Topping up Car Coolant with Water

bwatt72 on 13/12/2020 - 11:15
Last edited 13/12/2020 - 11:29 by 1 other user

Never needed to top up my coolant in 8 years of owning my car its hardly ever needed anything or possibly was topped up while having service. I noticed the other day it was close to or on the minimum mark. It was awkward to see by the shape of container and where marks was placed on it.

I asked my mobile mechanic who I wish to get a service done and another job but busy till next year.

He said to just top up with water and with kettle water. I'm taking that as its only at minimum mark or close to that, there be plenty coolant still in there.

As when I look it up most talk about topping it up with a mix of coolant and water or the pre mix stuff, but he says just water I take that's OK.

He is pretty good at his job but it's weird how I read different for this when looking it up or had done so previous to asking.

Maybe he plans to empty it and put new stuff in with service next year in January, but was no mention of that.

Automotive

Comments

  • sini180 on 13/12/2020 - 11:19
    +4

    You're talking the overflow? It doesn't hold much compared to the whole system. The amount added won't change the mix ratio bugger all. Just top up with water and it'll be fine until your service.

    • apsilon on 13/12/2020 - 11:29
      +1

      I assume overflow as I've never seen a car with min max marks elsewhere for coolant. Just demineralised water is fine or tap water if you don't care.

      • Ocker on 13/12/2020 - 13:26

        Cars without overflow tanks are obviously before your time (lol)

        • apsilon on 13/12/2020 - 14:02

          Must be, I haven't had anything older than '73 and even that had an overflow.

  • pegaxs on 13/12/2020 - 11:33
    +7

    Just buy a 4 litre bottle of de-mineralised water from your favourite outlet and use that. Kettle water still have minerals in is, but in those quantities, it isnt an issue. (neither is tap water if you are only adding 100~200 ml until next service.)

    • Seraphin7 on 13/12/2020 - 14:04
      +3

      Wouldn't kettle water have more minerals per mL than tap water?

      • pegaxs on 13/12/2020 - 15:35

        Kettle water is from the tap, so I dont see why one would have more than the other. Boiling tap water usually just boils off the chemicals like chlorine that is added at the water treatment plant, but doesn't boil off things like calcium.

        • Seraphin7 on 13/12/2020 - 16:45
          +2

          My high school science tells me that boiling water, while killing bacteria, etc. just lets off steam (i.e. pure water) and anything that was dissolved in the water is left behind (unless it happens to have a boiling point less than 100 degrees). Basically, anything that is dissolved in the water becomes more concentrated after boiling, because some percentage of the water that was there is no longer.

          • pegaxs on 13/12/2020 - 17:16
            +1

            @Seraphin7: Oh, yeah, I see what you mean, it would depends on how much is boiled off. If you had 1lt of tap water and boiled it down to the last 100ml, then sure. But if you boil 1lt of water at home, you might only lose a very tiny fraction. So, "technically", yes, it would be a higher concentration, but in rerality, not something the average person could measure.

            • Seraphin7 on 13/12/2020 - 17:28
              +2

              @pegaxs: Yeah, I hear you, the differences are likely negligible in practical terms, but the ultimate point is that using kettle water is just a waste of time … either go with the specifically bought stuff, or just go straight from the tap.

  • Euphemistic on 13/12/2020 - 11:50

    Do you have a super performance Great Wall or fully sick commodore? You MUST put coolant in those they will reject it and blow up like an amarrican movie car. /sarcasm.

    Your mechanic is correct. Do what he says.

  • Austaurean on 13/12/2020 - 13:00
    +4

    Dont mix coolants, some can react with each other

  • bwatt72 on 13/12/2020 - 14:38

    So as my mobile mechanic said nothing wrong with just adding water boiled from kettle and no need to get coolant.
    Its the container under hood that holds the stuff not sure what others are saying overflow etc.

    • Bourb on 13/12/2020 - 15:18

      "not sure what others are saying overflow etc"

      The tank with the Min and Max is the overflow tank for the radiator, as the water heats it expands and enters the Tank, as it cools it is sucked (for want of a better word) back into the radiator. Back in the 60's and 70's there was no overflow tank, the water just drained onto the road!

