Coolant

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xantiaBFY
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Coolant

Post by xantiaBFY »

thinking of flushing and changing the coolant for my Xantia TD and was advise to use deionised water together with Citroen branded coolant. I was told that if the mixture or water was incorrect it will cause corrosion to the radiator.
What would you guys suggest?
regards
alan s
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Post by alan s »

Being in Malaysia, you'd have the same problems as us here in Australia; needing something anti-corrosive rather than needing an anti-freeze.
The demineralised water is the only way to go as over here & presumably in your region, the rainwater is salt contaminated as well as other airborne pollutants and both acid & salt can set off electrolysis. The stories you hear of diluted coolants causing corrosion are more due to people topping up low coolant levels with tap water which in Oz has an acidic ph.
I have heard it said that the Citroen concentrate is top stuff but if not available you can use a 50% ethylene glycol/demineralised water mix.
That is the common one here. Just be sure that you flush the old coolant thoroughly from the system before you refill with the new coolant as we get a few O.A.T coolants which tend to react with the more common glycol varieties.
Alan S
ScottFromNZ
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Post by ScottFromNZ »

I think that the main issue is to ensure that at all times you have adequate corrosion inhibiters in the cooling system. This means a mixture of between 33% and 50% of quality antifreeze and water. If you need to top up always add a mixture to maintain the correct strength. The coolant should be changed at least every 2 - 3 years ( if using glycol antifreeze) as it does deteriorate in use.
When I flush a car's cooling system out and refill, I first add neat antifreeze until I have put in about half the cars coolant capacity ( look in your cars book for this) then top up with water. If you premix the coolant you can end up with a weak mixture in the system because it is impossible to drain all the old water or coolant from the cooling system so it fills up leaving an overall weak mixture as not enough antifreeze will fit in to give you the 33% to 50% concentration.
JohnCKL
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Post by JohnCKL »

In the tropics, if we use Citroen coolant, should we use mix 50/50 with demineralised/distilled water? Usually we just use one can of local coolant (500ml) as recommended on the label and the rest water. Seems there is some different views of the type of water, deionised is best according to some, distilled water is next best, some even put battery water in. Demineralised water should be the same as distilled water? In reply to my own question, found this excellent explanation:-
http://www.lenntech.com/deionised-demin ... -water.htm
alan s
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Post by alan s »

There is a factory close to me where they actually mix their own line of coolants & in them they use reverse osmosis.
His mixes are a 50/50 mix if pre-mixed & 97% if bought as a concentrate.
Most coolants therse days actually have the life expectancy of the coolant marked on the container. As I say, too many go to this amount of trouble when putting the coolant into the car during routine maintenance but then think nothing of filling it with tap water with all the chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals and with an acid ph & then wonder why the heater matrix falls apart.[;)][:p]
I don't know what they charge over your way, but water from this factory from the reverse osmosis treatment is A$1 a litre so it's not expensive.
Alan S
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