coolant

[kevinking2020]

Since installing CBV today, i lost quite abit of coolant.

Would it be ok to use below for the time being?

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/engine-oils-fluids/antifreeze/halfords-silicate-antifreeze-concentrate-2-litres

I'll order some correct volvo coolant.

[LeeT5]

DO NOT MIX COOLANTS!!!

Just get genuine and add 50/50 mix to top up.

[MoleT-5R]

DO NOT MIX COOLANTS!!!

Just get genuine and add 50/50 mix to top up.

That is assuming it has genuine fluid in it in the first place. !!

[Harvey]

That is assuming it has genuine fluid in it in the first place. !!,

Good point :)

[kevinking2020]

that's true, I'm not sure what was used previously. I'm going to flush coolant and get genuine volvo coolant.

[claymore]

Tap water works for me :)

[Harvey]

Tap water works for me :)

:doh:

[MoleT-5R]

Tap water works for me :)

You don't even use water...;)

[LeeT5]

That is assuming it has genuine fluid in it in the first place. !!

Doesn't matter whether it has genuine or not, you shouldn't mix anti freeze as they can react and either cause internal damage to vital metal components or even stop working as an anti 'freeze' all together.

Bottom line is, if you're unsure of what is currently in your car, then best practice is to drain, flush and refill with correct fluid.

[claymore]

You don't even use water...;)
T-10 gets waterless coolant, T-5R gets tap water.

[LeeT5]

T-10 gets waterless coolant, T-5R gets tap water.

What, you don't use antifreeze in the T5-R?, just water? Surely not!

[Gold 'N' Brown]

Doesn't matter whether it has genuine or not,

I think that was the point Lee. You suggested he should just get genuine and top up with a 50/50 mix, but if he doesn't know what's in there then he could be mixing different types.

If I were in the situation that I'd lost some coolant and couldn't get the same stuff for a few days, and providing what was in there was a good ratio of water to AF, the simplest option would quite simply be to top it up with water to get the level above min. Unless you are sticking litres of water in, you aren't going to dilute it significantly enough to affect cold weather protection unless you start diluting beyond a 25% mix, nor would it be significant enough to affect the corrosion inhibiting qualities. It would be fine for a few days IMO. Then once you've sourced the correct AF just add enough to up the ratio again (which shouldn't be too difficult to work out if you know how much water you added previously).

[LeeT5]

I think that was the point Lee. You suggested he should just get genuine and top up with a 50/50 mix, but if he doesn't know what's in there then he could be mixing different types.

If I were in the situation that I'd lost some coolant and couldn't get the same stuff for a few days, and providing what was in there was a good ratio of water to AF, the simplest option would quite simply be to top it up with water to get the level above min. Unless you are sticking litres of water in, you aren't going to dilute it significantly enough to affect cold weather protection unless you start diluting beyond a 25% mix, nor would it be significant enough to affect the corrosion inhibiting qualities. It would be fine for a few days IMO. Then once you've sourced the correct AF just add enough to up the ratio again (which shouldn't be too difficult to work out if you know how much water you added previously).

I understand all of what you just said but the OP said, in his first post, that he lost quite a bit of coolant when he did the job. How much is quite a bit exactly?? None of us know, only the OP knows that.

The fact that he removed a coolant line from the engine to do the job would suggest that he possibly lost a considerable amount from the engine. Going by the fact a V70R holds approx 11 litres of coolant, he would be foolish to merely fill the system back up with just tap water!
None of us know what strength his coolant was BEFORE he did the job, so to weaken it even more at this time of year, especially in the South East where the night time temperatures were -9*C night before last, would be a serious error of judgement and a foolish one to make.
So, he might well have had to refill the system with litres of water, which is why the best thing to do would have been to drain and refill. If the car could be left, then just leave it until you could do the job.
It it were summer time, then yes, it wouldn't matter.

Remember a few years ago when we had that harsh winter when the temps dropped to -15*C and didn't go above 0 during the day for about a week? Well during that week, I went out to and so did my colleagues, so many cars that wouldn't start because the engines were frozen solid. Most of them were written off as the heads had cracked.

If the expansion bottle still had coolant in it but very low, then it would be perfectly acceptable to just top up with water.

[claymore]

What, you don't use antifreeze in the T5-R?, just water? Surely not!

Yep, just water.

[Gold 'N' Brown]

I cant believe I typed that last night! I just made the same mistake as Lee all in the same post. Actually laughing at myself now for being such a dumb ass! That's tiredness for you.

[Gold 'N' Brown]

Lee, agree with what you said in principle. I tend to assume common sense in people, hence if you'd lost litres it would not be wise to top ip with litres of plain water. I also overlooked the statement "lost quite a bit of coolant" because if I was doing it I would have immediately blocked off the outlets to minimise loss. All the above was just me suggesting something based on a specific set of circumstances and not necessarily Kevin's circumstances (he's probably sorted it now). Or put another way, this is what I'd do as a temp workaround - because I know what type of coolant is in mine and the rough mix ratio.