Engine Coolant

Biohazard · 16 Dec 2009 at 11:54

anticonscience said:
The level was slightly below where it should be.

Ever thought of just topping it up a little?

Matt82 · 16 Dec 2009 at 11:55

[TW]Fox;15536209 said:
It's probably booked at an hours labour and they'll just have quoted him full retail.

Only a fool pays full retail at a BMW dealer

pity the fooo

antijoke · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:22

[TW]Fox;15536195 said:
I doubt it'll show up as a fault code! You are going to need to top the level back up and check it on a frequent basis. Better than paying somebody else money, surely?

That way if in 3 weeks time its not moved a jot you know its probably fine.

So, how do I know what coolent to use as I have no idea what currently is in it?

So I should buy some distilled water and some coolant from Halfords and then take it from there?

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:24

Thats what I did when I was having my coolant woes.

Matt82 · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:24

just put water in, it wont need more than a couple hundred ML... thats hardly going to effect the concentration dramatically

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:25

Matt82 said:
just put water in, it wont need more than a couple hundred ML... thats hardly going to effect the concentration dramatically

Deionised water is 99p for 1 litre, what is the point in doing it anything other than properly?

bledd · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:32

I have no idea about BMW coolant system, but in your shoes, I'd buy the right stuff, then take it to an independent garage and get them to do it.. (unless the BMWers on here think otherwise)

Since you have no record of it being done etc, the last thing you'd want is to add water (incase someone else has added water in the past) diluting the coolant so much that it can freeze

Frozen coolant = bad news

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:37

bledd. said:
I have no idea about BMW coolant system, but in your shoes, I'd buy the right stuff, then take it to an independent garage and get them to do it.. (unless the BMWers on here think otherwise)

Since you have no record of it being done etc, the last thing you'd want is to add water (incase someone else has added water in the past) diluting the coolant so much that it can freeze

Frozen coolant = bad news

All he's doing is topping up his coolant! It's a 50/50 mix of coolant and deionised water.

Matt82 · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:38

[TW]Fox;15536485 said:
Deionised water is 99p for 1 litre, what is the point in doing it anything other than properly?

thats what i meant, just top it up and diagnose the leak

Matt82 · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:39

[TW]Fox;15536585 said:
All he's doing is topping up his coolant! It's a 50/50 mix of coolant and deionised water.

adding a couple hundred ML of water is not going to drastically effect the concentration

30% still protects you down to -20*

antijoke · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:44

I take it BMW have no specific requirement for coolant? It makes no mention of needing anything special in the handbook.

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2009 at 12:44

dazz25 · 16 Dec 2009 at 15:54

Just make sure that the coolant is the same colour as whats already in the car.

It'll usually be either orange or blue. Mixing colours will give you more problems!

NickXX · 16 Dec 2009 at 17:17

You can buy coolant from BMW. They will recommend that you mix it with tap water.

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2009 at 17:19

NickXX said:
You can buy coolant from BMW. They will recommend that you mix it with tap water.

But they only sell it in stupid sized 1 litre bottles for £8.

miniyazz · 16 Dec 2009 at 17:39

[TW]Fox;15538918 said:
But they only sell it in stupid sized 1 litre bottles for £8.

I think the implication was, deionised water is not important.

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2009 at 17:40

miniyazz said:
I think the implication was, deionised water is not important.

Personally I beleive it is. BMW don't 'recommend' tap water at all, NickXX is getting confused as the bottle has a picture of a tap on it to illustrate it should be diluted with water.

NickXX · 16 Dec 2009 at 17:44

[TW]Fox;15539081 said:
Personally I beleive it is. BMW don't 'recommend' tap water at all, NickXX is getting confused as the bottle has a picture of a tap on it to illustrate it should be diluted with water.

No I'm not. I asked them if they sold de-ionised water. They said that they didn't and that they used normal tap water for Coolant changes.

BigglesPiP · 16 Dec 2009 at 17:47

De-ionised water? Oh dear.

I can see the point in using distilled water, but dionised... How long's that state going to last?

I use tap water by the way.

[TW]Fox · 16 Dec 2009 at 17:50

NickXX said:
They said that they didn't and that they used normal tap water for Coolant changes.

This would be highly irregular. They are not supposed to. Are you quite sure?