Halfords Ready Mixed Coolant

[dan_b]

Doesn't sound like they work then if all of us are reporting rust-coloured gack in the coolant systems!

[Pete_RS2]

That's probably due to incorrect/lack of antifreeze during previous ownership. Mine didn't have any antifreeze in when I bought it.

[dan_b]

Blimey.
Is there anything wrong with filling the whole system with antifreeze - ie. don't use any water at all?

[s2avant]

It's the usual OE reasons. Designed for the vehicle, non corrosive, safe for alloy block etc. It's so cheap that it's not worth arguing about.

I use it because it's what VAG say to use, it's a lilac to match my samcos and I don't pay for it

As Martin says, G12+ (lilac) superceded G11 (blue) and G12 (pink) and can be mixed with either. The old G11 and G12 couldn't be mixed.

For the economists amongst us, VAG put the price up slightly of it's coolant a couple of weeks back as apparently there has been a global increase in the cost of the raw materials.

Ben

[s2avant]

If you use 100% antifreeze you lose all the special properties of mixing it with water. On it's own it can't do a great deal. It works by changing the way water reacts to temperature.

Ben

[dan_b]

@Ben - I was speaking to some bloke recently about this -apparently the mad numbers of cars being sold in China has caused a global increase in demand for quite a few regular consumables like Antifreeze and screen wash and what not, which are currently in short supply. Expect prices to continue to rise during the winter!

I understand that adding anti-freeze to water will change its freezing and boiling points, in teh same way that adding water to neat anti-freeze will also change those points for the anti-freeze! Just wondered if putting 100% anti-freeze was a stupid thing to do?

[Lee]

Optimum for lowest freezing point is about 40:60 water to anti-freeze mix. Its a funny one...add either more anti-freeze OR more water and the freezing point goes UP! Wierd eh? Chemistry is funky, wish I'd studied it more!

[Jamo]

Optimum for lowest freezing point is about 40:60 water to anti-freeze mix. Its a funny one...add either more anti-freeze OR more water and the freezing point goes UP! Wierd eh? Chemistry is funky, wish I'd studied it more!

No mate you dont!, i still have nightmares about chemistry and i was going to do biochemistry at uni! soooo glad i didn't

[4WheelDrifter]

There's some wierd **** in chemistry. Like the endothermic reaction of mixing ice and salt together. Useful for freezing stuff fast.

[Jamo]

Sugar and sulphuric acid is my favourite reaction, but isnt water a strange substance?
Especially as when it becomes a solid it has less density then when a liquid?

Transition metals as well, oh what fun i used to have.

[Lee]

Water is a super fluid! Godd latent heat of evaporation, and heat capacity. etc

[S2 Ant]

Cesium in water is also a good one... shame its not readily available for some fun........ for those that dont know, it explodes.

[Jamo]

Cesium in water is also a good one... shame its not readily available for some fun........ for those that dont know, it explodes.

Ah yes group 1 metals, reaction is so exothermic it ignites the hydrogen released when the water is oxidised by the metal.

We were allowed to do it with sodium and potassium but not cesium (still got a demo though)

[dan_b]

No mate you dont!, i still have nightmares about chemistry and i was going to do biochemistry at uni! soooo glad i didn't

Aah, I did do biochemistry at university - studied at Birmingham actually


So, back to my question - is BP pre-mixed antifreeze gonna be ok vs. the genuine Audi pink stuff?

[Jay]

@Ben - I was speaking to some bloke recently about this -apparently the mad numbers of cars being sold in China has caused a global increase in demand for quite a few regular consumables like Antifreeze and screen wash and what not, which are currently in short supply. Expect prices to continue to rise during the winter!

I understand that adding anti-freeze to water will change its freezing and boiling points, in teh same way that adding water to neat anti-freeze will also change those points for the anti-freeze! Just wondered if putting 100% anti-freeze was a stupid thing to do?

Dont use 100% antifreeze (ethylene-glycol) as it will crystalise and block water passages and destory the pump and seals plus its freezing point is less than a 50/50 mix (40/50 is better but most cant work that out )

Watch out if you by coolant this is narmally premixed.

By choice use use the pink type coolant/antifreeze its for the life of the engine and has better antioxidant propertys to protect the alloy etc in the engine plus slightly better heat transfere propertys.

Jay