Antifreeze

madasafish · Post by **madasafish** » 16 Oct 2004, 13:14

Ford use OAT: never change it they say .. or 10 years: and yes in an aluminium engine (Zetec)

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 16 Oct 2004, 13:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Basically, the golden rules are:
Don't mix types.
Don't dilute using tap water
Don't buy coolants/anti-freezes that are either too cheap to be effective and/or don't specify the amount of ethylene glycol in their mix.
Alan S
Found the bludger; 'ere 'tis
http://www.are.com.au/Hor/horror_pictures.htm
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Whoops!
The photos make quite worrying viewing - and i think the game will be up on my ZX as i havent followed a singe golden rule (probably the worst one is using tap water!)
The stray voltage thing - deeply worrying how only a tiny tiny voltage can cause so much damage.[xx(]

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 16 Oct 2004, 13:51

Spot on, Phil. (My wife does not allow mistresses, especially French ones!)
I would take the last bit about it lasting for life with a pinch of salt, though - would feel happier changing it occasionally.
A bientot
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by pwatson

Just found this in my "Revue Technique" for the Xantia HDi
"LIQUIDE DE REFROIDISSEMENT
Capacite : - sans clim. :8,5 litres. - avec clim. : 11 litres.
Depuis l'annee modele 2001, tous les modeles recoivent un nouveau type de liquide de refroidissement. Il est formellement interdit de melanger l'ancien et le nouveau liquide de refroidissement
Preconisation :
- jusqu'a l'annee modele 2000 : liquide Revkogel 107 ou Procor 3000 (protection jusqu'a - 35°C).
- depuis l'annee modele 2001 : liquide Glysantin G33 ou Revkogel 2000. Periodicite d'entretien :
- niveau : tous les 2 ans ou tous les 20 000 km. En entretien severe, tous les ans ou tous les 15 000 km.
- remplacement et purge tous les 120 000 km ou tous les 5 ans jusqu'a l’annee modele 2000. Depuis le millesime 2001 : pas de remplacement preconise du a l'adoption d'un nouveau type de liquide de refroidissement a duree de vie illimitee."
Don't know what your French is like but basically it says (hope I am not being patronising here! My French ain't brilliant!)
Type of antifreeze changed with 2001 model - do NOT mix old and new types.
In pre 2001 models, check the level (niveau - I presume means strength of mixture not just water level) every 2 years or 20k. Purge and replace every 120k or 5 years.
Since 2001 no replacement necessary because of the adoption of a new type of antifreeze which has unlimited life.
I am open to correction here - but I think that's what is says - if unsure ask your French mistress!!!
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uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 16 Oct 2004, 14:00

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">The stray voltage thing - deeply worrying how only a tiny tiny voltage can cause so much damage.[xx(]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Anyone who writes 'the stray current was 0.09 of a volt' is talking gibberish.
Current is measured in amperes (amps), potential difference in volts. It is like saying that the temperature is 20kg., or it is half past 3 inches.
Although I know what he is trying to say about electrolytic corrosion, he obviously does not grasp the basics of electricity, so is unqualified to comment on such things. The voltage across a junction of dissimilar metals is determined by what those metals are, assuming there is an electrolyte between them.

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 16 Oct 2004, 14:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by martyhopkirk

Dave - the handbook for the HDi Xantia just says RP No. 9979 16 or 17 which means diddly suqat to me. I think these are just Citroen part numbers.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Marty
They sound like RP or ORGA numbers - says what day car was made.

rg · Post by rg » 16 Oct 2004, 14:09

Folks,
1/ So is OAT OK for my XM providing I flush, etc, etc?
2/ Forget "1/" as something will no doubt leak, demand draining of the system. I would rather waste cheap stuff!
3/ Are all A/F equal? The Bluecol stuff shows a BS number, the Duco brand not. Duco is from factors. Good or bad?
4/ Honest John may be slightly inaccurate on the XM review, but, having been a contributor in the past, I know that he has admiration for late-model XMs. This was one of the influences of my choosing one instead of a Vaux. Omega.
rg

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 16 Oct 2004, 14:12

SORRY PHIL,
That was not intended as an attack on you, just that I think the Honest John website has acheived some kind of legitimacy that it doesn't deserve!
Reading the thread about Pug antifreeze, you can't possibly ignore the fact that one of the contibutors has included a link to an XUD9TE with a thrown rod - whate ver thats got to do with it. Just reduces my belief in anything they publish.
As far as antifreeze is concerned, I'm a real amature - I only live in a country where -20 C happens every winter and if I go "up north" for a skiing holiday, I have to be prepared for -35 C. Thats why I havn't commented on antifreeze at all - The conditions here are so unalike the UK there's no point.
//NiSk

Post by **martyhopkirk** » 16 Oct 2004, 14:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by martyhopkirk

My Xantia HDi is a 2000 registered car, built in Septermber 1999 - so its entirely possible it isnt using OAT coolant anyway.
Ive still to go downstairs and draw off a syringe full to look at in daylight (neghbours complain if i prance around outside im me dressing gown and not much else) - so will check back in later if anything to report.
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Dressed now and...
It IS green! - It also looks very very weary and weak. It smells very much like Glycol based stuff, so im assuming it is. Can find no record of it ever being changed, but does look very clean (possibly lots of tap water!) - I realy ned a propper test meter / hydro meter to tell me how good it is though.
So it appears my 1999/2000 HDi isnt running on OAT but Glycol.
And this is the page in my Xantia HAndbook telling me what antifreeze to use... see its as useful as a cat flap in an elephant house![:)]

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 16 Oct 2004, 15:08

Bluecol - now there's a name - used to be made by Smiths didn't it? Haven't seen it for years and thought with the demise of Smiths it had dissappeared.
Jeremy

pwatson · Post by **pwatson** » 16 Oct 2004, 15:11

"So it appears my 1999/2000 HDi isnt running on OAT but Glycol"
Same as my wife's 2000 HDi then - She had her antifreeze changed at 72k service earlier this year because we weren't sure when it had been changed previously, might have been 2 years earlier before we bought it but didn't know. Think you are best sticking with good old glycol - I wouldn't trust "for life" products anyway - in the same way I wouldn't trust 20 k oil change intervals - that's ok for those who swap cars every 2 years but for those of us who expect our Cits to do at least 100 k I think 10k between oil changes is the maximum!

pwatson · Post by **pwatson** » 16 Oct 2004, 23:13

Nisk,
Pacé. Must admit I was a bit grumpy this morning when I got up for work in the dark and rain! Overreacted I'm afraid!
Happy Citroening!

madasafish · Post by **madasafish** » 17 Oct 2004, 02:37

My wife has a Peugeot 106 1.4 diesel with aluminium head, block and radiator. Owned 11 years from new and serviced by me after Peugeot warranty ran out. I have used Halfords Advanced Antifreeze for 7 years at 60% strength with absolutely no cooling or corrosion problems at all. Antifreeze is still deep blue with no sign of corrosion. The radiator is externally cleaned by hose every year to remove salt and still looks shiny new with no corrosion. Apart from the complex hose with multiple connections which runs under the cambelt drive cover all hoses are originla and appear sound.
Before filling with the above I carefully drained car to ensure no mixing of different anti freeze types. (and of course carefully bled the system). I use ordinary tap water: which has little chalk or scale judging by our kettle deposits: it is not soft but drawn from the Peak District - no limestone mainly sandstone and shale..