      • pegaxs on 13/12/2020 - 15:37

        That's why its more aptly called an "expansion tank".

      • bwatt72 on 13/12/2020 - 15:42

        Ok so left side with min and max is overflow so when your filling the right side should the overflow side fill up. As i did so in garage and its very hard to see the line mark inside the tank a torch made it worse.
        I just put in approx 750ml and still never seen it to max line i maybe have to check in daylight next time.

        I just asume approx where im filling from right side that its also filling right side overflow side and when i shine a torch inside the fill line will be about the same. If so at a guess then im about the max line.

        I have never had such an akward container to see what or when i have met max line but im sure it will do till next service in jan.

        • Bourb on 13/12/2020 - 16:14

          You shouldn't fill it to the Max line when the water is cold, the Max is for when the engine is at it's optimal operating temperature (hot). The Max is for when the coolant is Hot, and the Min is for when the engine is cold. Never undo the radiator cap when the engine is hot, always add the water to the overflow/expansion tank.

      • Bourb on 13/12/2020 - 16:29

        I should add, that if you do fill the Expansion Tank to the Max when the coolant is cold it won't do any damage to the engine, as the coolant expands the excess will leave the Tank through an overflow tube.

  • bazingaa on 13/12/2020 - 14:41

    what is the colour of the coolant ?

  • bwatt72 on 13/12/2020 - 14:51

    Orange sort of colour or pinky kind of colour what you seen when looking up coolant bottles to buy

  • Cave Fire on 13/12/2020 - 15:32

    Best procedure is to change it completely. You are meant to do this every 50,000 kms as a guideline. It degrades after time and loses it's ability to cool. Usually just means your fans come on quicker, but worth noting you have lost some cooling capacity. After it's drained and filled, it needs to be bled eg. idled and the air removed. If you want to just top up, then I would say distilled water is best. You can overfill it and the coolant also expands, so might want to try adding small amounts at a time. The boiled tap water probably won't do any harm, but best not to get into bad habits.

    • apsilon on 13/12/2020 - 15:56

      You are meant to do this every 50,000 kms as a guideline

      You missed a zero. Modern long life coolants are generally good for 7+ years or 500,000km these days. What's important is using the right coolant. The colours aren't just for looks, they actually designate the type of coolant.

      • Cave Fire on 13/12/2020 - 23:45

        Yep, it's 7+ years or 500k whichever is first. In Op's case fluid is eight years old + whenever the fluid was last changed.

  • HairyChickens on 13/12/2020 - 15:39

    I mean my dad used tap water as "coolant" for 12 years in his camry and everything was fine………….until the radiator blew up last summer.

    • bwatt72 on 13/12/2020 - 15:46

      Yes im sure tap water is fine but who knows just going by advise and boiled kettle water will do me.
      afterall they boil water for baby s milk these days but im sure tap water and for other things was all used then and was fine.

      • HairyChickens on 13/12/2020 - 16:25

        If I were you I would just use demineralised water for now because the minerals in tap water and even boiled water could cause corrosion. My comment was more for a laugh but for a few weeks, boiled water should be ok.

  • bwatt72 on 13/12/2020 - 17:56

    Well my mobile mechanic says use kettle water and he is very good at his job so dont know why he would say this if not a good idea, unless he does something with it during service in jan.

  • Keplaffintech on 13/12/2020 - 20:53

    What is your question? You seem pretty confident with your mechanic's advice, so go with it.

  • kizzy on 13/12/2020 - 22:01

    Tap water is fine for a top up

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 14/12/2020 - 08:19
    -1

    Tip up with petrol or cordial (has to be green cordial, it’s incompatible with the other colours), it makes it last longerer

    • bwatt72 on 14/12/2020 - 12:45

      There is always that clown smart ass remarks advice taken, but best not spend too much time on here you will miss the school bell.

      • HelpMeiCantSee on 17/12/2020 - 08:34

        There’s always a butthurt clown too. You do you hun.

  • terrys on 14/12/2020 - 09:54
    +2

    For those in Adelaide, never never use tap-water.

