How to fill in antifreeze in the cooling system

Remove the expansion tank and clean it with distilled water. Substitute an unnecessary container under the drain holes and drain the coolant from the radiator, engine block and stove. Leaked residues cannot be reused.

The coolant is topped up regularly and changed completely every 3 years. But before pouring antifreeze, you need to pump out the old one, flush the entire system, and after adding the agent, bleed the air.

Basic rules for topping up

You can fill the coolant yourself in the garage. Observe the following rules:

• Shut off the engine and let the engine cool down before adding antifreeze to the car. Otherwise, you will get burned immediately after removing the tank cap.
• To save money, you can add no more than 20% distilled water to the product. The liquid from the tap is not suitable. It contains chemical impurities that will damage the cooling system. But dilute antifreeze only in summer, because in winter the water will freeze.
• You can mix different brands of coolant of the same class. But only with the same composition. Otherwise, the engine will overheat, the hoses and gaskets will soften, and the stove radiator will clog.
• When mixing antifreeze, pay attention to the color. Red or blue fluids from different manufacturers are often incompatible. And the yellow and blue composition may be the same.
• Do not fill antifreeze with antifreeze. They have completely different chemical composition.

If less than a third of the product is left in the tank, replace it completely.

How to add coolant

We will analyze in stages how to properly pour antifreeze into the cooling system.

Buying coolant

Choose only the brand and class that is right for your car. Otherwise, the engine system may fail.

How to pour antifreeze

Car manufacturers in the manuals indicate the recommended types of coolants.

We start the car

Run the engine for 15 minutes, then turn on the heating (to the maximum temperature) so that the system is filled and the heater circuit does not overheat. Stop the engine.

Drain the old antifreeze

Park the car so that the rear wheels are slightly higher than the front. The coolant will drain faster.

Remove the expansion tank and clean it with distilled water. Substitute an unnecessary container under the drain holes and drain the coolant from the radiator, engine block and stove. Leaked residues cannot be reused.

Wash

Flush the cooling system before pouring antifreeze into the car. The instruction is as follows:

1. Pour distilled water or a special cleaner into the radiator to remove rust, scale and decomposition products.
2. Turn on the engine and stove for hot air for 15 minutes. The pump will better run the product through the cooling system if you turn it on 2-3 times.
3. Drain the liquid and repeat the procedure.

In winter, before flushing the system, drive the car into a warm garage, otherwise the cleaner may freeze.

Pour antifreeze

Observe the following rules:

• Pour the agent into the expansion tank or radiator neck. Car manufacturers issue instructions that indicate how much antifreeze to fill in to effectively cool the system. The volume depends on the specific brand of the machine.
• Do not fill car fluid above the maximum level. During engine operation, the product will expand due to heating and will press on the cooling circuit. The hoses can break and the antifreeze will leak out through the radiator or tank cap.
• If the volume of the agent is less than the minimum mark, the engine will not cool.
• Take your time if you want to pour antifreeze into the car without air pockets. Wait for the motor to cool completely and add liquid through a funnel in a liter at a minute intervals.

After filling, check the tank cap. It must be intact and tightly twisted so that there is no leakage of liquid.

We detach air

Open the cock in the engine block and turn it on only after the first drops of antifreeze appear. The tool will not fully cool the system if you do not bleed the air.

We start the car

Start the engine and gas every 5 minutes. Then stop the engine and check the coolant level. If necessary, add fluid up to the maximum mark.

Expansion tank with liquid

Monitor the amount of antifreeze every day for a week to notice a possible leak or insufficient level in time.

Common Mistakes

If the product is seething, it means that mistakes were made during pouring. They can damage the motor.

Why does the liquid boil

The coolant boils in the tank in the following cases:

• Not enough antifreeze. The engine system is not cooled, so circulation is disturbed and seething begins.
• Airing. When filling with a wide jet, air enters the hoses and nozzles. The system overheats and the product boils.
• Dirty radiator. Antifreeze does not circulate well and bubbles due to overheating if the system is not flushed before filling.
• Long operation. The fluid is completely changed every 40-45 thousand kilometers.

Also, the product boils when the thermostat or forced cooling fan breaks down.

See also: How to put an additional pump on the car stove, why is it needed

How to avoid buying low-quality goods

A fake product does not cool the car engine enough, even if you filled in the antifreeze correctly. Do not buy too cheap liquids from unverified manufacturers. Choose well-known brands: Sintec, Felix, Lukoil, Swag, etc.

The label should contain detailed information about antifreeze: type in accordance with GOST, freezing and boiling points, expiration date, volume in liters. Manufacturers can indicate a QR code, which indicates the authenticity of the product.

Do not buy a product with glycerin and methanol in the composition. These components disable the engine.

MAIN RULE OF REPLACING ANTIFREEZE