topping up my coolant?

Tem · June 21, 2006, 06:31

Quote from: "dodzi"some has been given this advice and it works

How do they know it works?

It doesn't break anything the moment you put it in. It might take 5 years before the seals start to give away and leave you stranded somewhere. Or that very hot day, which only comes every 10 years or so, to realize your car won't keep cool anymore. I doubt any individual person has done a side-by-side testing with Toyota coolant and tap water for several years. s;)

s;)

So yes. It will work for sure. For some time. But why risk it in the long run?

Anonymous · June 21, 2006, 09:36

Think your quoting me out of context TEM. I'm just wanting to know why?

Tem · June 21, 2006, 10:18

Quote from: "dodzi"Think your quoting me out of context TEM.

Sorry, didn't mean to imply you said it works, that's why I included the "some" in the quote. s8)

s8)

northernalex · September 30, 2006, 15:41

bump,

was searching for this:

My coolent level was below min (just a little bit) and i filled it up with ethylene glycol baised coolant recently ( about a month ago ) now its back to min - how often do you lot top it up.

Oh and BTW the manual says to top up with distilled water NEVER do this as it eats aluminum for breakfast (I know we have a distilled water plant at work)

SteveJ · September 30, 2006, 16:34

Quote from: "northernalex"bump,

was searching for this:

My coolent level was below min (just a little bit) and i filled it up with ethylene glycol baised coolant recently ( about a month ago ) now its back to min - how often do you lot top it up.

Oh and BTW the manual says to top up with distilled water NEVER do this as it eats aluminum for breakfast (I know we have a distilled water plant at work)

But where is it when the engine is hot s:?: :?: s:?: - I suspect over full s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Leave it alone and just keep an eye on it - as long as there is some fluid in the bottle when cold you will be OK

northernalex · September 30, 2006, 17:52

steve, you're probably right mate s:)

s:)

I'll just keep an eye on it.

red_leicester · September 30, 2006, 20:16

Quote from: "northernalex"Oh and BTW the manual says to top up with distilled water NEVER do this as it eats aluminum for breakfast (I know we have a distilled water plant at work)

Maybe it means to just top up with distilled if necessary, not use only distilled.
Shouldn't it be 50/50 glycol/water mix?

northernalex · September 30, 2006, 23:21

yeah i suspect it does mean that, however according to the engineer at my work (and some chemist too... my chemistry is a bit lacking, I'm a physicist) ethylene glycol wont cometly ionise the water, the cations in the aluminum will, so distilled water even topping up is supposed to be a no no... However I've not tested this. Wouldnt want to risk it.

Maybe a chemist can give me a more definitive answer.?? s:)

s:)