17 replies to this topic

[fenghuang]

I was just about to fill the rad with ready mixed coolant. I read the label and it said "suitable for most vehicles manufactured after 1998."
Should I care about this date on a 35yr old design of engine built about 25yrs ago?

[CityEPete]

Certain versions can't be mixed, the ready mixed is normally the type safe to mix with any existing coolant. I have seen a chart somewhere.....

[Carlos W]

What colour is it?

[CityEPete]

http://www.popularme...to/a91/1272436/
probably best to use water for now then get a bottle of the proper old fashioned stuff, it can eat your radiator. The colours are all over the show all over the world, one is safe to mix with either but I cant find which, have you bought OAT? if so I wouldn't use it.

[gazza82]

Needs blue silicate based coolant

[Swift_General]

I was just about to fill the rad with ready mixed coolant. I read the label and it said "suitable for most vehicles manufactured after 1998."
Should I care about this date on a 35yr old design of engine built about 25yrs ago?

Yes. Modern antifreeze (the pink stuff) uses a different technology. It does not contain silicates which is important in inhibiting corrosion with a cast iron block. It also apparently can attack seals/gaskets although I've no experience with this as I've never had any reason not to use the 'blue stuff'. The ingredients in the blue antifreeze do mean however that you will get scale and other detritus forming hence the reason it needs periodic changing.

[fenghuang]

It's pink and was bought for a different car, but never got used.
I'll ger something else, just in case. Presumably it should mention silicate on the label?

[CityEPete]

http://www.halfords....ntrate-2-litres

It's prestone that can be mixed as it's just the antifreeze rather than anti corrosion that it contains, anything else dont mix it.

[Mini Mad Drakeley]

as far as we know in work, the red antifreeze should be used with aluminium radiators and the blue on the copper core, though most companies insist on the red stuff whatever the material is as the engine block and pipes etc will look like new. we serviced a generator that had been sat for 10 years with red stuff in it and it was all still perfect and as far as can be told so is the copper core radiator along with all gaskets, seals and rubber pipes. I know I will be using the red stuff in  my mini once its roadworthy

[fenghuang]

Interesting.
Any idea what the respective chemistries are?

[dklawson]

More information than you may want on antifreeze in the link below.

http://www.machinery...nt-fundamentals

[Tamworthbay]

Just for reference, poundland do ready mix glycol based stuff, surprisingly it's a quid

[Mini Manannán]

Just for reference, poundland do ready mix glycol based stuff, surprisingly it's a quid

Aye, but how much of it Clive? 500ml?

[Tamworthbay]

Just for reference, poundland do ready mix glycol based stuff, surprisingly it's a quid

Aye, but how much of it Clive? 500ml?

obviously it's one bottle

[fenghuang]

More information than you may want on antifreeze in the link below.
http://www.machinery...nt-fundamentals

Thanks. Read it, and (no pun intended) the article boils down to this:

Silicates (etc) are used as corrosion inhibitors.

Silicate are used because phosphate containing coolants don't work well with hard water. If you're uaing de-ionised / distiller water, I don't see why that should be an issue.

If you don't change your coolamt often enough, certain compounds in the "anti-freeze" can break down into acids. This in turn can start to corode your engine. (Acid + metal salts + ???)

There isn't any discussion in the article about engibes using components made of different metals : iron, aluminium, copper.