I have been searching for Antifreeze to mix with water (50-50) for my car radiator, Peugeot 505 V6, knowing how sensitive PRV engines can be with the cooling system. But what i have seen so far in all the filling stations and markets that i have checked is coolant. No antifreeze.

My question is "Can I buy and fill the radiator with the coolant without mixing it with water at all?" I plan to buy the TOTAL coolant, but will like to be sure what am about to do. The car cooling system takes 9 liters of coolant to refill. So should i just buy the 9 liters of the TOTAL coolant, drain and refill the car radiator with it or should i buy 4 or 5 liters, then mix it with water to complete it 9 liters?

Why i prefered the TOTAL product is because it contains ethylene-glycol, which i heard is very good for car cooling system.

Siena, others, please help!

Ikenna.

I don't think you need anti-freeze for Nigeria driving. As the name suggests, it prevents freezing during winter. Since we don't have winter in Nigeria, I think the coolant is what you need. Some brands are concentrated with instructions on how to mix them with water while others come already mixed by the manufacturers.

But wait until you hear from Siena or Kunle.

Antifreeze is for the colder regions where it is mixed with the water in your radiator to prevent it from freezing and also from boiling over in summer. In answering your question,radiators are normally filled with a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze/coolant & water.You are not supposed to put pure coolant into your radiator unless you buy the ones that have been prediluted by the manufacturer.Prestone brand is a good example of a very good brand with both pure coolant that can be mixed by the user & also already diluted coolant to be put straight to your radiator and it also mixes well with any coolant already in the radiator.All modern coolants contain ethylene glycol.If you buy pure coolant,it means you mix 4.5 liters coolant with 4.5 liters water.If you buy prediluted coolant it means you will have to get 9 liters of that into your radiator.I advise you get Prestone

Antifreeze and coolant are BASICALLY the same thing

https://www.nairaland.com/889266/prestone-prediluted-coolant-anti-freeze-now

http://www.alfaowner.com/Forum/engines-ts-jts-jtd-and-v6/266301-coolant-and-antifreeze-explained.html

Antifreeze has coolant properties, works as anti freeze at low temp, coolant at high temp.

Depress freezing point and increase boiling point.

I think what you should be looking at is the chemistry of the coolant/antifreeze.

Due to the type of metal and gasket used in engine build, make sure to use type recommended by manufacturer,also use distilled water(you can start collecting from your A/C now)

Some are ehtylene glycol, some OAT, or HOAT(used in my jeep)

BizBooks: I don't think you need anti-freeze for Nigeria driving. As the name suggests, it prevents freezing during winter. Since we don't have winter in Nigeria, I think the coolant is what you need. Some brands are concentrated with instructions on how to mix them with water while others come already mixed by the manufacturers.

exactly wat came to my mind when i saw this post, antifreeze is not applicable in Nigeria cos we are in an arid zone, for my car i use like 80% water and 20% coolant,i dont know if this makes sense but God has been helping me. The engine has never overheated and runs well. Bmw e36 I6. My 5kobo take. Let hear from better enlighten pips

Antifreeze and coolant is the same thing; different names but it is the same thing.

https://www.nairaland.com/983235/car-overheatssomeone

One of the biggest jokes this year.

yungboss:
exactly wat came to my mind when i saw this post, antifreeze is not applicable in Nigeria cos we are in an arid zone, for my car i use like 80% water and 20% coolant,i dont know if this makes sense but God has been helping me. The engine has never overheated and runs well. Bmw e36 I6. My 5kobo take. Let hear from better enlighten pips

Yea, you are right -- does not make sense. Antifreeze is not applicable in Nigeria: How?

