Saturday, Jun 21, 2003 at 16:02
Andrew, the above is good advice but
check assorted web sites for info and read thoroughly.
For what it's worth my summary is as follows:
1/ Heater must be on "Hot" to ensure circulation within the entire system.
2/ Because of the design of most systems it is not possible to easily drain ALL of the contents, so drain what you can(80%), then (when the engine is cool) fill up with "suitable" water.
3/ After bringing the engine to operating temperature (so that the water circulates through the entire system and dilutes any remaining coolant) drain again.
4/ If the coolant was of good appearance you can now refill with the correct amount & concentration of the appropriate coolant.(aluminium compatible?) If coolant was looking rusty or contained "gung" then a flushing agent should be used.(An alternative to commercial flushing agents is to use 100% white vinegar(available from supermarkets for about $0.70/litre) It is suggested that this is less harmfull to seals etc than the flushing products.
5/ When filling the system allow for the fact that adding the final amounts will be VERY slow due to the need for air to escape via the closed thermostat.
6/ 100% Glycerol will be marked as "Active Constituent 1080 grams/litre"
Most vehicles will require 33% or 50% concentration (
check your owners manual)
Dilute only with "suitable" water (generally de-ionised/distilled)
Be VERY carful when purchasing the coolant as there are many products available as coolant with as little as 30 grams/litre.
Enjoy!
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