- Thread starter bigoldboy
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AdamWilkes
Enthusiast
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- Poole
Older cars usually favour blue antifreeze 50% with water as far as I know - not the modern OAT pink/purple/red stuff.
That's great thank you I was really just concerned about the corrosion problem mainly because where we live doesn't often freeze and I believe the correct antifreeze helps with water pump lubrication .
Thanks again and please correct me if I'm wrong .
(1972 R4s) .
Thanks again and please correct me if I'm wrong .
(1972 R4s) .
AdamWilkes
Enthusiast
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- Poole
Antifreeze is indeed an anti-corrosive as well, so highly recommended. I think the modern OAT stuff attacks some of the metals that are in the old cooling systems, not 100% sure, but it's not recommended for some reason 
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JdeW
Enthusiast
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- 910
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- Laarbeek The Netherlands
Like Adam wrote just plain simple antifreeze but mixed with demineralized water.
The oldest known coolant, G11, is blue in color and is suitable for old cars, especially older than 1997. This is the cheapest variant and is often used to change. This coolant has the addition of sodium silicate. Inhibitors, including silicates, create a protective layer between the metal surface and the coolant. By forming this layer, the inhibitors are consumed and after some time (60,000 - 85,000 km) you have to replace the coolant.
NOTE: The protective layer is also getting thicker, making the heat transfer from liquid to metal increasingly difficult. This means that you not only have to change the liquid regularly, but also flush the system to remove the thick protective layer.
The oldest known coolant, G11, is blue in color and is suitable for old cars, especially older than 1997. This is the cheapest variant and is often used to change. This coolant has the addition of sodium silicate. Inhibitors, including silicates, create a protective layer between the metal surface and the coolant. By forming this layer, the inhibitors are consumed and after some time (60,000 - 85,000 km) you have to replace the coolant.
NOTE: The protective layer is also getting thicker, making the heat transfer from liquid to metal increasingly difficult. This means that you not only have to change the liquid regularly, but also flush the system to remove the thick protective layer.
That's very helpful , is the blue 50% antifreeze still available ?
I don't think the car will be doing 60,000 KMs in my lifetime so I won't be needing to flush the system but as a matter of interest what would you flush the system with and how because I think there is a lot of rust and general debris in the coolant channels ?
Thanks again
I don't think the car will be doing 60,000 KMs in my lifetime so I won't be needing to flush the system but as a matter of interest what would you flush the system with and how because I think there is a lot of rust and general debris in the coolant channels ?
Thanks again
JdeW
Enthusiast
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- 910
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- Laarbeek The Netherlands
Normally you'd flush the complete system with water.
You can't see if there's any caked contamination present inside the block, that's only be seen by removing the cylinder head.
This picture shows caked silicate contamination of my Cleon engine, it's that beige stuff and very hard to remove....
As I wrote, you can't tell if it's in the engine, but you can assume it's there.
Do not use aggressive modern descalers as it will dissolve the paper liners of the cylinder bushes and then you have a real problem!!
On some French forums it's written that they use cleaning or white vinegar to flush and descale the complete system, first drain all the coollant, and fill the system with vinegar solution, run the engine untill it's completely warm, shut it of and leave it soak for a day, then drain the vinegar solution, flush everything with (deminiralized) water and at last fill the system with new antifreeze.
I've never done this but maybe there is another member with this experience?
You can't see if there's any caked contamination present inside the block, that's only be seen by removing the cylinder head.
This picture shows caked silicate contamination of my Cleon engine, it's that beige stuff and very hard to remove....
As I wrote, you can't tell if it's in the engine, but you can assume it's there.
Do not use aggressive modern descalers as it will dissolve the paper liners of the cylinder bushes and then you have a real problem!!
On some French forums it's written that they use cleaning or white vinegar to flush and descale the complete system, first drain all the coollant, and fill the system with vinegar solution, run the engine untill it's completely warm, shut it of and leave it soak for a day, then drain the vinegar solution, flush everything with (deminiralized) water and at last fill the system with new antifreeze.
I've never done this but maybe there is another member with this experience?
Eccles60
First Renault 4 after 40 years waiting
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- Solihull, West Midlands
Renault type D coolant is correct for our Quatrelles. In the UK it remains readily available from Renault dealers at about £12 for 5 litres (or is it 4?), annoyingly you really need two of these unless you can't quite drain all of your system (accidentally or otherwise).
Thanks once again .
Where we live in Spain the water pipes and systems including the taps etc frequently get blocked with calcium deposits so we often soak plumbing parts in vinegar . If this is not to aggressive for an engine I may give your suggestion a try .
Very interesting thank you .
Where we live in Spain the water pipes and systems including the taps etc frequently get blocked with calcium deposits so we often soak plumbing parts in vinegar . If this is not to aggressive for an engine I may give your suggestion a try .
Very interesting thank you .