Coolant

[Jazz]

1K, 5K and 10K check and top up only nia.

Today just went for 5K servicing, waited 7 hrs at TCM, tired man. 

[iagree]

Today just went for 5K servicing, waited 7 hrs at TCM, tired man. 

Aiyo. 7hrs? ask them to fly kite lah.

[Jazz]

Aiyo. 7hrs? ask them to fly kite lah.

Ya, was there before 10am for registration, collected my car at 5pm. They mentioned checked my suspension and air-con, that why took so long.

Drank more than 10 cups of coffee there. 

[detach8]

If flush, need to drain all the existing coolant off. There are 2 types of flush, if normal no rust, just flush it with a power jet can liao, if rust, need to use chemical like our home aircon, more expensive. 

Top up at the reservoir, same what you do to your wiper. Dun open the radiator cap, if you dun know how to cap tightly, it will blown off, that is why there is a bar indicator of 0.9bar if I not wrong. 

bros, i would suggest to check the radiator too. the experience i described earlier is that the header tank had water, but radiator practically empty (due to engine combustion gasses escaping into the radiator, forcing water out) so although our car is new and very unlikely to have a gasket problem like mine it is still better to check.

when checking radiator make sure engine is cold. if it is hot and you LL have to check, then do make sure you use a big cloth, cover the radiator cap. press down and it will start to release all the pressure inside and steam will come out. hold down the pressure (dun turn yet!!!) until all the pressure is released then twist open. when hot, top up with the engine running. dont pour cold water into a hot engine that is not running. when cold you can top up as much as you want.

distilled water = can buy from NTUC fairprice, shop & save. those $1 bottled water (distllled, not mineral!) is distilled. battery water is also distilled water. usually if you let the petrol kiosk people do they will take tap water, or worse the water use at the car wash with some soap remains inside (they wash their hands in there). don't let them top up for you. i rather use tap water than soapy water. tap water is ok lah, but distilled water is preferred. i think tcm also use tap water. distilled water damn expensive. so no big deal. but soapy water... 

[darrylker]

Hi

First of all, thanks to all the buddies' replies to this topic.

I will try to observe this evening to see is there any 'green water' on the floor. If yes, meaning leakage.

Hi lyh1280, why 40k then change? If anytime we noticed the coolant is no longer in 'green', shld chg right?

How do we topup the water to the coolant reservior if we notice it's not at the Max level? Or we fill-up/topup water from Radiator there (open the radiator cap then pour water in?)

Leakage will KO the gasket & engine (overheat) also?

Oh, I do not know whether it is really dark or not but it's just at the level btw the Min & Max, and the color is no longer 'green green', it's like "loh loh" (blur & dim in color, may be "cloudy" is the word to use to describe?), so i let him change for me because it's just coolants, so i think it shld be ok. BUT, one thing that i am worrying is their skill? How do we know they change the coolant for us with the right skill? Do they have enough knowledge for Latio's coolant & tangki (radiator?) reservoirs?

My ride is now abt 21000 km liao. I didn't check this morning! Will check again this evening & let u guys know abt it.

What is NPMP?


To detach8, had no coolant at all? That's scary right? It shldnt happen.... without coolant and the entire gasket KO? I will make it as habit to check the car every week...!!! Thanks for sharing info./knowledge.

So, the guy chg my coolant when it's warm (bad idea), sux, i shld not let him chg also since it's warm (i felt that too but since he suggested then i take it aso and RM16 is not very expensive? i donno the mkt price, i thk if we chg ourself, may be it cost abt S$3 or so per bottle? How easy to get it chg ourself?)

I think i got to check the following later:
1) the Radiator (make sure water still full?)
2) the coolant level (leaking)
3) chk the floor (wet floor mean coolant leaking)

FYI, i drove the car from JB (chg coolant@JB) to KL , drove abt 300km+
Then drove back fr KL to SG, another 380km.
So far so good, none of the "lights" are on. So i presume it's ok. But, the only thing i wonder is why the coolant reservoir's water level drop abt 1inch from the Max level!!!

Hi darrylker , you change at TCM? FOC? What package you took from them? Haiya, i spent my own RM32 (abt S$13) for that coolant, quite silly lah! Sigh! I am thinking to go TCM for servicing for my next service. Shld be around 28000km, now still have abt 6000km i think! How? Sigh! Must take care of our ride, i think go to service at TCM is the best if the package is not more than S$300/= or S$400/=! Worth to let TCM handles as it is for our own SAFETY and peace of MIND!!! Do you guys agree???

Thanks.
iagree!

Hi bro,

NCMP is the 2-yr servicing package (4 servicings in total) I signed from TCM...covered till 50k km as I signed after my 3rd free servicing. Think I paid abt $989 for the package at that time, now price up to 1k+. I agree that goin back TCM safer, especially still within the 3 years warranty. Personally had bad experience with my prev car engine as I serviced outside...so now more 'kiasi'! 

[darrylker]

Today just went for 5K servicing, waited 7 hrs at TCM, tired man. 

Wah! How come 7hrs? Mine longest wait abt 5hrs and I almost cant take it liaoz! 

[detach8]

Personally had bad experience with my prev car engine as I serviced outside...so now more 'kiasi'! 

totally agree. also try to go during off-peak time so they more relak to fix your car. dun rush them. if u rush them the might not do such a good job.

[Jazz]

Wah! How come 7hrs? Mine longest wait abt 5hrs and I almost cant take it liaoz! 

Maybe too many cars. 

[yapsf]

Getting a bit confusing here. Correct me if I am wrong.

When topping up coolant, we got to top up 2 places - coolant reservoir, as well as radiator.

