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Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant - Car Talk (2) - Nairaland

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Help I Top My 2008 V6 Honda Accord's Radiator With Water Everyday / Honda Accord (EOD), Engine Coolant Sensor / When Is The Right Time To Remove And Wash Your Radiator? (2) (3) (4)

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Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by acaolly1(m): 7:48am On Feb 04, 2018
peacettw:
I filled my radiotor with water just now. cry

There is no best coolant than water... This is one of those promos to sell some products. I have been using water for my car radiator for more than 7years and the engine never overheat nor get damaged.

4 Likes

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by preciousfeb(m): 7:48am On Feb 04, 2018
This is quite informative but not 100% correct. U can top up your radiator with water. It is recommended that radiator/water percentage should be 50/50. Using only coolant with damage your engine as well as using only water. An accurate mixture of both is the best option.

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Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by Originalsly: 7:50am On Feb 04, 2018
Much needed info. Soooo many people believe water is the recommended coolant and coolant is a luxury. Then we be asking why there are soo many vehicle fires especially on highways.
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by tunddy(m): 7:51am On Feb 04, 2018
nice talk.....but how many people will adhere to that ?
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by kevoh(m): 7:54am On Feb 04, 2018
Over here in Abuja there's little to no hold up that will cause overheating. Water it is for me. Then coolant maybe once in a while!
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by bettercreature(m): 8:00am On Feb 04, 2018
Originalsly:
Much needed info. Soooo many people believe water is the recommended coolant and coolant is a luxury. Then we be asking why there are soo many vehicle fires especially on highways.
Overheating has nothing to do with different between water and coolant
Either you use coolant or water it will dry up if your engine is faulty

2 Likes

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by AutoJoshNG: 8:01am On Feb 04, 2018
Rigel95:

Autojosh please, what do you do after ignorantly topping the radiator for some months with water? the car is an ml 320 in this case.

Add a can of coolant and don't forget to check your vehicle manual before you take an action.
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by Originalsly: 8:20am On Feb 04, 2018
bettercreature:
Overheating has nothing to do with different between water and coolant
Either you use coolant or water it will dry up if your engine is faulty
Really??..and if your engine is not faulty? Just curious....are you a kazeem?

1 Like

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by peacettw: 8:21am On Feb 04, 2018
acaolly1:


There is no best coolant than water... This is one of those promos to sell some products. I have been using water for my car radiator for more than 7years and the engine never overheat nor get damaged.

Come to think of it, I never used coolant in my first car at least for 10 years and counting. But for my second car, I have been using coolant on the advice of our mechanic who explained that it works better than water. I was only forced to use water today cos its a Sunday and I can't buy any coolant anywhere.

1 Like

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by Rigel95(m): 8:23am On Feb 04, 2018
AutoJoshNG:


Add a can of coolant and don't forget to check your vehicle manual before you take an action.
Thanks.
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by kelechi50: 8:27am On Feb 04, 2018
Please my vehicle has no place to show up the heat level on the dashboard and my mechanic advised me to change the radiator from single cell to double cell, please I need your advice @op
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by marylandcakes: 8:29am On Feb 04, 2018
I do half and half, I pour water half way and fill it up with engine coolant, is this good?
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by Nobody: 8:31am On Feb 04, 2018
AutoJoshNG:
The radiator is the major part of your vehicle that ensures that heat which is the by-product of engine combustion is dissipated into the surrounding air. Engine coolant is the liquid mixture formulated to convey the excess heat from the engine to the radiator.

Our tropical weather dishes out constant punishment to car engines in form of extreme daily temperatures.
It is not only engine oil level that needs regular checks. Engine coolant is also a vital determinant of your engine's health.

To meet the power requirements of your vehicle, Fuel/air mixture is ignited in the engine cylinders by the spark plugs. The resultant combustion is what pushes the cylinders down to be converted to rotary force by the crankshaft. The unwanted by-product is heat. Some of this heat passes out through the exhaust system and some are retained in the engine block.
Temperature in the combustion chamber can easily reach 4000°F or more.

This heat is a waste product of the power being produced. If left undissipated, the engine will quickly overheat and may result in seized pistons or blown gaskets.

Since the surrounding air is much cooler than the heated coolant in the radiator, the heat is dissipated by the action of air being blown on the radiator during driving. This is further enhanced by the action of a radiator fan that accelerates the volume of air being blown on the radiator.

There are passageways for engine coolant in the engine block and cylinder head, Hoses and pipings are then used to convey the hot coolant to the radiator.

The radiator contains piping and vanes conveying hot engine coolant from the engine which is cooled and recycled back to engine in an endless cycle to protect the engine from overheating.

Manufacturers recommend that you top up your engine with engine coolant and NOT water.
Water boils at around 100° C, or 212° F, boiling water can damage the engine. A good engine coolant will raise this boiling point to around 240° C (464° F).
Water will also corrode your engine's coolant passageway.

The benefits of using engine coolant includes prevention of rust and corrosion in the metallic and rubber components of the engine that they come in contact with, and a higher boiling point that is much desired in a hot environment like ours.