    Rain-water is fine to top-up, but another reason for using coolant is to prevent corrosion. When you have aluminium [ thermostat housings, heads ect] iron and un-buffered water together, there is a galvanic action similar to that between zinc and iron, except it's the iron that oxidises 'protecting' the aluminium. That's where the nice brown colour comes from when you flush an old system.

    A couple of hundred ml of rain/soft tap water in a few liters of coolant would usually be fine but try that here with our tap water and after the first few times you'll have your own little limestone reefs forming through the system.

  • OzHunterNSW on 14/12/2020 - 09:59
    -3

    Neglecting to service your vehicle demonstrates you have little to no mechanical knowledge what so ever.
    Your 8 Year coolant is no better than water from your tap.
    Of corse you can top up the coolant with water…. what do you think keeps the engine from overheating?
    The additive you infer, has a number of important jobs to do beside keeping the engine at optimum temperature.

    If your mechanic was any good they would have schooled you in the importance in maintaining FRESH coolant.

    Read the container label. Read the web site. Look on Utube. Educate yourself…. before you know it, 8 years of naivety will become a life time of stupidity. Society does not need that.

    • apsilon on 14/12/2020 - 10:32
      +3

      They never said the coolant is 8 years old. They said they've had the car 8 years and have never needed to top it up. That's not unusual. They claim to have a mechanic so I assume the car gets serviced and the coolant has probably been changed and/or topped up by them. Even if it were 8 years old that doesn't mean much without knowing what's in it. 7 and 10 year coolants have been common for a fair while now.

    • bwatt72 on 14/12/2020 - 12:40
      +1

      Lol read before you blow your trumpet owned the car close to 8 yrs officially car is close to 9 years old. It was serviced each year and while under warranty from dealership after than been using mobile mechanics.
      Services have been on time or if not a mouth over of late.
      But this one was due in oct and my first of being a little late due to funds and current times.
      I also have another issue with car that its not affecting it but something that needs done so in jan i get this and service done same time.
      So what you talking about 8 yr coolant if its the same stuff from 8 yrs ago the dealership and my mobile mechanics that was used need a kick up the ass.

      I know it keeps engine cool its probably similiar to putting anti freeze in colder places, obviously coolant here is a bigger factor.
      It even says what brand to use as coolant in dealerships book but im sure others will do.
      My mechanic is good at what he does and said top up with water is fine so did just that.

      Maybe its been changed sevsral times maybe not but assume it has been its only now i see its ever needed a top up possibly as it was done in service before or changed.

      My previous mechanic quoted me $4000 on a job on the car saying it had issue and i thought he was great guy with his computer connected he got codes and job would be approx that cost.
      Not being a mug like some people in this world got another opinion and it was only few sensors costing about 300 or less cant remember.
      So i stuck with this guy since, i trusted my other mechanic and to find he might have tried to rip me off or got it wrong the price was always the same.

      Yes im not clued up on cars i admit but im no mug either when things go wrong or im told its its something its not. This first mobile mechanic i had been using me a few.years so he spoiled it for himself by possibly getting greedy or trying a fast one.

      As for schooled you in the importance in maintaining FRESH coolant.

      It either is done in services how frequent i dont know or i might be wrong top it up like i did or with a bottle already mixed with coolant do that.
      End of day its not as if it was running dry it was on the min mark which i not had before.

      Society does not need idiots like you who cant read before mouthing off. So move on mate your no belp here.

      But i have topped it up but i just questioned it and got various comments so all good to everyone for there help and adivise.

      • MS Paint on 14/12/2020 - 14:44

        Maybe its been changed sevsral times maybe not

        I'm going to say not. Read the service manual. I'm guessing it says the first coolant change is at 10 years.

        there help and adivise

        Thanks for the new variation here. I appreciate it.

  • Toph Beifong on 14/12/2020 - 22:44

    Use demineralised water only, can get it from Bunnings. Not expensive at all, just dont put tap or kettle water in it!

    • bwatt72 on 14/12/2020 - 23:03

      Too late as put boiled kettle water in as advised by mechanic.
      i did come on here to question it and i got use tap water to kettle water is fine to what you said demineralised and the odd joker taking the piss.
      Did they put demineralised water in years ago or maybe there was no need.

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