3 replies to this topic

[mickthefitter]

Yesterday I change the antifreeze on my mechanically bog standard '63 Hornet. I do it annually before storing the car for winter. Last year I went to Halfords and bought some blue 'silicate' antifreeze, because is wasn't red, wasn't OATS, and I thought this was the stuff to use. Checking the strength of the stuff in my car a few weeks ago with my glass hydrometer I became aware of how cloudy the coolant looked and squeezing the stuff in and out of the rad stirred up a lot of sediment. Worried I was using the wrong antifreeze in my iron engine and with Halfords' range of antifreezes now having got even more confusing (their guide for a 1990-2000 Mini 1.0 said use Comma G48, which was an expensive pre-dilute) I found some good old Bluecol in a local accessory shop sitting among the miriad of multi coloured modern mixes, so bought that. When I drained out the old stuff yesterday I caught it in a bowl. Jeeze it was the colour of mud!!! It was filthy! I'd planned on flushing the system out as best I could and had bought a new thermostat gasket so had that out as well as flushing the rad and heater matrix. However I don't think I was able to completely flush the block - I now think I should have removed the heater valve (I didn't have a new gasket) and the block drain plug has never let anything out - its as dry as a bone even when probed. Lots of murk came out, but when I refilled with fresh coolant, the stuff in the rad came up a bit cloudy again. I've got no overheating problems though and the coolant is a strong mix for winter so for now it will do as it is, I'm not flushing it again this side of winter. The biggest shock came when I emptied my bowl of muddy old coolant down the loo - there was gritty particles at the bottom, and lots off them. Do you think the Halfords 'silicate' blue antifreeze has corroded my engine? Working out what antifreeze to use has become a nightmare if you can't find the old brands! 

 

Also my indicators seem to tick fast on the road but slow at idle - is this a sign of a failing flasher unit? So long since I drove BL cars as regular transport! 

Edited by mickthefitter, 10 November 2014 - 11:21 AM.

[sledgehammer]

The 2 pole indicator unit speeds up a bit with voltage / revs - they rely on heat to move a bi metallic strip separating contacts

 

you could change to the 3 wire (3rd wire will be earth) unit - a bit more precise & shouldn't vary much with voltage

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item416b12c712

seems a bit expensive

 

Ive had the same with muck in the bottom of the water jacket

 

I took the head off & cleaned the bottom of the water jacket with an old weld liner on a drill , put the head back on & flushed a lot

 

drained down & used Unipart cool blue gec8005 - did the trick

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3397b8021a

 

 

the ready mix stuff appears to be carp

Edited by sledgehammer, 10 November 2014 - 11:38 AM.

[robminibcy]

the blue halfords stuff should be fine, It could be that the last time it was changed it stirred up a blockage which has been circulating since, Id give it a good flush through with clean water and then refill with fresh blue antifreeze and water.

[mickthefitter]

Thanks for the replies, and the tip about the three pole flasher unit. I'll look into it. I'd not noticed the variation in flasher speed until recently but then I'm good at just noticing things that have been present for years. I'm also reassured that other people have had the same muck in coolant. I once owned a Cortina Mk5 as a classic and I think someone had used plain water in that and coolant always looked red rust coloured, but the gunk in my Mini yesterday was far darker than that. One day the engine might need further work so if it gets stripped it will have a good clearout then.