The Student Room Group

Quick question - coolant

Was just checking all the levels of the fluids in my car as I'm going on a trip tomorrow and the coolant is completely empty. The engine was off when I checked the levels.

Does anyone know what sort of coolant I need to buy for it. It's a Peugeot 206. The coolant 'tank' seems orangish, so I'm guessing I need to get an orange colour coolant. Sorry, I don't know much about this sort of thing.

Please reply asap as I'm driving at practically the crack of dawn tomorrow morning!

Thanks!

PS: Can the coolant be bought at a petrol station as Halfords etc won't be open when I'm heading out?
Reply 1
Top up with water.
Reply 2
If the tank is empty, then you've clearly got bigger problems than you think.

It shouldn't need topping up at all.
Reply 3
just add water coz if it is orange there is properly allready antifreeze in there
Reply 4
Ok, thanks!

Wasn't sure if water could be put in by itself. Will put a bit of water in an anti-freeze at some point in the future. Thanks again.
Reply 5
JC.
If the tank is empty, then you've clearly got bigger problems than you think.

It shouldn't need topping up at all.


If its not been checked in a while, it could loose the expansion tank's worth with a small leak. If it disappears quickly, you have serious issues OP. Keep an eye on it once you've topped it up.
Reply 6
you need the Glysantin G33 coolant (orange jobby) ; don't just top up with water, if the tanks empty, it's empty, regardless of weather the tank is stained orange. The antifreeze also acts as a corosion inhibitor. For the sake of £3 op, buy a new cap to your expansion cap, as it's not uncommon for them to wear and release when the pressure builds up (its what they're designed to do afterall) and as everyone above has said, keep an eye on coolant from now on..
Reply 7
jaw
you need the Glysantin G33 coolant (orange jobby) ; don't just top up with water, if the tanks empty, it's empty, regardless of weather the tank is stained orange. The antifreeze also acts as a corosion inhibitor. For the sake of £3 op, buy a new cap to your expansion cap, as it's not uncommon for them to wear and release when the pressure builds up (its what they're designed to do afterall) and as everyone above has said, keep an eye on coolant from now on..


Thanks, that's very specific! I just checked the manual and it says approved coolants are : Proccor TM108/Glysantin G33 coolant or Revkogel 2000. Do you know if these are widely available at petrol stations, I have just been to two stations a Texaco one/Somerfield and an Esso one. The Texaco/Somerfield one had no coolant according to the attendant, but the shop was closed so I couldn't check myself. The Esso one only had some Tesco branded blue one called anti-freeze/summer coolant which I didn't want to risk.

Is it ok to just put a bit of water till I can find the correct coolant?

Oh and what's the cap thing? Sorry I know next to nothing about cars, but I'm slowly learning...it's my first car.
Reply 8
Minardi
If its not been checked in a while, it could loose the expansion tank's worth with a small leak. If it disappears quickly, you have serious issues OP. Keep an eye on it once you've topped it up.

Thanks, yeah I will keep an eye on it from now on. I will also keep an eye out for any leaks, fingers crossed there won't be any.
Reply 9
Dr. Robotnik
Thanks, that's very specific! I just checked the manual and it says approved coolants are : Proccor TM108/Glysantin G33 coolant or Revkogel 2000. Do you know if these are widely available at petrol stations, I have just been to two stations a Texaco one/Somerfield and an Esso one. The Texaco/Somerfield one had no coolant according to the attendant, but the shop was closed so I couldn't check myself. The Esso one only had some Tesco branded blue one called anti-freeze/summer coolant which I didn't want to risk.

Is it ok to just put a bit of water till I can find the correct coolant?

Oh and what's the cap thing? Sorry I know next to nothing about cars, but I'm slowly learning...it's my first car.

generally speaking, any orange coolant will do the trick, just check the label. The halfords orange stuff is as good as Glysantin G33 I beleive. It's basically an Organic Acid Technology coolant (OAT). Normally I'd say flush the system in an ideal world, but it shouldn't be a problem

The expansion cap is just the little plastic lid you unscrew to pour the coolant it.. Generally, they're designed so that when pressure builds up in the coolant system, ie it begins to overheat, it releases steam, to pervent the radiator hoses and the like from splitting (mine had ceased in my supra, splitting a hose in the most unimaginably difficult place at the back of the block :laugh: bad times..

Ideally, Autofactors etc should be able to get hold of the right Glysantin G33..
Reply 10
jaw
generally speaking, any orange coolant will do the trick, just check the label. The halfords orange stuff is as good as Glysantin G33 I beleive. It's basically an Organic Acid Technology coolant (OAT). Normally I'd say flush the system in an ideal world, but it shouldn't be a problem

The expansion cap is just the little plastic lid you unscrew to pour the coolant it.. Generally, they're designed so that when pressure builds up in the coolant system, ie it begins to overheat, it releases steam, to pervent the radiator hoses and the like from splitting (mine had ceased in my supra, splitting a hose in the most unimaginably difficult place at the back of the block :laugh: bad times..


I won't be able to get to Halfords tomorrow morning as I am heading out early, but I will be able to stop off at petrol stations to check if they have any of the orange coolant, preferably the Glysantin or Revkogel.

Is it ok just to put in a bit of water temporarily? The warning/stop light has not come up yet.

Thanks for explaining this all clearly by the way, I really appreciate it.
Reply 11
Dr. Robotnik
I won't be able to get to Halfords tomorrow morning as I am heading out early, but I will be able to stop off at petrol stations to check if they have any of the orange coolant, preferably the Glysantin or Revkogel.

Is it ok just to put in a bit of water temporarily? The warning/stop light has not come up yet.

Thanks for explaining this all clearly by the way, I really appreciate it.

don't see why it'd be an issue :smile:
Reply 12
Excellent - thank you! Cars can be so complicated lol

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