coolant

[andybesy]

Hi folks, sorry if this has been done to death but I'm confused.

Could someone link me the right type of pre-mix coolant on halfords site?

Do I want OAT or silicate?

 Do I need a particular colour?

Are anti-freeze and coolant the same thing?

Thanks, Andy

[andybesy]

Oh, and I'm in hard water area. I know I can't use my tap water to mix my own coolant. But is it okay to flush the system with my tap water, or must I use distilled water instead?

Are distilled and de-ironised water the same thing?

,Andy

[andybesy]

Okay so I've been doing lots of reading and after initially getting yet more confused what I seem to have concluded is that I shouldn't switch from one type to another unless I'm confident of being able to get all the old stuff out.

So should I just drain a little to see what colour is in there now and lien buy the same colour? It's a pain as I'll need the bike to go get the new coolant so hopefully can get away with just draining a bit.

Hi it as simple as just colours?

[Punkstig]

I just used the premixed coolant from a bike shop, so no worries about dilution,
I can't make a sound comment on using hard water to flush out the system but so long as it's being done on a cold engine I don't see it being a problem as any left over in the system will be massively diluted by the coolant you fill with!

[ChristoT]

So should I just drain a little to see what colour is in there now and lien buy the same colour? It's a pain as I'll need the bike to go get the new coolant so hopefully can get away with just draining a bit.

Can't you just look in the overflow tank / top of the rad?

[fazersharp]

All you will ever need to know is here http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,10671.0.html

[andybesy]

Okay thanks for your replies guys. So after a night's sleep my heads is clearer. And yes I did dream about coolant that's normal okay! That's what happens when you go to sleep reading haynes manuals. 

I've decided to delay the job a couple of days and sort out a hose today, I don't have one but it'll make flushing it easier and have wanted one for ages for cleaning it too. So that's job number one for today.

Job number two is I'm going to have a quick peak and see if I can glean any info on what's in there at present, colour etc.

Most likely I'll flush it as well as I can and then use the bike specific stuff. Job number three I'll nip up to CMC Clay Cross see what they have, if not then ebay.

But Coffee first.

Andy