It is good practice to check your coolant level and possible leakages weekly and to keep an eye on your engine temperature gauge while driving.
Engine coolant contains heat-inhibiting additives and are sometimes coloured green or blue. Although other colours might be available.

Your car might also have a reservoir for coolant, in which case you might be advised to top-up the reservoir and not the radiator directly.

In the unforeseen occurrence that your engine overheats and you are forced to top up with water as an emergency coolant, your coolant will have been diluted and may not provide the protection you expect.

Visit an automobile shop as soon as possible to have the entire coolant replaced.

by Akin Louis

https://autojosh.com/47532-2/

Lalasticlala
Mynd44
Ishilove
Marpol
Semid4lyfe
Obinoscopy
Seun



Person never buy fuel finish, na to begin buy engine coolant to be replace water in the radiator.

4 Likes

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by DaudaAbu(m): 8:34am On Feb 04, 2018
Pls what is the preferred brand of coolant for car engines.

Is it the Abro can type?

The one sold by Total?

Or that Ab rand...

Pl respond @Autojosh
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by bigass123(m): 8:34am On Feb 04, 2018
Quite Informative
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by aAK1(m): 8:47am On Feb 04, 2018
A healthy cooling system will do 90/95°c no matter what you use. The only accurate point in this writup is that coolant prevents corrosion. And for all of you toping your coolant every now and then,you need to see your mechanic. My 206 will go for months without topping

5 Likes

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by phreakabit(m): 8:53am On Feb 04, 2018
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Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by Soulseeker01(m): 8:54am On Feb 04, 2018
As i no get money for Coolant now ..wetin make do?
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by Soulseeker01(m): 8:57am On Feb 04, 2018
phreakabit:
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thats correct bro...mine can go 8months without topping anytin

1 Like

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by bettercreature(m): 8:58am On Feb 04, 2018
Originalsly:
Really??..and if your engine is not faulty? Just curious....are you a kazeem?
Your water is still intact after 5years if the engine is healthy
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by FabioPeter: 9:11am On Feb 04, 2018
Hardly open my bonnet, I check my dashboard.
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by FabioPeter: 9:13am On Feb 04, 2018
kelechi50:
Please my vehicle has no place to show up the heat level on the dashboard and my mechanic advised me to change the radiator from single cell to double cell, please I need your advice @op

What model/year of car do you drive. Why didn’t the manufacturer put a double cell?
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by AutoJoshNG: 9:24am On Feb 04, 2018
Mrkumareze:
What if the engine water has gone dried to a level where a Tin of coolant can't refill?

Note: The engine coolant is a mixture of water and anticorrosion/antifreeze.

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Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by larrywax: 9:26am On Feb 04, 2018
The waste water from your home Air Condition can also be used as it would have been demineralized.

6 Likes

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by unimagin: 9:26am On Feb 04, 2018
Legendaryheroe:
Not all vehicles require coolant cause it can cause corrosion on the engine.

I advise you check your car manuals
Exactly, most cars don't need coolant cos it corrodes the engine. The truth is that your car don't really need daily/weekly/monthly top-up if your all things are normal in the car. Anytime u open your radiator and observe shortage of water, believe me something is wrong. When a car already have overheat problem, even if you pour 2 gallons of coolant it will still overheat until the problem is solved. For the past 10months now I've not added a drop of water or coolant in my radiator cos my radiator water level is still at the brim.

3 Likes

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by DukeNija(m): 9:26am On Feb 04, 2018
Trippletriangle:
Apart from the use of coolants, what other measure can we take if the heat still persist

Change your radiator
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by DukeNija(m): 9:29am On Feb 04, 2018
peacettw:


Come to think of it, I never used coolant in my first car at least for 10 years and counting. But for my second car, I have been using coolant on the advice of our mechanic who explained that it works better than water. I was only forced to use water today cos its a Sunday and I can't buy any coolant anywhere.

Madam ‘you have tayed’ in this driving game o. 10 years shocked
Did your car overheat during this period? The first car
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by cbngov01(m): 9:34am On Feb 04, 2018
Last time I filled my pathfinder with coolant, it started heating up once I'm in traffic.came back on Naira Land and read reasons for overheating and remedy.so I got wash the radiator and took it for radiator flushing.filled it up with water and zoula! Water is bae jooooor!
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by AutoJoshNG: 9:39am On Feb 04, 2018
DaudaAbu:
Pls what is the preferred brand of coolant for car engines.

Is it the Abro can type?

The one sold by Total?

Pl respond @Autojosh

You can use any. Abro is about the most popular in Nigeria.

Use same colour of coolant that came with the car if it came with any.
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by dingbang(m): 9:40am On Feb 04, 2018
We wey dey use legedez benz dey waka, make we drink coolant too?

4 Likes

Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by AutoJoshNG: 9:47am On Feb 04, 2018
kelechi50:
Please my vehicle has no place to show up the heat level on the dashboard and my mechanic advised me to change the radiator from single cell to double cell, please I need your advice @op

Let's know the vehicle. Some vehicles use digital display that require you to push some buttons to navigate to the coolant temperature gauge.
Re: Don't Top-up Your Radiator With Water. Use Engine Coolant by Nobody: 10:00am On Feb 04, 2018
nice one,I have learnt some things

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