Antifreeze/coolant

Life__Goes__On

Can it be too concentrated?

tacpot12

Yes. The water absorbs heat much better than the coolant component that gets mixed with the water, so if it is no diluted enough, it can't take away the heat as quickly as the correct mixture can. The car's cooling system capacity (e.g. the size of the radiator and the pipes) assumes that the coolant mixture is correct. 

Life__Goes__On

I bought an old car and needs a a top up, so was going to add some antifreeze.
Using a tester it seems strong (all 3 balls float) .

So better just to add water?

facade

Add a 50:50 mix of concentrated antifreeze and water.

Most of the readily available antifreeze is "ready to use" anyway, already diluted, just add some of that.

If you don't have any, get Prestone, it is supposed to mix with whatever type is already there. (4 litres of ready-mixed are £9.35 at Tesco with a clubcard)

Bigwheels1111

Another vote for prestone.

If you are a costco member it 5L for £12, concentrated.

Dilute 50/50 with water

facade

Bigwheels1111 said:

Another vote for prestone.

If you are a costco member it 5L for £12, concentrated.

Dilute 50/50 with water

That is a good price.

With antifreeze and screenwash you have to look for the small print on the label "ready to use" means half of it is plain water!

Several manufacturers sell concentrate and "ready to use" in identical containers apart from the small print, and the price isn't much different.

Life__Goes__On

Thanks for your replies.
I have already bought some, and it's concentrated.
Like facade stated,  they can be about the same price,

The reason I was thinking of just adding just water is I know a strong mixture by the 3 balls floating. But I don't know if it's too strong (the previous owner might have put a very strong concentrate in).
 
So the plan would be add water to about 1/2 that's needed,  once the coolant had been passed though the system,  retest.
If balls start to drop add anti freeze for the final 1/2.  if balls still haven't dropped just final 1/2 just water.

facade

I wouldn't rely on a ball type SG tester.

Either see what happens if you test a 50:50 mix of your new antifreeze, or measure the SG of what is in the system.

If you weigh exactly 100ml of the system antifreeze, you can find the SG, which is the weight divided by 100 and check it against published tables like the ones here https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-glycol-d_146.html

Boiling point would be another way, 100% ethylene glycol boils at 197, 50% at 107.2.

I'd just stick 50:50 mix in and not worry.

There is also the possibility that it is "waterless coolant" as pushed by Ed China when he used to work for Evans, but as it is eye-wateringly expensive, there are usually stickers proudly proclaiming the owners wealth.

forgotmyname

Halfords had a recall on the Anti-freeze and battery testers some years back. User washed it out before storing it away and found it
showed the same results even with plain tap water.

Life__Goes__On

forgotmyname said:

Halfords had a recall on the Anti-freeze and battery testers some years back. User washed it out before storing it away and found it
showed the same results even with plain tap water.

I tested mine before posting.

Water:                           All 3 balls sink to bottom
Prestone ready mixed:  1 ball sinks to bottom
Car                                All 3 balls float

Thant's why was wondering if it could be too concentrated

Deltona

Getting the right colour is more important.