Cooling System.

[Andy Sherlock]

Does anyone have any hints, tips, warnings or advice on draining and refilling the cooling system on my 1985 R4 GTL? Before I go ahead and make a c*ck up that is.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[malcolm]

For filling the system be sure to fill from the radiator first, replace the cap, fill the expansion bottle and hold it above the car. Then turn the heater on full and undo the little valve sticking out of the bulkhead, and wait for water to come out. Close the little valve.

You'll still have air in the system at this point. Squeeze the top hose and you'll hear bubbling. Keep on quickly squeezing and release the top hose until it feels like there's no air left in there. Check the expansion bottle level again.

Then run the car - it should self bleed from there.

 

[Andy Sherlock]

Thanks for that, job done, bled, run, self bled and topped up. I'm presuming that a 50/50 ethylene glycol mixture should be okay since i CANT FIND ANY PRECISE INFO ON ANTIFREEZE LEVELS (bloody caps lock again, sorry). Please let me know if you disagree.

Regards.

Andy.

 

[malcolm]

Doesn't it say on the tin? 50:50 would be good for -30 degrees C. I normally go for 33% antifreeze, 66% water which would be OK down to -20, though there's no harm in adding too much.

 

[Andy Sherlock]

Doesn't say on the tin I've got, I've tested the specific gravity with a hydrometer and it seems I'm okay to -20°C. That should be enough in these days of global warming.
Thanks
Andy