Coolant confusion

[mattjevans]

Just looked in the coolant tank and there only a tiny pool of blue fluid at the bottom. I’ve a service booked just after Easter and will be away for 4 of the next 7 weeks but I feel like I should top up the tank. Confused as the various product names recommended as I’ve searched don’t exist. The local Shell has “premium” or “long life” versions.... is one of those correct ? I can’t make head or tail of the specs listed on the back, nothing seems to line up

I’m not normally so useless but this one really has me confused. Thx in advance for not mocking. And for answers...

 

[conaero]

Just water should be fine, your only looking at a couple of pints.

The leak is probably the tank is split, it’s a known issue.

 

[alvav]

Just looked in the coolant tank and there only a tiny pool of blue fluid at the bottom. I’ve a service booked just after Easter and will be away for 4 of the next 7 weeks but I feel like I should top up the tank. Confused as the various product names recommended as I’ve searched don’t exist. The local Shell has “premium” or “long life” versions.... is one of those correct ? I can’t make head or tail of the specs listed on the back, nothing seems to line up

I’m not normally so useless but this one really has me confused. Thx in advance for not mocking. And for answers...

It’s an expansion, or overflow, tank. Check it when your engine is at operating temperature. There may even be a line for “cold level” and “hot level”. Don’t remember though. Don’t fill it up.

 

[Zep]

It has a max / min level and should be between them when it’s cold. Like every Italian car I have owned you fill it up and then it spits out what it doesn’t want, it is probably the cracking header tank as Matt said.

 

[Ryandoc]

 

[jemgee]

I have a similar query about all fluids listed by Maserati which are not generally sold in UK. I rang Maranello to find out what oil to use to top up and they said Shell Helix ultra 5 - 40. What is recommended in UK for top up of brake fluid, antifreeze, gearbox and clutch please ?

 

[Gazcw]

Has anyone ever tried waterless coolant? I have read it is good at reducing pressure and wear on hoses etc. but then on the other hand makes the engine run hotter which I am not too keen on.

 

[Ryandoc]

The only other one I know is Shell spirax for MC shift actuator, 100 ml or so I seem to believe.

 

[jemgee]

Has anyone ever tried waterless coolant? I have read it is good at reducing pressure and wear on hoses etc. but then on the other hand makes the engine run hotter which I am not too keen on.

I thought it was supposed to reduce overheating - Ed China put it in a TR6 resto but this involved a 2 stage process to remove all traces of water from the system before putting the coolant in and it cost £30 odd for 5 litres of each product. My own TR6 does tend to run hot in slow traffic or queues but the remedy is to switch off or pop the bonnet open - as it is front hinged there is no safety issue!

 

[Oneball]

Waterless coolants generally aren’t as good at removing heat from an engine as water (pure water is best but has corrosion issues). It will often look like the waterless coolant has caused the engine to run cooler as the temp gauge will read lower. This is because the coolant is cooler as it has taken less heat out of the engine not because it’s better.

Pure water has one of the highest heat capacities of any readily available liquid second only to ammonia.

 

[Zep]

Waterless coolants generally aren’t as good at removing heat from an engine as water (pure water is best but has corrosion issues). It will often look like the waterless coolant has caused the engine to run cooler as the temp gauge will read lower. This is because the coolant is cooler as it has taken less heat out of the engine not because it’s better.

Pure water has one of the highest heat capacities of any readily available liquid second only to ammonia.

This exactly. I looked at the specific heat capacity of the waterless coolant and it is about half that of water, so for the same volume flow and temperature difference it moves half the energy. In practice the temperature difference between the water entering and leaving the engine increases until heat transfer reaches equilibrium, so yes it will run hotter.

The viscosity is also higher so there are more pumping losses from the water pump, so it slows you down too!

 

[Gazcw]

This exactly. I looks at the specific heat capacity of the waterless coolant and it is about half that of water, so for the same volume flow and temperature difference it moves half the energy. In practice the temperature difference between the water entering and leaving the engine increases until heat transfer reaches equilibrium, so yes will run hotter.

The viscosity is also higher so there are more pumping losses from the water pump, so it slows you down too!

I read that water pump does have to work harder. So in conclusion water and high quality treatment changed regularly is the way to go.

 

[Zep]

I have a similar query about all fluids listed by Maserati which are not generally sold in UK. I rang Maranello to find out what oil to use to top up and they said Shell Helix ultra 5 - 40. What is recommended in UK for top up of brake fluid, antifreeze, gearbox and clutch please ?

Brake fluid is just brake fluid. Dot 4, avoid the 5.0 as it is silicone based. Coolant is the Paraflu as above, but any Ethylene Glycol antifreeze will do the job. Paraflu UP is an Monoethylene glycol antifreeze with OAT (Organic Acid Technology) and is not compatible with the original. CC fluid is Shell Donax TX in my manual - which is a Dexron 3 ATF.

 

[Mr S]

Brake fluid is just brake fluid. Dot 4, avoid the 5.0 as it is silicone based. Coolant is the Paraflu as above, but any Ethylene Glycol antifreeze will do the job. Paraflu UP is an Monoethylene glycol antifreeze with OAT (Organic Acid Technology) and is not compatible with the original. CC fluid is Shell Donax TX in my manual - which is a Dexron 3 ATF.

So with the coolant, if in doubt exactly what is in there, fully flush with a hose, and fill with spec that is suitable, and stick with it. Like https://www.halfords.com/motoring/e...freeze/comma-g48-antifreeze-and-coolant-rm-5l

 

[Zep]

So with the coolant, if in doubt exactly what is in there, fully flush with a hose, and fill with spec that is suitable, and stick with it. Like https://www.halfords.com/motoring/e...freeze/comma-g48-antifreeze-and-coolant-rm-5l

Pretty much!