Coolant overdose?

Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 19:11
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Gday,
What is the outcome of overdosing with coolant?
The reason I ask is due to top ups and maintenance my coolant level would be very low and I don't want to flush the whole system and start again?
I was just going to thrown in another 500ml ( makes up 10l) and call it done till the next service?
Is there anything wrong with overdosing or is it just a waist of money?

Cheers
Hairy
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Reply By: Member - Axle - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 19:28

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 19:28
Depends How chitty the coolant your topping up is??

The price of the stuff I'd just start over again , at least you know where you are!, IMHO,

Cheers Axle

AnswerID: 408114

Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 00:09

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 00:09
Gdat Axle,

Im with you.......it was just a quick fix until the next service...........Im a lazzy bugger and leave it to the mechanic.

Cheers
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Reply By: Battery Value Pty Ltd - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 19:31

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 19:31
if it's ethylene glycol, it's hard to overdose with such small amounts of 500ml.
You can use the stuff at 50/50 with water.

The higher the glycol/water ratio the lower your system pressure will be (higher boiling point, good thing).
The only drawbacks are cost, and slightly reduced heat transfer capability.

Best regards, Peter
AnswerID: 408116

Reply By: Member - Michael O (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 19:40

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 19:40
I have an uncle that used to race in those Off-Road Championships. He had a 240K Datto with a Starion turbo motor and ran in Class 5 against that old Patrol wrestler from Griffith NSW, Les Siviour.

Anyway he used to run straight anti-freeze when racing so I suppose it can't do any harm...
AnswerID: 408119

Reply By: get outmore - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 20:37

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 20:37
I wouldnt be putting in any brand that says 500ml makes 10L
it will be some cheap n nasty

AnswerID: 408130

Follow Up By: Alloy c/t - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 11:26

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 11:26
"some cheap and nasty" , the 500ml concentrate I have cost $14.10 and will treat 10lt , the same brand premixed in a 10lt bottle costs $48.95 retail , which is a rip-off ? Which is the cheap and nasty ? Methinks it would pay to read the specs required for the vehicle and then read the specs of the concentrate and the premix prior to making an INFORMED decision.
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 12:27

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 12:27
my point is 500ml of concentrate WILL NOT treat 10l. No reputable brand will claim that it will - only nasty stuff like tectaloy etc .

if it really is concentrate it will contain around 930ml/litre ethelene glycol

now ethlene glycol needs to be added at the rate of 33% MINIMUM and ideally 50%


so you would actually have to have 10 bottles of your concentrate to do the job which will cost you over $150 by the time you add it to distilled water

now go back to the shop and look at that 10L bottle - does it even tell you the amount of ethlene glycol it contains? if it does does it work out to 33-50%
- im GARANTEEING it doesnt

cheap n nasty brands will often advertise you only need enough to colour the water because properly mixing coolant is not cheap and a $15 bottle will satisfy those without a clue looking for a cheap way out.

While you are back in the auto shop - pick up a proper name brand of concentrate like castrol, valvoline etc. Observe on it how much EG it contains. (Will be over 900ml/l) then read the mixing instructions on the back
- You wont see any 500ml does 10l on that stuff.

Properly filling your cooling system aint cheap. i should know - been doing it for years
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Follow Up By: Alloy c/t - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 12:53

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 12:53
As I said , READ the specifications , For a Holden rodeo = Specification # Hn2217 ,part #92141458 = 1lt concentrate or part#92141457= 20lt premixed ... both manufactured and sourced from DeVille Australia Pty Ltd SA., Maker of ???? oh no !!!! Tectaloy.
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 14:59

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 14:59
ok so thats 5% ethylene glycol

thats not going to do much

you can read anything you like on coolant addatives and you will never find anything recomending less than 33%concentration
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FollowupID: 678342

Follow Up By: get outmore - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:03

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:03
here ya go heres the penrite coolant that conforms to holden HN2217 specs

recomends concentrations of ................ %33 at a minimum which only raises the boiling point to 104 deg

if you use 50% it gos to 109 deg

5% like your advioocating wont do a thing
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:04

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:04
sorry link

HN 2217
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Follow Up By: get outmore - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:08

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 15:08
and again heres wynns coolant conforming to that spec

surprise surprise

recomends using at 30% min to 50%

you will never find any thing different recomended

Wynns
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FollowupID: 678347

Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 16:51

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 16:51
I use the lolly water sold by tectaloy .... Never had a problem with it ... but then my coolant maintenance doesnt happen once every 10yrs either.

Doesnt mean its the best of course ... nor am I recommending it.

Personally, I think the only good thing about the additive is the lubricating qualities.

IMHO the fact that the additive ... and high pressure caps ... are used - is simply to allow manufacturer shortcuts ... in regard to smaller and inneffective radiator/fan systems.

We would probably be better off with water ... a decent radiator ... and a lower pressure cap - rather than having a fake coolant temp of 100'C suddenly leap to its real temp of 120'C or whatever, at the first sign of a cooling system issiue.
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FollowupID: 678360

Reply By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 21:05

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 21:05
Theres a reason for 50/50 eth-glycol / water mixes .....

".... 100 Percent Ethylene-Glycol—Should Not Be Used in Chrysler Vehicles
Use of 100 percent ethylene-glycol will cause formation of additive deposits in the system, as the corrosion inhibitive additives in ethylene-glycol require the presence of water to dissolve. The deposits act as insulation, causing temperatures to rise to as high as 149 deg. C (300) deg. F). This temperature is hot enough to melt plastic and soften solder. The increased temperature can result in engine detonation.

