Coolant anti-freeze amount

[littleblackflash]

My Trav has only water in the engine after I changed some hoses, so I need to add anti-freeze for the winter.

So how much water should a Trav hold including the heater? I'll then drain some water and add enough concentrate to create a 50/50 mix

[chrisryder]

according to they haynes manual the cooling system takes 6.5 litres.

[PaulTubby]

That sounds like alot of 6.5 litres chris, but then they have a large radiator to fill!

[littleblackflash]

Thanks,

So my 2l of concetrate would give about 30% mix giving protection down to -18deg C. I guess that probably enough down here on the sunny south coast.

[PaulTubby]

Baclk flush your radiator before you refill with fresh, id also put some slean tap water in the system after draining, run up and then drain again.... cant beat giving the system a good flush, id also change the thermostat while your doing it, for a gasket and thermostat would only cost say a fiver and then you no its all good to go for another year or two!

[xpress]

you've just reminded me to get an antifreeze tester from ebay, even if you don't drain her down every couple years, you should top her up to a good percentage.

[PaulTubby]

I still do the tang test on my tongue from when we used to work in at a garage, the garage i worked at wouldnt spend money on testers! If your tang went tang after puting a dropn on your tongue it was ok lol ..... not the correct way i guess!

[chrisryder]

not the best way. i admit to having done the tang test myself, which is fine to check if there's some/enough in. but if there's too much...

why not drain some out and put it in the freezer? if it freezes you need some more antifreeze!

6.5 litres does sound a lot to me too. but it's got to fill the rad, the block, the head, the heater...

[mike.perry]

Cooling system 1098, 8.75 pints, 5.0 ltrs + heater 1 pint, 0.57 ltrs. = 5.57 ltrs
BMC Workshop Manual, General Data page 15

[chrisryder]

ah, i was close. maybe the other 1 litre is what you spill

[PaulTubby]

Or what you put in the washer bottle

[mike.perry]

Or what you put in the washer bottle

NOT anti freeze!!!!!!!
You have to be careful what you say or some bright XXXXX will believe you

[dalebrignall]

that would kill the paintwork

[xpress]

i think they do put a low percentage of alcohol to prevent freezing in those solutions.

[bmcecosse]

Anti freeze doesn't damage the paintwork - you guys are thinking of brake fluid........ But it IS too expensive to waste in the washers.

[dellerie]

on the subject of 'topping up'........ why would you need to do that?

if your re-filling your system, you have a leak or the rad cap is past it's best. i've not needed to top up since the last time i changed the coolant last winter.

[GPO_Van]

Anti freeze does not last forever, depending on which type you buy I seem to remember the best lasting up to 5 years and the cheaper up to 2 years, it says what it does on the bottle
Reg

[Moggie94]

I thought the general rule of thumb was one half antifreeze and one half water.

Sure I've read that in a manual somewhere...

[xpress]

you top-up because the efficiency of the anti freeze decreases over time. you can get a tool to see the percentage of it. therefore, you drain some off and add anti freeze. then you're bringing the levels and percentages back up to standard. you can always drain the whole thing but it's well established to top up (drain a bit off and add a bit more to get the ratio right) especially at winter before journeys and stuff.

[bmcecosse]

beware that some of the anti-freeze you buy these days is 'pre-diluted' - so it is used as it comes.....