We can either top up both the reservoir and radiator with either distilled water, or green coolant.

How do we tell the maximum level to top up in the radiator? Any markings there to indicate max level?

[detach8]

Haha ok ...

Yes you can top up 2 places. Radiator and reservoir. But usually radiator = check only... It should have coolant. Just top up the rest into the reservoir.

The coolant must be 1/3 or 1/2 mix with water (depend on what coolant you buy, read the bottle).

[iagree]

Haha ok ...

Yes you can top up 2 places. Radiator and reservoir. But usually radiator = check only... It should have coolant. Just top up the rest into the reservoir.

The coolant must be 1/3 or 1/2 mix with water (depend on what coolant you buy, read the bottle).

hi

normal water from the tap cannot use meh?
i only use that this morning, but nothing much to topup to Radiator coz i can see the 'green' coolant near the cap. i pour abit of water from my "Sprite" bottle, alittle bit oni coz it is nearly full.
i checked this morning, the coolant & radiator is in "cold" condition. the coolant reservoior is still like showing the abt 1inch lower to the Max Level. and the Radiator there i can see the "green" water near the cap.

yday, after i drove home, i check the coolant reservior & radiator, the coolant reservior water level is near to the "Max", meaning normal right? when it is 'hot', the coolant water level go up and it is near to the "Max". and, at the same time, i did not open the Radiator cap because it is too hot and i am unfamiliar with it, later kena hurt by the Radiator water then kaulat. I only check the Radiator when it is in cold condition.

so, i presume, there is no leaking. it's like some of you guys had mentioned, when i let the Mobil stn attendant chg my Coolant that time, my car Radiator still in "hot" condition, therefore, the Coolant level is not very accurate. so, it's btr to change the coolant when the car is in cool condition then? But, how ah? We got to drive our car to workshop/TCM for servicing, the car already is "hot hot" leh?

[yapsf]

What kind of coolant can I top up? Can I mix any coolants that is greenish in colour, assuming it is pre-mixed?

[detach8]

tap water should be fine ba. as long as you flush often. most people use tap water.  i think my old car previous owner never flush for 3-4 years all the crap started to build up. usually radiator should be full of water, so no need to add. since you say the level like never change, your car is fine.

it is ok to top up the reservoir to "max" when cold. when it is hot it will go above the "max" mark. that should be normal ba... hmm any experts want to add?

[detach8]

What kind of coolant can I top up? Can I mix any coolants that is greenish in colour, assuming it is pre-mixed?

best to use the same type of coolant. i know got 2 type. green and red. i think red coolant boh liao. only older cars. usually we dun have to add coolant. just add abit more water can already. only when your radiator leak etc then you must add some coolant.

[iagree]

tap water should be fine ba. as long as you flush often. most people use tap water.  i think my old car previous owner never flush for 3-4 years all the crap started to build up. usually radiator should be full of water, so no need to add. since you say the level like never change, your car is fine.

it is ok to top up the reservoir to "max" when cold. when it is hot it will go above the "max" mark. that should be normal ba... hmm any experts want to add?

hi detach8

thanks for your valueable points. i like it. my knowledge is getting thicker & 'stronger'. how abt you guys? agree? :)

then i think u r right, my car is fine.

so, i dun hv to topup to my radiator.
so, i can topup tap water to my coolant reservoir to the Max Level in the morning (when it is cold). when the water is 'hot', it is ok to let it be above Max Level, it won't be overflow or hitting the coolant cap right?

one more thing, when i pour water to Radiator, the 'green' water got flow out, do i need to clean them so that it wont stay near the parts/areas surrounding it?

also, how do get the Radiator "flushed"? how easy to do it ourselves leh?

Regards.

[yapsf]

But I read somewhere before it is preferably to top up with distilled water than tap water. Coz tap water contains iron which might contribute to rusting in the radiator.

[iagree]

But I read somewhere before it is preferably to top up with distilled water than tap water. Coz tap water contains iron which might contribute to rusting in the radiator.

hi yapsf

then how?
how to get distilled water? got to pay to get? then costly liao?

i noticed Mobil stn @ JB that guy aso use normal tap water to chg for my coolant and topup water to my radiator right? if so, then how?

what TCM uses for our Radiator n coolant reservior?

thanks.

[detach8]

haha no need thank me, i speak from a bad experience, so basically i paid a hefty lesson from a car gasket blowing up on me

last i saw my old car on sgcarmart.. SOLD liao.. faint. good luck to new owner
http://www.sgcarmart.com/main/info-2XaKXa18-1054.html

distilled water can be anything lah. battery water = distilled water. the $1 1L bottled water in 7-11 is also distilled water. not evian lah that one mineral water cost a bomb.

usually the water will expand until almost 1" above max. that is fine. our reservoir have extra space to cater for this expansion one.

i think most things in the car (except engine oil and ATF) is best check when cold. tyre pressure also.

[ellsworth]

Did the mech bleed your radiator of air pockets after topping up your radiator with new coolant? When you empty your radiator and topup with new coolant and distilled water, some air pocket will be created. This air pockets is probably taking up the extra space that the coolant and distilled water should occupy in your radiator (think of yourself gulping water constantly and never burp). Your radiator works like a pressurized system, releasing water to the coolant reservoir when it is too hot (pressurized), that's where you see your plastic coolant reservoir.

If there's really a leak, check your radiator hose clamp area, there should have presence of white/brownish residue. There's 2 hose to check. Most likely radiator clamps/hose are the culprit.

[yapsf]

Ya, you can easily get distilled water from Watsons, Guardian, 7/11, etc. Make sure that the bottled is labelled distilled water, not mineral water.

By the way, any idea whethr Newater is considered distilled?