Where should i put ?please help

zak2012

Hi,i want put anti freeze in car but please can you look at pictures below and tell me which one is right place to put anti freeze in for Micra 2003/4 1.0..i think its yellow cap on right but someone told me its silver/yello in middle,so im confused? thanks for help



http://oi61.tinypic.com/2447bbm.jpg

http://oi58.tinypic.com/5laxxz.jpg


i want buy this anti freeze...http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/antifreeze/halfords-oat-ready-mixed-antifreeze-5-litres

AdrianC

Either or both.

The silver/yellow cap is the radiator pressure cap - the coolant should be as near to brim-full as possible within there. If it's low, fill it there first.
The yellow-capped bottle to the right is the overflow/expansion tank. There should be a MAX level marked on that bottle. Make sure that the coolant is near to that mark, with the engine cold.

Why do you want to "put anti freeze in"? Is the coolant level low? How do you know if you haven't checked...? Anti-freeze is more than a bit misnamed - think of it as "coolant". It's not just to prevent it freezing in winter, it's also to prevent corrosion in summer. It should be in there all year round, to the right concentration, and changed every few years.

If the level keeps dropping, you need to get that investigated.

Is that red coolant the right stuff for you? Depends on what's in there now.

If what's in there now is blue-green in colour, then that is THE WRONG STUFF. Don't buy it. Buy the cheaper green coolant.

If what's in there now is a clearish pinky-orangey-red in colour, then that bottle is the right stuff.

If what's in there now is a murky opaque orangey-brown, then you need to get the existing stuff changed, not just top it up.

FWIW, ready-mix is rarely good value. Buy the concentrate, and mix it yourself - 2.5 of water to 1 of coolant.

zak2012

thanks.i need to drain it fully and put anti freeze in it because its just plain water in it and winter will freeze. but please can you look at pixs again and which one is most likey is coolant or anti freeze? yellow cap on rightside is fully clear water. so u saying if i see MAX sign on one of them that one is for anti freeze? im realy confused. thanks

AdrianC

Re-read what I wrote, it tells you what you are asking.

NEVER EVER EVER PUT JUST WATER IN. "Anti-freeze" prevents corrosion. In a cast iron engine, it's bad enough. In an engine like yours, with an alloy block, it is asking for trouble. Drain it and refill it asap.

rich13348

The two caps are linked. The one on the right is the expansion tank for the cooling system (this is where water and coolant/antifreeze is pumped around the engine to stop it overheating) the metal (silver/yellow) cap is the air trap at the top of the radiator which will need to removed to bleed all the air out of the system.
After draining the old liquid out you will need to add the mix of water and coolant to the right hand side yellow cap. Then start the engine and allow the water to circulate the whole system and top up as needed. You will need to remove the silver yellow cap to allow the air out at the top of the radiator.

AdrianC

rich13348 wrote: »

After draining the old liquid out you will need to add the mix of water and coolant to the right hand side yellow cap. Then start the engine and allow the water to circulate the whole system and top up as needed. You will need to remove the silver yellow cap to allow the air out at the top of the radiator.

No, you need to add it to the main rad cap until that's full and all the air out - THEN the expansion tank.

If you've just got air in the main cooling system, you won't suck anything through from the expansion, because "the suck" only happens as the coolant in the main system cools down.

molerat

If you live in a hard water area it might be worth buying a bottle of this as well http://www.halfords.com/motoring/bulbs-blades-batteries/car-battery-chargers/halfords-battery-top-up-water-5l as well as a 2l bottle of concentrate http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/antifreeze/halfords-oat-antifreeze-concentrate-2-litres. This is what the readymix is made with

zak2012

When i buy anti freeze at Halford can i ask them? do they tell which cap its

Alt

If you do not have the expertise to locate the correct location then I would strongly suggest not to attempt to drain the coolant yourself. Get a garage or competent friend to do it and remember antifreeze is extremely poisonous to animals.


Alt

molerat

Agreed, if you cannot figure out where to put the coolant how are you going to drain it out, flush it through and ensure everything is back together and not leaking.

societys_child

I've drained the coolant from my car and refilled it with anti freeze and now my heater only blows cold . . .;)