Car Overheated

[sunny747]

okie, so shall i use coolant or keep it plain? i'm using an old car...

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Everybody should use coolent its also have a higher boiling point, but up 2 u

[junkofdavid2]

Had an oil change today at B-Quick.

They have amazingly good deals.

My car's a Toyota Camry 2.2, and an oil change (Mobil 20W-50) with filter (B-quick brand for Toyota) was only 500 baht flat... plus 10% off on my next visit (i.e. 450 baht if prices haven't changed by then). Moreover, the technicians don't accept tips.

For Honda, it would've been 550 instead of 500 (from what I understand, the oil filter is a bit more expensive).

Of course, they try to sell you a lot of add-ons (engine flush, synthetic oil instead, etc.) but they don't pressure you if you politely decline.

[Lopburi99]

When I took it to the shop Monday, they apparently added coolant during the treatment, so I'll just leave it in there until my next radiator flush.

However, I prefer no coolant.

In an old car of mine in the past, it was mildly overheating due to semi-hardened clumps of coolant which were semi-clogging the radiator, and the overheating stopped when they cleaned the radiator thoroughly inside (poking it with some sorta thin flat wire) to remove the clumps. Car worked perfectly afterward.

(When they opened it up, the clumps were exactly the same color as the coolant. Kinda looked like hardened milk in coolant color).

.

I've never heard of coolant clumping before, have you guys? That's a new one on me. Some kind of an incompatibility maybe?

[elkangorito]

When air gets into the car's coolant system, corrosion is sped up greatly.

It's always a good idea to "flush" your radiator once every couple of years. I used to do it myself with sand & mild detergent. A handful of sand plus a teaspoon of "Sunlight" dishwashing liquid did the trick.

After driving around for a day or so, I would rip out the radiator, check the hoses, manually flush the water pump & manually flush the engine with copious amounts of water.

After reassembly, I would drive for a day (checking water level only when engine was cold) then drain & fill the system again. Left over sand & detergent is not a good thing. At this point, I would also add a good quality glycol ethylene coolant. I would also replace the radiator cap with a new one.

[63Tommy1]

elkangorito... RU kidding? Putting sand in the colingsystem, sounds risky bordering to stupid, I have never heard of it before.

There are other cleaning products you can use, and it works like you said in your post, but sand???

Also, Glychol is added as an anti freeze to your cooling system, but a coolant with glychol will also contain anti corrosion and lubrication additives.

If you live in a warm country, like Thailand, you will do just fine with the additives!

And YES too much additives will give build-ups in the cooling system, CAT for instance recommends 6-8% of their additive in the coolant.

Tommy

[elkangorito]

"Bars" (a brand name) in Australia used to sell coolant cleaner that consisted of sand. It works ok if you flush it out correctly. If you don't flush it out, it will surely give you problems.

Glycol Ethylene is commonly used in Australia as a coolant and anti-freeze.

[a99az]

Funny that the major automakers won't install something as simple as a flashing light and/or bell (like the very same one you hear when you do something "horrible" like leaving your lights on after you remove the ignition key) when the temperature guage goes above 50%. Would certainly save folks hundreds if not thousands of seized up engines per year... oh wait, can't have that now.

Thanks I think I will install an alarm in my new car as I just boild my old one to death. I was not looking at the temp gage. Good idear

[elkangorito]

Why not just learn to pay attention to the temp gauge? It's cheaper & it works.

[Heng]

Yeah, why have a horn when you can just yell out the window?

Mostly because it's only money and there are plenty of folks willing to pay for more options, especially safety options.

[Lopburi99]

"Bars" (a brand name) in Australia used to sell coolant cleaner that consisted of sand. It works ok if you flush it out correctly. If you don't flush it out, it will surely give you problems.

Glycol Ethylene is commonly used in Australia as a coolant and anti-freeze.

In the States, "Bars" sells a product which stops cooling system leaks. I could see sand as an ingredient for that.

[monty]

I'd think that sand would wear out the impeller of the cooling pump rather fast!

[slapout]

Just replaced the radiator on isuzu pickup. Had a small pin hole along upper metal frame where filler cap is. Told no repair on that type of radiator and isuzu wanted 7600 baht for new one (had to order from Bangkok) Went to local mechanic, he sent runner to get new one and installed in 40 minutes for total of 3800 including the coolant. I showed him the small hole and mentioned a good solder job would probably put it back in shape. I have used bars leak for larger leaks and the powered lead looking material for pin hole leaks on radiators but they do not seem available here in CM. The antifreeze does lower the boiling point of the water and the name coolant used for what is sold here should give a hint and as mentioned it does inhibite corrosion and lubricates.

[Gary A]

Google can tell you MANY things;

Pure Water - Freezing Point 0 C / 32 F. Boiling Point 100 C / 212 F

Coolant - 70/30 C2H6O2/Water freezing point -37 C / -35 F Boiling point 113 C / 235 F

The temperature of the coolant can sometimes reach 250 to 275 F (121 to 135 C). Even with ethylene glycol added, these temperatures would boil the coolant, so something additional must be done to raise its boiling point.

The cooling system uses pressure to further raise the boiling point of the coolant. Just as the boiling temperature of water is higher in a pressure cooker, the boiling temperature of coolant is higher if you pressurize the system. Most cars have a pressure limit of 14 to 15 pounds per square inch (psi), which raises the boiling point another 45 F (25 C) so the coolant can withstand the high temperatures. Antifreeze also contains additives to resist corrosion.

[slapout]

brain not engaged on above, meant rises the boiling pt.

[elkangorito]

I'd think that sand would wear out the impeller of the cooling pump rather fast!

It most certainly will...if you leave the sand in the system. When I said "drive it around for a day or so", I only probably drove a total of 10km, afterwhich I would flush out the sand.

The great lumps of corroded crap that came out was incredible the first time I did it.