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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Antifreeze

May be a stupid question but I believe there are different types of antifreeze and subsequently there maybe some I shouldn't use in my Mk1 midget.

Any advice please?

Steve
Steve Osmond

Steve, most antifreeze off the shelf is the same now so no worries about what to buy. Drain and flush the cooling system the replensish with a 33% mix A/F to water. You may need to bleed through the heater matrix to ensure all the air is out of the system.

Mark.
Mark T. Boldry

I thought the manual states 50/50 mix or am I wrong?
Chris H (1970 Midget 1275)

I use approx 70 water to 30 AF.

It would all depend on the conditions you are in I suppose,but -15 deg from memory on the side of the bottle will be covered, which suits me and I prefer tohave a larger water content for summer cooling.



As a rule I also use rain water, as our water bungs up the shower head after a while, can't do the inside of engines much good too, possibly OTT but hey, it's free!
Jim Stewart

destiled water does a body good and an engine...its the same as rain water

30/70 - 50/50 is good...I use 50/50, unless Im leaking or burning it....just dont go more then 50% A/F other wise it will have the oppisite effect

prop
Prop

there are three types of antifreeze, they should all work fine but should not be mixed with each other.

Ethylene glycol based, usually yellow/green - usually specified as "2 year" antifreeze. This is the traditional.

OAT based antifreeze, usually Blue or Pink - usually called "3 year"

Life long antifreeze, I think Toyota are the only people using this, obviously as you don't need to change it (change every 10 years IIRC) there isn't much demand for it in aftermarket shops. MGOC sell this as "4life". It should not be diluted.
Will Munns

I'm glad that someone mentioned 4-life, I used it in my previous Midget on the basis that it has a higher boiling point than normal water/AF mixtures (had overheating problems at the time). It is supposed to protect down to minus 40C, and changes colour if you have a head gasket leak. The car is still filled with it but has been up on axle stands for the last two years.
As regards the rain water/tap water debate, I live in a hard water area and some years ago my water main started leaking. Having located the leak and cut out a section of pipe I found that the steel pipe had rusted away from the outside, however the internal surface was perfect- just a thin wall of protective limescale.
The pipe has been delivering water to the house for donkey's years. If my engine's water jacket was in that condition I would be well pleased.
On the other hand, the water main is not subject to the same cycle of heating and cooling.

Dave
Penwithian

well in that case there is the "Anti-Idoit-frezze" that comes premixed at 50/50....this is for those that want to pay the same amount as regular uncut Anti-frezze, but dont have the common scence or the 3 minutes to cut the regualer stuff them selfs.

prop
Prop

My VW manual is pretty specific about using the "Pink" antifreeze, and not the yellow/green. I understood that it was due to the VR6 engine being an iron block - ally head combo, and that our all-iron MG engines are okay with the conventional stuff.

Is that right?

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

I don't know that but

I do know that mixing the OAT with any Glycol based fluid will turn the colant into a poor cooling jelly instead of a liquid

The AA forbade patrols from adding even a small quantity of one type to a system using the other

Ford have pinkish fluid that is OAT (says so on the header tank on Gwyn's Monjo) I think Rovers used Glycol mix, Blue-ish...

I always equate glycol with Blue or Green not yellow but it takes no time to check what is in it before dumping it in the rad. The Ford fluid, undiluted comes out of the container like fluorescent orange juice. looks proper unhealthy!

I will have to check my old AA training manuals (Yes, you bet yer boots I hung on to them) for info and advice about antifreeze. But not tonight they are down in the rather chilly garage...

Maybe tomorrow, but in the meantime a second or three with Google answers most problems safely...
Bill

This thread was discussed between 30/10/2008 and 01/11/2008

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