat transfer from corroded internal surfaces will easily outway not using anti freeze / corrosion inhibitor in the first place.

Edited by Mal_whitby, 14 September 2010 - 03:45 PM.

[mike.]

Well all the halfords stuff is listed as anti freeze and summer coolant.

I think i'll go for the halfords advanced stuff and some deionised water to dilute it with, unless there any other ideas.

[Big_Adam]

Well all the halfords stuff is listed as anti freeze and summer coolant.

I think i'll go for the halfords advanced stuff and some deionised water to dilute it with, unless there any other ideas.

The summer winter stuff is pre-diluted so you just dump it in. I used half anti-freeze and half diagnosed. Any left gets dumped into a big container and kept in the rear bins for when I need it.

So far never have. My mates £10,000 Audi did when it bust a head gasket. Oh how I laughed and laughed at him.

[mike.]

Yeah. Its better value if you buy it concentrated though so i'll do that.

How much does a mini actually take. Its about 3.5 litres isn't it?

[callumatkinson]

i just use water and some summer coolant/winter antifreeze from tesco i've never had any problems

[Big_Adam]

Yeah. Its better value if you buy it concentrated though so i'll do that.

How much does a mini actually take. Its about 3.5 litres isn't it?

3 Cars, buy a big socking can of the stuff.

[Ethel]

3 1/2 litres, including the heater.

[Racer_Pete]

Ive brought one of those Chinese rads aswell a couple days ago as money is tight! . Dose it weigh anyless than the standard rad? I think I might just buy a radtec sticker for it so it makes me feel better about it lol.

[mike.]

I Don't know if it weighs any less than standard but it doesn't weigh much at all, feels really light - So i'd guess it does.

Heres a couple of pics, the quality really isn't that bad.

[Racer_Pete]

That doesn't actually look too bad at all espically for the monies! As long as it keeps the engine cool what more do you want from a rad.

[Dan]

It's not ally for the weight! It's ally for the heat transfer capability of the material.

I wouldn't unnecessarily dismiss anything from China, the idea that they only produce junk is just as outdated as saying that everything from Germany is high quality.

I would say it's as outdated as the idea of dropping the anti-freeze for water in the summer!

Right, seriously now..


DO NOT use Halfords Advanced Coolant. As you say, most modern engines have a lot of alloy parts so you'd think the modern coolant would be ideal. Unfortunately the point is that most modern engines are all alloy, this coolant is very, very unfriendly to cast iron. It's more corrosive than plain water I believe. I seem to remember it says on the bottle not to use it in older engines or Diesels, because Diesels are still mainly iron engines. Classic car magazines have conducted investigations into this type of coolant fluid and found it to be a very bad thing. I can't remember what material they use instead of ethylene glycol but it is not good.

Oh and you don't really need to bother with de-ionised water. The instant you put it in it will start corroding things which will essentially fill it with ions again. De-ionised water is not the same as distilled water, it is not pure. It's just a cleaner electrolyte.

[mike.]

So should I just get the standard blue coolant and mix it with some water then do you think?

I've been told to get green coolant but I can't really find it anywhere. I can only find it on ebay...

Edited by mike., 14 September 2010 - 06:08 PM.