Dumb question about Kia Pride radiator

>>I run a steam engine, and water quality is often a subject of debate among
>>fellow owners. There is a theory that de-ionised water leeches ions from
>>the metal, but there is scant evidence to support this theory.

>>I use collected rainwater in the engine, and this would be ideal to use in
a
>>car radiator, although tap water would be fine if you live in an area
where
>>your kettle does not fur up with chalk. Even then, using water previously
>>boiled in a kettle to remove chalk should be fine.

Try doing that with a few thousand gallons!

I think additives are normally added!

In article >, fbloogyudsr wrote:
>"John Rowland" > wrote
>> I've inherited a Kia Pride, and I need to sort out anti-freeze for the
>> winter. I know very little about cars. The reservoir that feeds the
>> radiator
>> is nearly empty, so I was going to mix some antifreeze with water and put
>> it
>> in there. But someone who knows about as much as me suggested that I
>> needed
>> to put the antifreeze in the radiator directly, and putting it in the
>> reservoir wasn't good enough. Are they right?
>>
>> Furthermore, the instructions on the bottle of antifreeze suggest it
>> should
>> be mixed with de-ionized water. This surprised me - I know that the
>> battery
>> has be topped up wth de-ionized water, but I thought tap water was fine
>> for
>> the radiator.
>
>I would be surprised if the cooling system didn't already have about
>a 50/50 mixture of water/anti-freeze. Most cars come from the factory
>with it, because of the anti-corrosive properties, because it's a better

That depends on what you mean by "better". A mixture of antifreeze and
water has a lower heat capacity than pure water. This means that to
transport the same ammount of heat from the engine to the radiator either
the flow or the temperature difference between engine and radiator must be
higher for the mixture.

>coolant than pure water, and because if you have an iron block and
>aluminum head you have to have anti-corrosive elements in the coolant.
>
>Floyd


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In article >, fbloogyudsr wrote:
>"John Rowland" > wrote
>> I've inherited a Kia Pride, and I need to sort out anti-freeze for the
>> winter. I know very little about cars. The reservoir that feeds the
>> radiator
>> is nearly empty, so I was going to mix some antifreeze with water and put
>> it
>> in there. But someone who knows about as much as me suggested that I
>> needed
>> to put the antifreeze in the radiator directly, and putting it in the
>> reservoir wasn't good enough. Are they right?
>>
>> Furthermore, the instructions on the bottle of antifreeze suggest it
>> should
>> be mixed with de-ionized water. This surprised me - I know that the
>> battery
>> has be topped up wth de-ionized water, but I thought tap water was fine
>> for
>> the radiator.
>
>I would be surprised if the cooling system didn't already have about
>a 50/50 mixture of water/anti-freeze. Most cars come from the factory
>with it, because of the anti-corrosive properties, because it's a better

That depends on what you mean by "better". A mixture of antifreeze and
water has a lower heat capacity than pure water. This means that to
transport the same ammount of heat from the engine to the radiator either
the flow or the temperature difference between engine and radiator must be
higher for the mixture.

>coolant than pure water, and because if you have an iron block and
>aluminum head you have to have anti-corrosive elements in the coolant.
>
>Floyd


--
/"\ Jan Kalin (male, preferred languages: Slovene, English)
\ / http://charm.zag.si/eng/, email: "name dot surname AT zag dot si"
X ASCII ribbon campaign against HTML in mail and postings.
/ \ I'm a .signature virus. Copy me to help me spread.

In message >, Martin
> writes
>I think additives are normally added!
One presumes that's what additives are for.
--
Clive.

In message >, Martin
> writes
>I think additives are normally added!
One presumes that's what additives are for.
--
Clive.

In message >, Scott en Aztlán
> writes
>Sloth Kills!
I thought they just hung by their toes to tree branches.
--
Clive.

In message >, Scott en Aztlán
> writes
>Sloth Kills!
I thought they just hung by their toes to tree branches.
--
Clive.

In article >,
says...
>I've inherited a Kia Pride, and I need to sort out anti-freeze for the
>winter. I know very little about cars. The reservoir that feeds the radiator
>is nearly empty, so I was going to mix some antifreeze with water and put it
>in there. But someone who knows about as much as me suggested that I needed
>to put the antifreeze in the radiator directly, and putting it in the
>reservoir wasn't good enough. Are they right?
>
>Furthermore, the instructions on the bottle of antifreeze suggest it should
>be mixed with de-ionized water. This surprised me - I know that the battery
>has be topped up wth de-ionized water, but I thought tap water was fine for
>the radiator.

use distilled water, not tap water. A 50/50 mix is fine for most conditions.
If you want to pour it into the radiator, make sure the car is cold. Slowly
open the cap to the first stop. If you feel pressure on the cap, continue to
open it up. Pour in until the coolant reaches the bottom of the filler neck.
Replace the cap. Then fill the reservoir up to the 'cold' level on the bottle.
You may also want to find out where the coolant is going. You may have a
leak somewhere.
-------------
Alex

In article >,
says...
>I've inherited a Kia Pride, and I need to sort out anti-freeze for the
>winter. I know very little about cars. The reservoir that feeds the radiator
>is nearly empty, so I was going to mix some antifreeze with water and put it
>in there. But someone who knows about as much as me suggested that I needed
>to put the antifreeze in the radiator directly, and putting it in the
>reservoir wasn't good enough. Are they right?
>
>Furthermore, the instructions on the bottle of antifreeze suggest it should
>be mixed with de-ionized water. This surprised me - I know that the battery
>has be topped up wth de-ionized water, but I thought tap water was fine for
>the radiator.

use distilled water, not tap water. A 50/50 mix is fine for most conditions.
If you want to pour it into the radiator, make sure the car is cold. Slowly
open the cap to the first stop. If you feel pressure on the cap, continue to
open it up. Pour in until the coolant reaches the bottom of the filler neck.
Replace the cap. Then fill the reservoir up to the 'cold' level on the bottle.
You may also want to find out where the coolant is going. You may have a
leak somewhere.
-------------
Alex

In article >,
says...

>Yes, but if if you're only adding a little (quart/liter or less), use
>regular tap water. Besides, you should flush the cooling system every
>two years (unless the manual states otherwise).

If you use distilled water and change your coolant every two years, you
shouldn't have to flush it. Just replace the coolant.
----------------
Alex