engine coolant...any green type is fine?
NO
Yes, green, but not just any kind. Take a second and read the ingredients. You need one without silicates. So if you see any ingredients with "silic" in the name, pick up a different bottle. I've been buying mine at Autozone for some time and it's not hard to find it without silicates. The story is that silicates eat water pumps.
Dave
Yes, green, but not just any kind. Take a second and read the ingredients. You need one without silicates. So if you see any ingredients with "silic" in the name, pick up a different bottle. I've been buying mine at Autozone for some time and it's not hard to find it without silicates. The story is that silicates eat water pumps.
Dave
http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/june97/cooling.htm
A lot has been written about the role of silicates in antifreeze. Yes, they do help prevent corrosion of the internal aluminum components that are increasingly used in engines. But they also tend to drop out of solution to form solids. As a solid, they can clog the system or damage components such as water pump seals. Some vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers are now recommending low silicate antifreeze. Most get the job done using a limited amount of silicate. A way to further keep solids out of the cooling system is by using distilled water in the 50-50, antifreeze-water mixture. Many municipal systems add small amounts of solids, such as lime, to their water. These solids may serve a function in drinking water, but are best kept out of automotive cooling systems.
Originally Posted by liloutlaws
okay then final question
if i don't do a full flush..is mixing any green w/ any green okay? b/c i have no idea what the old green type of coolant and this will be my first time doing it
if i don't do a full flush..is mixing any green w/ any green okay? b/c i have no idea what the old green type of coolant and this will be my first time doing it
You can mix any greens together. Just drain the rad and fill with the 50:50 mix and you'll be good to go.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 100
also..do people usually flush w/ tap water? i know like a quarter or 2 of water stays in the engine when you flush it, so do people still used distilled water to flush? I know they use distilled water to mix w/ the coolant..but that's a lot of distilled water i would have to buy to do a flush
IMO, it's silly to use tap water. It's loaded with all the things you're trying to flush out. Shops should use a closed-loop flushing system - if not, you should find a better shop.
If you want to perform a flush, simply buy 2 extra gallons of distilled (at $.85/ea) and fill the system with water first. Then run the car for a short drive (5+min, enough to open the thermostat), and let the car cool. Drain it again, and this time fill with antifreeze mix.
Since the block drain plugs are nearly inaccessible, this will perform a partial 'flush' and leave a substantially cleaner cooling system. If you simply change the coolant in the radiator once a year from this point on, flushing is really not necessary.
Dave
If you want to perform a flush, simply buy 2 extra gallons of distilled (at $.85/ea) and fill the system with water first. Then run the car for a short drive (5+min, enough to open the thermostat), and let the car cool. Drain it again, and this time fill with antifreeze mix.
Since the block drain plugs are nearly inaccessible, this will perform a partial 'flush' and leave a substantially cleaner cooling system. If you simply change the coolant in the radiator once a year from this point on, flushing is really not necessary.
Dave
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 791
do nissan dealers use distilled water then? when i asked shops like NTB, Midas, Direct Tire they all use regular water.
ps. i just changed coolant 50/50 with water and by accident i dropped about 25ml of ATF in it. this shouldn't be a problem right?
ps. i just changed coolant 50/50 with water and by accident i dropped about 25ml of ATF in it. this shouldn't be a problem right?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,272
does it open the thermostat if you step on the gas on neutral for 5+min.
Originally Posted by dgeesaman
IMO, it's silly to use tap water. It's loaded with all the things you're trying to flush out. Shops should use a closed-loop flushing system - if not, you should find a better shop.
If you want to perform a flush, simply buy 2 extra gallons of distilled (at $.85/ea) and fill the system with water first. Then run the car for a short drive (5+min, enough to open the thermostat), and let the car cool. Drain it again, and this time fill with antifreeze mix.
Since the block drain plugs are nearly inaccessible, this will perform a partial 'flush' and leave a substantially cleaner cooling system. If you simply change the coolant in the radiator once a year from this point on, flushing is really not necessary.
Dave
If you want to perform a flush, simply buy 2 extra gallons of distilled (at $.85/ea) and fill the system with water first. Then run the car for a short drive (5+min, enough to open the thermostat), and let the car cool. Drain it again, and this time fill with antifreeze mix.
Since the block drain plugs are nearly inaccessible, this will perform a partial 'flush' and leave a substantially cleaner cooling system. If you simply change the coolant in the radiator once a year from this point on, flushing is really not necessary.
Dave
Temperature opens the thermostat. It takes several minutes if all you do it idle it, but a little quicker if you drive it around. I'd take it for a solid 10min drive and give it 2 hours to cool with the hood up. That's plenty of time for both.
Dave
Dave
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,272
just a reminder, if you are going to flush it with h20 only draining from the rad and adding 50/50 af the final conc. will be about 38% of af. you will need to up the percentage to of af to get the final conc. of 50/50. i am glad someone brought this topic up. i need to change mine. i dont know what the car shop did for me.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 100
good point..i was going to point that out..so we should be pretty much pooring only antifreeze in at that point.
but can someone answer my thermostat question?
and does normal operation temperature based soley on temperature gauge? is engine fully hot by then? or just warm?
but can someone answer my thermostat question?
and does normal operation temperature based soley on temperature gauge? is engine fully hot by then? or just warm?
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