what coolant?

[adscan]

i need to swap my rad soon and was wondering what type of coolant you all use and where you get it from.

i currently have a blue/green coolant at the moment. all i saw in the factors was a pink coolant. is this okay to use?

[James5]

i need to swap my rad soon and was wondering what type of coolant you all use and where you get it from.

i currently have a blue/green coolant at the moment. all i saw in the factors was a pink coolant. is this okay to use?


I tend to get Halfords pink ready mixed or I go for the the blue concentrate stuff and mix myself if they have any in stock I only use purely down to the fact halfords is easy to get to for me:D

Renault Type D coolant is what yo really want and is green costs quite abit considering it's just coolant/ antifreeze

[Brigsy]

Either will be fine :)

[phase i 16 v turbo]

Renault Type D coolant

[Os8472]

Don't use the halfords pink stuff, it stains silicone hoses and kills heater matrix's and not lest it's no better than their normal blue coolant

[James5]

Don't use the halfords pink stuff,


Didn't know that will not get pink stuff from now on:laugh:

[w35ty]

im using this stuf in my car mate..

http://www.frost.co.uk/automotive-engine-and-mechanical-tools/frost-stay-cool-1-litre.html

[adscan]

i wont use the pink stuff then...didn't know it kills heater matrix's.

if my stuff currently is blue/green..is it safe to use the halfords blue coolant. before putting in car do i have to mix it with water or is it pre mixed and ready to be put straight in?

[markey b]

I use pink, tbh it's only the spec that's different, anything will work

i think pink lasts longer than blue/green but could well be wrong

pink is also known as OAT due to organic acids to reduce corrosion

[adscan]

Bit confused now...

Pink or blue??

[James5]

Bit confused now...

Pink or blue??


I have never had a problem with either being a 5 owner if never stayed in that long any way :laugh:

[stuTHC]

Water wetter :)

I noticed 10-20 deg reduction in engine temps on the gauge when using that. Especially on track. Not cheap tho. I tend to only use it in the winter and if I know the car is gunna get some abuse. Most of the summer it's runs with just tap water in there for day to day driving.

[adscan]

I will get the pink. Do I have to mix it or chuck it straight in? Is it pre mixed in the bottle?

[James5]

I will get the pink. Do I have to mix it or chuck it straight in? Is it pre mixed in the bottle?


if your going to halfords the pink is already mixed the blue is concentrated:agree:

[Mr Raider]

Err got some pink comma coolant, been in there couple years although heater matrix is leaking so its gotta come out at some point :(

[adscan]

So blue wont screw my matrix??

Also...what is the best method to drain/flush the coolant system?

[Mark]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)

More in depth facts from Oplie oils...................:confused:

Perhaps the most frequent cause of confusion is what the difference between anti-freeze or coolant is. Basically, they’re the same product (although the term “coolant” could just be applied to plain water; see below!)

To help clear some of the confusion up on the more technical details of antifreeze and coolants we enlisted the help of Martyn Mann – Technical Director, Millers Oils UK - who has provided the information below.

Not all antifreeze / coolant is the same!

Coolant can be plain water; water is a very effective coolant but would not protect against sub freezing temperatures or protect against corrosion inside the engine. The use of antifreeze protects against both problems.

Antifreeze not only suppresses the freezing point of your engine coolant, but provides good corrosion protection and increases the boiling point during use.

Most commercial antifreeze formulations include a glycol (to suppress the freezing point and raise the boiling point), corrosion inhibiting compounds and a coloured dye (commonly orange, green, red, or blue fluorescent) to aid in identification. A 1:1 dilution with water is usually used, resulting in a freezing point in the range of minus 37 °C to minus 42 °C, depending on the formulation.

There are two basic types of coolant available today dependent on the corrosion inhibitors used:

·inorganic additive technology (IAT)
·organic additive technology (OAT)

Inorganic Additive Technology

This is the traditional coolant based on inorganic additives and is called inorganic additive technology (IAT). It is a tried and proven chemistry that provides a fast acting protective film. The additives deplete and the coolant needs to be drained and replenished every couple of years. This type can be used on all mixed metal engines with components including steel, cast iron, copper, brass, aluminium and solder without any detrimental effect.

Organic Acid Technology

The newer OAT coolants work differently than the older silicate based IAT coolants. Aluminium and ferrous metals form a surface-layer of corrosion in the presence of moisture, even with the little bit of moisture in the air. OAT coolants prevent this metal-oxide layer that protects the surface against this corrosion. Inherent with their design, the OAT coolants last longer than the older traditional IAT coolants. This category of antifreeze cannot be used in systems containing yellow metals.

A couple of questions and answers.

Why are coolants different colours?

Coolants/antifreezes are coloured so you can visually see them; colour intensity can be an indication of over dilution. The different colours are non specific to the different types of antifreeze. The manufacturer can dye the product any colour they want. The colour is no guide to the actual type of antifreeze type and the label should be read before use.

What is best for performance use?

It is always best to use the engine manufacturer’s advice. If engine contains yellow metals [copper and brass as in older vehicles] then the long life products based on organic technology should not be used. As a general rule, most modern engines require the long life organic antifreezes.

Is there any advantage to using concentrate over pre-mixed coolants?

None other than the user may want to use the pre-mixed product due to ease of handling or cost and visa versa.

Can concentrate and pre-mixed coolants be mixed?

A simple answer is that you can, however do not mix IAT and OAT antifreeze together.

[Jonny5]

So that basically means i cant use OAT long life antifreeze with my copper core rad?

[Mark]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)


So that basically means i cant use OAT long life antifreeze with my copper core rad?

Taken from the link below...............

OAT corrosion inhibitors provide excellent long-term protection for aluminum and cast iron, but may not be the best choice for older cooling systems that have copper/brass radiators and heater cores. It depends on the formula.

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2004/us120426.htm

[Renault 5 GT Turbo]

What sort of ballpark price are we talking for the Renault formula coolant?

Also, while we are on the topic, what mixture do you guys use...2litres of anti freeze topped up by de-ironised water?

[DaveMayGTT]

What is the heater matrix made from?

[adscan]

So will the pink eat my copper core rad & matrix?

[Jonny5]

Its looking that way mate!

[adscan]

Blue it is then...:)

[Jonny5]

Same for me :agree: