Hot answers tagged coolant
14
I have heard (from an auto store clerk) that running just water will cause overheating.
Well, that's not true. Water isn't the cause of overheating. Your coolant mixture (of whatever proportion) and radiator work together to get rid of the heat. If it's not hot, you won't overheat. However, when it is hot, the coolant can only absorb heat up to its ...
12
Lets start with the fact that Ford doesn't make anti-freeze, they buy it in. It will have certain specs of course but so does all anti-freeze. It will also be made by one of the major producers of the product. If you can find the Ford specs you could compare it to other brands. Alternatively, contact the makers of different brands of anti-freeze and ask them ...
10
I would like to drive the car to the
nearest qualified service, but there
is a fair distance to it (about 8km)
as I'm living in a remote location. Is
it safe to drive it that distance if I
refill the entire coolant tank?
I would say yes, you can drive the car. Load the car with much more water than you think necessary: I find that two liter ...
9
If you haven't run the car yet then just drain out the reservoir. If you have run the car then some of the fluid might have started to circulate through the cooling system. If so, flush your coolant.
A small amount should not affect the car's ability to stay cool. So this is not that critical, but you definitely don't want to let your engine overheat.
9
Every manufacturer recommends their own fluids. Everybody wins because your engine gets "less corrosion" and they great great markup on those things.
A while ago I did cooling system maintenance (replace hoses, water pump, thermostat, temp sensor, radiator cap) on my wife's BMW 330i. That make/model has a lot of following and several high-quality forums ...
6
The most likely source is the head gasket. There are very few other ways (short of catastrophic engine failure - and that would give other symptoms!) of the two mixing.
Check for excessive smoke (oil getting into the bores), coolant loss (coolant getting into the bores) and a mayonnaise effect in the oil (coolant getting into the oil)
You don't say what ...
5
The main ingredient in automotive antifreeze, Ethylene glycol, has a higher boiling point when mixed with water than water alone. Wherever you live, I bet it's not Arizona or Texas. Steam voids suck, you don't want any in your cooling system. Antifreeze also contains corrosion inhibitors. I bet you don't have hard water, either.
5
Your coolant shouldn't be boiling at 100C/212F if you have a proper mixture of water and anti-freeze (typically 50/50 ratio is recommended).
Water's boiling point is 100C/212F. Even though it is called anti-freeze, it also raises the boiling of the water.
You can buy a coolant mixture tester for a few dollars at a local auto parts store, you suck some of ...
5
The very first thing that you should check is whether you actually made a mistake and, if so, which one.
A cap that says "ATF oil only" is for automatic transmission fluid. If you're adding engine oil to the transmission, that's going to make your transmission very unhappy. It is fixable: you'll need to drain the transmission fluid and replace it.
If ...
5
First thing I'd try to figure out is how quickly it leaks - run it, stick your head underneath it as check if there is any visible leaking. If there is, chances are that it's not going to make it for 30 miles. I'd also check for any evidence of oil and water mixing. If there is, don't drive it.
If it's not leaking that badly I'd be tempted to top it up with ...
5
I suspect you have a leaking head gasket, you don't have to see the coolant leak because it can leak into the combustion chamber and exit your vehicle in the form of vapor from the tail pipe. It can also leak into the oil so make sure to check the oil for contamination.
It could also be as simple as a bad radiator cap, you can test them with specialized ...
4
Antifreeze is a blend of several different ingredients: the antifreeze/coolant active ingredient, (mostly) water, corrosion inhibitors to prevent the water from rusting away the inside of your engine, and a secret blend of herbs and spices that's particular to each manufacturer.
There are several different choices for the active ingredient (ethylene ...
4
Following up on @Nick C's answer:
The head gasket almost certainly needs to be replaced and, on some cars, replacing the head gasket is straightforward work with the right tools and procedures.
However, on some seemingly mainstream cars, this is not the case. In order of ease of access to the head gasket, I would rate the common designs as follows:
...
4
Normally, I would ask first in a comment but that seems to be a privilege not available to new users, so here goes:
Are you sure it was the radiator cap and not the overflow bottle? The radiator is usually full and getting 100ml in would be a struggle, not to mention that the green coolant would be staring you in the face. If you radiator wasn't full then ...
4
You need to drain the coolant and replace it.
You should follow the instructions in your owners manual. If you don't have one handy, the ehow page is a fairly general set of instructions but it'll get you into the right general location for the coolant drain.
Keep in mind, engine coolant is toxic and should be disposed of properly. This is a perfectly ...
4
The main thing the higher pressure cap will do is to increase the boiling point of the coolant slightly. 3psi isn't going to make a huge difference, but it will make some difference.
If your cooling system is in good shape, the higher pressure unlikely to cause problems. If your cooling system is already on the way out, well, then it'll be on the way out a ...
4
I agree with Timo - if it is a big enough leak that you can see it clearly, then getting the car transported is much safer.
In general, using water as coolant is OK for a short time or as a "get you home" alternative, but it does not have the anti-freeze and corrosion inhibiting properties of a proper coolant mix, so should not be left in the engine for ...
4
Without water and without antifreeze or just without antifreeze? I'll assume that you mean without either, but you should clarify the difference in the future.
This is really simple though. The engine will overheat, quickly, and the seals and gaskets will give out, letting fluids leak in and out of places they should or shouldn't be. Eventually, parts of ...
3
I wouldn't risk it. If the water pump fails you can easily cook the engine, leading to no end of problems (failed head gasket, warped head, etc). The temperature gauge will only give you an accurate reading if the coolant is flowing through the engine - if it isn't you will end up with hot spots very quickly.
A lot of modern cars have an ecu-controlled ...
3
Yes, a warped lower end can affect the compression test. A seriously warped head of block can lead to compression leakage through the small space between the head gasket and the head or block. But I don't think you have a bend block, I suspect you used your old head with a new head gasket? You need to have a specialized company 'flatten' the head. I don't ...
3
As long as you don't mix the two coolants together you should not have any problem. I run "green" coolant in my GM that came with Dexcool, and have been for more than 5 years. You do want to check the ratio of coolant and water as straight coolant (or too much compared to water) will not cool as well.
To answer your question I wouldn't bother switching, if ...
3
I think you're fine but you need to get your leak fixed.
Based on the comments on the original question:
Oh! I've been checking the overflow tank! :P I remember that being
empty once. I'll have to check the radiator the next time the light
goes on. To answer your question when I would fill it up it was never
more than one $10 container from the ...
3
My garage found a small amount of dried coolant on my radiator and block heater and tell me that I needed to replace my radiator, block heater, and hose urgently, as it could leak at any moment.
In order for there to be coolant residue on the outside of places that it should inside that is clear indication that there is or was a leak. Also, seeing the ...
3
If coolant is getting into the engine, then oil will be getting into the coolant. It's a 2-way street there. I'm really surprised he didn't mention it, since it's expected. However, normally after doing a gasket repair of that type they just automatically change your coolant and oil on the spot since it's contaminated.
2
The water pump is a mechanical pump that is one of the belt driven devices in your engine.
This pump is what circulates the coolant (when the parts are referred to for water, they mean coolant. Water hoses, water outlet, water inlet, water pump, etc are all carrying coolant).
The water outlet is simply a pipe, on one end of it is the engine block, on the ...
2
Late model Taurus do use a special coolant (usually orangish) which, unlike the standard biennial flush and change, is only serviced at around 90,000 miles or the kilometric equivalent. Use of common antifreezes (green and blue) will do damage. Use the recommended Ford coolant in the Taurus. You might have been advised to go to Ford for the obvious reason ...
2
The piece missed from your question - you seem to have assumed the reason the mechanic told you to go to a Ford dealer was because of the antifreeze.
A possible alternative is that only the Ford dealership is licenced to drain and refill your radiator - there may be warranties.
(I know, it doesn't answer the headline question, but may still be the correct ...
2
It's likely non-repairable, unless the vehicle is 15 years + old. The new style radiators are not cost effective to repair. A leak between the tank and the core, can usually be repaired, a leaking tank can usually be replaced. Core repair is difficult if possible, they are made so thin now it's next to impossible to repair.
Check with a radiator repair shop ...
2
The overheating is likely caused by a non-working fan. When you are speeding, the air you run into cools it, but in traffic the radiator experiences no flow. As far as the coolant, you can have it flushed with the DexCool again, but personally I run BMWs blue coolant in my S10... So the coolants all work the same, and Chevrolet just prefers the red. ...
2
I don't know if it is the same in the states, but over here there are two totally incompatible types of coolant - OAT (usually red) and MEG (usually blue). Using the wrong sort can cause corrosion issues and leaks (especially using OAT in a car designed for MEG), and mixing the two results in a rather nasty sludge. However, most cars in the past decade or so ...
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