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Model specific boards => Golf mk3 => Topic started by: gtiscott on 26 April 2008, 10:23

Title: coolant
Post by: gtiscott on 26 April 2008, 10:23

i have to top up coolant for the first time, going to use G12(is this correct stuff), can i just top up with this or should i drain and refill as the stuff thats in looks more like just water?

scott

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: Mikester on 26 April 2008, 11:20

Its worth draining it and refilling it, might aswell, not to hard and that way you can be sure whats in there for next time ;)

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: gtiscott on 26 April 2008, 11:45

cheers mike, do you put G12 in by itself or does it get mixed with water?

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: Mikester on 26 April 2008, 12:21

Its pre mixed im fairly sure, and i think there is a later G13 now  :undecided: Not sure about that though.

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: mattkh on 26 April 2008, 14:21

Hi
I last used G12+ which should never be mixed with G12.
The G12+ never came premixed.
G13 is a new one on me.

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: Pete Taylor on 26 April 2008, 15:17

Put some rad flush in then drain the lot and refill with G12 or the ready mixed Halfrauds pink stuff is just as good

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: gtiscott on 26 April 2008, 16:07

whats the best way to drain and is it just a case of draining then filling back up?...how long should it take?

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: Pete Taylor on 26 April 2008, 16:12

To drain it all out, make sure the engine is hot and remove the bottom radiator hose with the top off the coolant expansion bottle. Might want to wear gloves though to stop yourself needing skin grafts. Refill back up with your mixed coolant after re-attaching the hose, when the level is right in the expansion bottle, give the rad hoses a squeeze to help the air out. Leave the car ticking over until got to allow all the air to get out of the system then top up again because the level will drop

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: gtiscott on 26 April 2008, 16:40

cool, so how much coolant should i buy? and do you leave the cap off after you fill back up to let air come out?

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: Pete Taylor on 26 April 2008, 16:48

I think it's a 5 litre bottle from Halfrauds, that'll leave you plenty should you ever need to top it up again in the future. running the engine after initially filling otherwise there'll be a bigBest just leave the cap on one turn when  pressure buildup

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: eightyeightmph on 26 April 2008, 19:51

G12 needs diluting 50/50 with water, thought the whole system was about 6 Ltrs?

Might be wrong with the last bit though, wouldn't mind a definate answer as I'm putting my new radiator on next weekend!

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: kells on 27 April 2008, 13:26

6.3 litres  :wink:

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: eightyeightmph on 27 April 2008, 13:34

Thought it was around 6lts!

Thanks Kells! :wink:

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: gtiscott on 27 April 2008, 13:50

cheers guys

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: golfmk31993 on 27 April 2008, 14:05

ive just bought a bottle of coolant from tesco, its tesco's own summer coolant, i have just been topping up my exspansion bottle with water in the past and i thought that this tesco's coolant must be better than water,

is it ok to just top it up with the tesco's coolant or should i drain all the old water out?

is it ok to use water ? im not sure wot was in the car when i bought it, but ever since ive just used water

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: nelds on 27 April 2008, 14:20

i'd flush the system and use the pink halfords stuff, it's pretty much the same as G12. that way it'll get rid of the old stuff plus the tesco mix

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: gtiscott on 27 April 2008, 14:48

what do you do to flush the system?

Title: Re: coolant
Post by: Pete Taylor on 27 April 2008, 17:22

buy some rad flush. They all have different instructions so i couldnt tell you how do do it. Go for the powder stuff  you can put in the expansion bottle rather than the gritty stuff that you can only put into the rad