In addition, 100 percent ethylene-glycol freezes at 22 deg. C (-8 deg. F ) ...."

Slightly different temps offered in link below (on page 16 in the blue book) ... but ambient temps / windchill on the radiator etc are probably important fudge factors.

tectaloy sales spiel & useful general info


AnswerID: 408139

Follow Up By: fisho64 - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 23:18

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 23:18
"100 percent ethylene-glycol freezes at 22 deg. C"

see below

Pure ethylene glycol freezes at about -12 °C, but when intermixed with water molecules, neither can readily form a solid crystal structure, and therefore the freezing point of the mixture is depressed significantly. The minimum freezing point is observed when the ethylene glycol percent in water is about 70%, as shown below. This is the reason pure ethylene glycol is not used as an antifreeze--water is a necessary component as well.
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 23:37

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 23:37
G'Day fisho

All the wording in the dittos was straight from a service manual .....

There is a reference in one or the other about "freezing" as in solid ... and "freezing" as in a 7-11 shop, slushy drink state .... both rather catastropic for an engine apparently.


Its all coconuts and acorns to me .... I either run straight water out of nescessity after patching a leak ..... or 50/50 coz the anti-freeze has the lubricants and stuff the waterpump and alloys needs.
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Follow Up By: Lex M (Brisbane) - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 00:35

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 00:35
In addition, 100 percent ethylene-glycol freezes at 22 deg. C (-8 deg. F ) ...."

Shouldn't that be 22 deg F (-8 deg C)?
(Actually 22 deg F is closer to -6 deg C)
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FollowupID: 678087

Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 06:49

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 06:49
G'Day Lex

Dunno ... a typo in manual during conversion ?

It was the first paragraph I was offering as the most informative ... as freezing is rarely an issue an Aust veh has to deal with anyway compared to canada or somewhere.

Temperatures of anything are variable due to ambients & locations ... so I was more interested in the buildup of grunge from 100% eth-glycol than anything else.
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FollowupID: 678097

Reply By: Member - Wayne B (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 22:00

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 22:00
Generally dont mix coolants. There can be a chemical reaction between the two and you will do more damage that if you had none at all.

Flush the system properly with water then add the correct coolant recommended for your particular vehicle.

Cheers
WB
AnswerID: 408152

Reply By: Dave B ( BHQ NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 22:58

Tuesday, Mar 09, 2010 at 22:58
I have also heard that it is a no-no to mix coolants.

Because of the many different alloys used in the motors nowadays, some of the manufacturers have a special blend of Coolant that is compatible with all the different alloys in their motor.

Dave
'Wouldn't be dead for quids'

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message

AnswerID: 408166

Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 00:05

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 00:05
Thanks all for the replies...............
I've weighed up the odds , and will flush and replace with one specific brand before my daughter and I go on her driving lesson to our new abode.


Cheers
Hairy
AnswerID: 408173

Follow Up By: Rockape - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 07:35

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 07:35
Hairy,
don't worry about the coolant, just make sure you got your stack hat on during the driving lesson.

What sorta coolant has it, is it the red tojo stuff.

Have a good one.
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FollowupID: 678104

Reply By: Member - Bucky - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 03:12

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 03:12
G day Hairy

From what I have been told.......

Make sure that you flush the old coolant out, and when you think you have it all out give it some more flushing... Old and new coolant do not mix well

Stick with the vehicle recomended type, in your owner's handbook.

The range is from 33% to 50%.. If unsure have it tested. I would imagine that if you stay within that range then you may well be close enuf, to get out of trouble.

Overdosing can corode head head gaskets.

Never mix coolants, as that mix can cause coolant to go to jell, being detremental to the engine.


All the above may be old wives tales, but why take the risk.

Cheers Mate
Bucky
AnswerID: 408179

Follow Up By: dbish - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 14:11

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 14:11
Hi Bucky. Mixed coolant brands going to gell not an old wives tale, Have personaly removed 2 different radiators from Ford Couriers that customers toped up with different type of coolant it Gelled & blocked rad core 75% % had to be removed dismantled & cleaned out. Over 50% ethylene glycol will start seeping through joints. Cheers Daryl
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FollowupID: 678172

Follow Up By: trainslux - Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 10:13

Thursday, Mar 11, 2010 at 10:13
Agree with dbish.

if you mix different types of coolants, you will get a reaction between the two, and it gells like thick snot, blocks up the tubes, tank/ heater core.

Not good.
Used to work next to a radiator business, saw it so often, along with damaged motors. Very sad, as it didnt have to happen.

I would recomend genuine toyota coolant, or motorcraft R13b in the 500ml bottle.
Both are good products.

I will never use tectalloy lolly water ever again, either premix or the concentrate.

Flush rad core, heater core, block, and drain.

Use new filtered water, or demineralised water if you use a concentrate.

Trains

Used the motorcraft coolant for many years, have seen one EA falcon that did 150k on its original head gasket whilst using the motorcraft product.
All the other EA's I saw came in at 70 to 80k with leaking heads.



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FollowupID: 678297

Reply By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 12:35

Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 12:35
For top ups, just add water - much safer than adding a coolant which is different brand to what is already in there.
AnswerID: 408227

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