The cost of anti-freeze

Why is anti-freeze so bloody expensive?

I didn't mind for the two litres I needed for my motorcycle but 5 litres+, it's a rip off. By the way, is there any particular type of anti-freeze I need to use in a 300Tdi?

Cheers
Rob

check the colour that you have now, red or blue, use the same colour.. Any ethelyne glycol based anti freeze, with no methanol, containing OAT corrosion inhibitors

Red is usually longlife antifreeze, blue is normal mono ethylene glycol or MEG, if blue is in yer bottle then make sure you top up with BS6580 antifreeze but it is quite the norm now been in place since 1992, thats got all yer Anti corrosion inhibitors in, get a cheap hydrometer/antifreeze tester (£4.99 from halfrauds), to check you antifreeze concentration levels, a 50/50 mix will usually protect down to -15 with good antifreeze.
If i missed something you need just let me know

I changed over to OAT six years ago the five year life sold it for me, I replace the coolent again last Novenber so still got four years to go, before that it was Rovers green-yellow stuff and replaced every two years.
I only use 5 litre in my 11.3 litre cooling system thats gives protection beyond -25c according to my hydrometor.

If the P gaskets and water pumps didnt go so often and dump the bloody coolant out it wouldnt hurt so much as the good ones are fit and forget for 2-5 years nowadays....but,if,like me,you end up doing refills 3 times ayear on a minimum of two running discos it hurts.So why is MEG so bloody expensive?Its not a complex chemical after all...????

Blue MEG is not that expensive Wicks are doing 2 litres for around £2.60 so I got one just right for my classic car, so thats sorted for two years

Thats a bit more reasonable....we got to do all the tractors and mini diggers etc soon and the bulk price isnt too good this year.Thanks mate,that'll do for the minute anyway!

I blag trade price at Andrew Page's for 5 litres of pink OAT for £11.75 so not too bad, but still not cheap.

Have been through about 25 litres this year so far

TONY

25L Good grief are you drinking the stuff

Hedgehog70 said:

I blag trade price at Andrew Page's for 5 litres of pink OAT for £11.75 so not too bad, but still not cheap.

Have been through about 25 litres this year so far

TONY

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Thats very good compaired with Halfords at £22 which I believe is Comma's stuff.

Why don't you drain into a bucket and then reuse, you may spill a drop but easy then just to top-up.

Last lot i bought cost me over £300 was 205ltrs though oh and i can get the VAT back

shocker said:

If the P gaskets and water pumps didnt go so often and dump the bloody coolant out it wouldnt hurt so much as the good ones are fit and forget for 2-5 years nowadays....but,if,like me,you end up doing refills 3 times ayear on a minimum of two running discos it hurts.So why is MEG so bloody expensive?Its not a complex chemical after all...????

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3x a year is too often to be changing the coolant, or for the P gasket or water pump to fail. You have a problem somewhere, either with fitting low quality parts or workshop technique.

If its necessary to drain and refill with coolant, and its been replaced quite frequently, then it would be sensible to capture it during draining and re-use it. If its necessary to test for leaks, a good idea is to fill initially with water, then once you're happy drain the water and refill with coolant. But with good workshop practice, ie making sure gasket sealing surfaces are clean, etc this shouldn't be necessary.

pauli said:

25L Good grief are you drinking the stuff

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No but the Landie has. I have changed the stat twice, new waterpump, new top hose, new heater hoses, new radiator...all in the last 10 months

TONY

discool said:

Why don't you drain into a bucket and then reuse, you may spill a drop but easy then just to top-up.

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I did that, but every time there was an oily film on the top so I did not risk re-using it even after filtering it through a micro-fibre cloth

TONY

Oily film-that doesnt sound good

pauli said:

Oily film-that doesnt sound good

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Not as bad as it sounds - It was picking it up off the draglink from the leaking PAS box

TONY