Coolant change / Guide
Discussion
Hi guys,
I just bought some coolant and some coolant flush and would like to change the coolant myself.
Is there a guide to do this DIY? Its full of crap because I think two different types of coolant were mixed on last service. I am getting foamy stuff filling my coolant tank.
Its 2002 K series.
Its is 1000000000% NOT HGF.
Thank you!
I just bought some coolant and some coolant flush and would like to change the coolant myself.
Is there a guide to do this DIY? Its full of crap because I think two different types of coolant were mixed on last service. I am getting foamy stuff filling my coolant tank.
Its 2002 K series.
Its is 1000000000% NOT HGF.
Thank you!
I did a coolant change the other week on my S1, from the old green antifreeze to the pink/red OAT antifreeze which is now recommended. It's a little bit long winded to do properly.
The best place to drain the coolant system on the S1 is the return pipe from the radiator. Which comes out of the left chassis leg in the engine bay (under tray will have to be removed). once most of the old coolant is out refill with water and cleaning product. You need to bleed the air out of the system while your refilling. There is one on the return pipe right next to the radiator. Which can be undone with your hand. There is also one on the pipe work in the engine bay. On the S1 it's on the left side and is a small little 8mm bolt near the engine. I blead the car with the rear raised and used mainly the rear bleed screw. To help the water around the system I pressurised the expansion tank and made shore there was always plenty of water in there. Don't let it run dry as you'll put more air in the system. Once you are getting a stead flow of water out of the bleed point you can then put the bolt back in. Then check there is plenty of water in the system. I squeezed the pipe coming out of the radiator. If done right it should feel like there is plenty of water in there. If not you've still got lots of air in the system.
Once your happy run the engine up to temp so the thermostat opens. Also have the heater on hot so the heat matrix is also flushed. Keep an eye on the engine temp and don't let it get much over 100C. A good check is to feel the return radiator pipe, this should be hot if the thermostat has opened and the car is flowing coolant properly.
When the coolant system has cooled down enough to be able to take off the expansion tank cap, drain system again. I did the last steps about 4 times. Using just plain tap water.
On the last cleaning flush I drained the system down and then left the pipe off where you've just drain the system and then pushed around 8 litres into the system by pressurising the expansion tank. It doesn't need much pressure so I did it by putting my mouth over the expansion tank filling point and blowing. Or if you don't fancy doing this as it not nice when you get antifreeze in your mouth. If you don't want to taste antifreeze you can convert an easy bleed brake bleeder to do the job.
On the final fill I used de-ionised water, I did a 60/40 antifreeze / water mix. As you will never get all of the plain water out of the system, so should be more like 50/50 once all refilled. Keep an eye on your coolant level afterwards and make shore is at MIN when cold. Top up until it stops going below MIN. I keep some pre mixed in the car for a while and check the level after ever journey.
That is bad practise to mix antifreezes and does a great job of blocking up you radiator and heater matrix. A garage should know this and I would be asking them to do the job porperly if I paid them you do it the first place.
The best place to drain the coolant system on the S1 is the return pipe from the radiator. Which comes out of the left chassis leg in the engine bay (under tray will have to be removed). once most of the old coolant is out refill with water and cleaning product. You need to bleed the air out of the system while your refilling. There is one on the return pipe right next to the radiator. Which can be undone with your hand. There is also one on the pipe work in the engine bay. On the S1 it's on the left side and is a small little 8mm bolt near the engine. I blead the car with the rear raised and used mainly the rear bleed screw. To help the water around the system I pressurised the expansion tank and made shore there was always plenty of water in there. Don't let it run dry as you'll put more air in the system. Once you are getting a stead flow of water out of the bleed point you can then put the bolt back in. Then check there is plenty of water in the system. I squeezed the pipe coming out of the radiator. If done right it should feel like there is plenty of water in there. If not you've still got lots of air in the system.
Once your happy run the engine up to temp so the thermostat opens. Also have the heater on hot so the heat matrix is also flushed. Keep an eye on the engine temp and don't let it get much over 100C. A good check is to feel the return radiator pipe, this should be hot if the thermostat has opened and the car is flowing coolant properly.
When the coolant system has cooled down enough to be able to take off the expansion tank cap, drain system again. I did the last steps about 4 times. Using just plain tap water.
On the last cleaning flush I drained the system down and then left the pipe off where you've just drain the system and then pushed around 8 litres into the system by pressurising the expansion tank. It doesn't need much pressure so I did it by putting my mouth over the expansion tank filling point and blowing. Or if you don't fancy doing this as it not nice when you get antifreeze in your mouth. If you don't want to taste antifreeze you can convert an easy bleed brake bleeder to do the job.
On the final fill I used de-ionised water, I did a 60/40 antifreeze / water mix. As you will never get all of the plain water out of the system, so should be more like 50/50 once all refilled. Keep an eye on your coolant level afterwards and make shore is at MIN when cold. Top up until it stops going below MIN. I keep some pre mixed in the car for a while and check the level after ever journey.
That is bad practise to mix antifreezes and does a great job of blocking up you radiator and heater matrix. A garage should know this and I would be asking them to do the job porperly if I paid them you do it the first place.
Easiest way to bleed the system which has worked for me on 5 occasions now.
1. Fill coolant header tank up very slowly, just a trickle in to try and limit amount of air getting in. Once its looking like getting full (it will fill and drop until the system is full), attach an eezibleed brake bleeding system. one of the caps fits perfectly on the elise header tank.
Fill bottle up with coolant and just blow into the tyre valve connector to push coolant round system.
Open bleed screw on metal coolant hose running along inlet manifold side of engine then round the gearbox side which comes from the stat
When fluid comes out of this bleed point, close it. Do the same with the front bleed nipple, you may need an assistant. Dont connect the eezibleed up to the tyre like you do when doing the brakes, you may pop a seal or pipe.
Once it comes out of front bleed screw, start it up, get it up to temp, hold it at 2000 revs for a bit, wait for your fan to come in and make sure it brings temp down.
Try the heater and make sure radiator is hot all the way across.
System bled!
1. Fill coolant header tank up very slowly, just a trickle in to try and limit amount of air getting in. Once its looking like getting full (it will fill and drop until the system is full), attach an eezibleed brake bleeding system. one of the caps fits perfectly on the elise header tank.
Fill bottle up with coolant and just blow into the tyre valve connector to push coolant round system.
Open bleed screw on metal coolant hose running along inlet manifold side of engine then round the gearbox side which comes from the stat
When fluid comes out of this bleed point, close it. Do the same with the front bleed nipple, you may need an assistant. Dont connect the eezibleed up to the tyre like you do when doing the brakes, you may pop a seal or pipe.
Once it comes out of front bleed screw, start it up, get it up to temp, hold it at 2000 revs for a bit, wait for your fan to come in and make sure it brings temp down.
Try the heater and make sure radiator is hot all the way across.
System bled!
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