Your engine also is not running well according to design. The problems are in the longrun and not the short-course. To save a reply-post, I will explain. The upper and lower block are of two different materials and composites and administer heat differently. Sure enough, the expansion will be different when it comes to heat. What would your concerns be? The gasket (head) and your bolts. The bolts are stretch bolts to accommodate the uneven expansion of both metals and contract when cool. With the way you have set things up, the gasket will be flatten prematurely and your bolts might go through plasticity. This is how the straight-engines are packages and designed to function. 80-20 is plain wrong and you can't justify such formulation with the appropriate logic. You are also investing for a warped head (which might not be able to be corrected depending on how bad due to "clearance" thickness). The water pump is also on its way out because it needs the antifreeze for lubrication and in a false sense, a thermal boundary layer for the bearings and coatings. This function cannot be achieved via water.

Trac: Antifreeze and coolant is the same thing; different names but it is the same thing.

https://www.nairaland.com/983235/car-overheatssomeone

One of the biggest jokes this year.



Yea, you are right -- does not make sense. Antifreeze is not applicable in Nigeria: How?

Your engine also is not running well according to design. The problems are in the longrun and not the short-course. To save a reply-post, I will explain. The upper and lower block are of two different materials and composites and administer heat differently. Sure enough, the expansion will be different when it comes to heat. What would your concerns be? The gasket (head) and your bolts. The bolts are stretch bolts to accommodate the uneven expansion of both metals and contract when cool. With the way you have set things up, the gasket will be flatten prematurely and your bolts might go through plasticity. This is how the straight-engines are packages and designed to function. 80-20 is plain wrong and you can't justify such formulation with the appropriate logic. You are also investing for a warped head (which might not be able to be corrected depending on how bad due to "clearance" thickness). The water pump is also on its way out because it needs the antifreeze for lubrication and in a false sense, a thermal boundary layer for the bearings and coatings. This function cannot be achieved via water.

thanx trac for enlightening me, this is an area in which i have never really invested much attention.
As it stands now, what do you advice i do...thought i made this post since, the car has overheated not because of coolant issues but because a mechanic i gave the car to for service didn't properly close the radiator. I bled the radiator using water...so i'm asking...what should i do now?

yungboss:
thanx trac for enlightening me, this is an area in which i have never really invested much attention.
As it stands now, what do you advice i do...thought i made this post since, the car has overheated not because of coolant issues but because a mechanic i gave the car to for service didn't properly close the radiator. I bled the radiator using water...so i'm asking...what should i do now?

This is a quick-fix: drain what you have installed as much as you can. You will need about two or three kegs of antifreeze. Use a keg for a 50/50 mixture and a quarter of the second as a 50/50 mixture. Then pour about a half-a-keg into your chamber. If it isn't full, then add water to top it off and let it idle with engine running to let the air out as the water pump belches the air out. Have your heater running at maximum while you rinse as water flows in.

Note I: I am assuming you have a 9 litre capacity engine.
Note II: You cannot get all the water out from the inner block of the engine, hence the one-and-a-quarter 50/50 mixture half of plain antifreeze to get a near-50/50. I've used this method and would again.

A thorough job would be to have a cooling system flush with at a shop.

Your ratio should always be 50/50 antifreeze to water.

Trac:

This is a quick-fix: drain what you have installed as much as you can. You will need about two or three kegs of antifreeze. Use a keg for a 50/50 mixture and a quarter of the second as a 50/50 mixture. Then pour about a half-a-keg into your chamber. If it isn't full, then add water to top it off and let it idle with engine running to let the air out as the water pump belches the air out. Have your heater running at maximum while you rinse as water flows in.

Note I: I am assuming you have a 9 litre capacity engine.
Note II: You cannot get all the water out from the inner block of the engine, hence the one-and-a-quarter 50/50 mixture half of plain antifreeze to get a near-50/50. I've used this method and would again.

A thorough job would be to have a cooling system flush with at a shop.

Your ratio should always be 50/50 antifreeze to water.

thanks once again Trac, my engine capacity is 10litres, tomorrow being saturday i will deal with this myself.

yungboss:
thanks once again Trac, my engine capacity is 10litres, tomorrow being saturday i will deal with this myself.

That's alright. Add a more coolant to the mixture. You may have to keep watch over it for the next few days. Watch out for air-bubbles.