Engine coolant

[sawood12]

My coolant's a bit weak and could do with replacing. I've not bothered worrying about engine anti-freeze/anti-corrosion fluid with other cars I've had so have just gone with bog standard stuff from Halfords. Are there any special requirements in the all Alloy 944 engine that might mean the standard stuff is not best to use?

 

[Guest]

it should tell you on the bottle if it is suitable for use with alloy engines, halfords do sell the correct stuff so hopefully the stuff youve got will be ok.
steve

 

[Guest]

should be ethylene glycol based.
steve

 

[944turboS]

My local Hellfords had a BOGOF deal on antifreeze including the fancy new extra temp. range pink stuff [:'(] wonder if some food colouring would fix the viual effect.

 

[appletonn]

Ben, I would have thought that any of the decent makes would be suitable as most engines these days have aluminium heads if not blocks?

 

[edh]

where's the coolant going benny?

 

[zcacogp]

I use the standard blue (sometimes green, but not red) coolant from ECP (or Helfrauds, local motor factor, supermarket etc etc etc) in mine. If it's an aluminium block/head which is of concern then this will be fine - I have used it in alu engines (or part alu engines) for a very long time.


Oli.

 

[bennyboy]

Thanks chaps, it's going in the header tank edh. Think I'll try Helfrauds again, and read the small print.

 

[edh]

I meant - where are you losing coolant? not where are you going to pour it []

have you got a leak?

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: edh

I meant - where are you losing coolant? not where are you going to pour it []

[][][][][][]

 

[appletonn]

ORIGINAL: edh

I meant - where are you losing coolant? not where are you going to pour it []

have you got a leak?

LOL [][]

 

[berg944]

I use the standard blue (sometimes green, but not red) coolant

Why not the red?

Mike[:'(]

 

[bennyboy]

Sorry for the misunderstanding! Think I must be losing it somewhere, but can't locate it yet. I've filled it up so I'll keep an eye on it - put too much in actually, then began attempting to syphon some out, before reading the warning on the bottle. So if you don't hear from me again, it was the coolant that got me!

 

[stevespic]

Why not the red ?

Steve []

 

[edh]

If it's too full it'll just blow out of the overflow pipe on the expansion tank - & find its own level

It's worth checking you're not blowing coolant our of the expansion tank - hope it's a simple leak somewhere

 

[Guest]

Red antifreeze. I seem to recall reading something about it affecting gaskets and seals in some engines - which is pretty odd considering all engines have seals and gaskets.

One thing - buying 'pre-mixed' means you are probably paying for the water. Mix it yourself and don't use tapwater.
Find someone who uses a de-humidifier and ask them to save you 5 litres when they empty it. To all intents and purposes it is as good as distilled water, no chlorine, fluorine, calcium or whatever.

 

[bennyboy]

Can't see a leak in the tank anywhere. Will let it settle then get in there if there's any evidence of a leak elsewhere.

 

[edh]

The coolant does sit at a fairly low level when cold - did you have any left in the expansion tank?

- a tip from andrew S that helped me find a leak once - take the car out & get it nice & hot - then stop, open the bonnet
if you have a leak, even a small one, you should see steam.

Another thing to try is to attach a plastic bottle to the overflow from the expansion tank (once you're sure it's back at the right level). If the cooling system is getting pressurised then you'll start collecting water as it gets pushed out.

 

[Guest]

When the engine is hot , the coolant circuit pressure can cause any small crack to leak. After a stop , if you have a trained nose, you can smell under the bonet the typical glycol scent.
The coolant has a fluorescent dye . The leak can be located using a UV lamp.
Porsche sells a concentrated coolant. For the 951 the recommended concentration is 50%. Please check also if the pressure valve is OK
If you add distillate water to compensate the coolant loss you'll lower the boiling point of the mix, this can cause it to boil over through the expansion tank.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: bennyboy

Sorry for the misunderstanding! Think I must be losing it somewhere, but can't locate it yet. I've filled it up so I'll keep an eye on it - put too much in actually, then began attempting to syphon some out, before reading the warning on the bottle. So if you don't hear from me again, it was the coolant that got me!

thats where you have been going wrong. You're supposed to put it in the car not drink it[]