2. Checking the cooling system should be carried out with a cold engine, so it is better to do it before the first trip of the day or no earlier than three hours after turning off the engine.
3. Slowly, being careful in case the engine is still warm, remove the radiator cap. Rinse thoroughly inside and out with clean water. Also clean the radiator filler neck. The presence of corrosion in the filler neck means that the coolant should be replaced (refer to Section Coolant replacement). The cooler inside the radiator should be relatively clean and transparent. If it is brownish, drain the system and refill it with new coolant.
4. Carefully check the radiator hoses, as well as the heater hoses, which have a smaller diameter. Check the entire length of the cooling system hoses, replacing any cracked, swollen or worn hose. Cracks are easier to find if the hose is squeezed by hand. Pay special attention to the clamps holding the hoses to the cooling system components. These clamps can cut or puncture hoses, causing coolant to leak.
5. Make sure all hose connections are secure. Refrigerant leaks usually show up as white or rusty deposits in the seal failure area. If your car uses wire-type clamps, then it may make sense to replace them with screw-type clamps.
6. Use compressed air or a soft brush to clean the front of the radiator (as well as the air conditioning condenser, where present). Remove all insects, leaves and other foreign objects that have fallen on the radiator fins. Be very careful not to damage the ribs or cut your fingers on them.
7. If the coolant level is constantly dropping, and you have not found any leaks, you should pressure check the radiator cap and the entire cooling system.
Checking the frost resistance of the coolant
Do not allow antifreeze to come into contact with your skin or painted vehicle surfaces. In case of contact, rinse immediately with plenty of water. Antifreeze is extremely toxic and deadly if ingested. Do not leave antifreeze in an open container or spilled on the floor; its sweet smell can easily attract children or pets. Check local regulations for the disposal of used antifreeze. In many areas there are special centers for its acceptance.
Before the start of the winter season, it is imperative to check the concentration of antifreeze in the coolant, especially if clean water was poured into the system during operation.
To do this, you need a frost resistance meter. There is also an optical level checker HAZET No. 4810.
Examination
8. Slightly warm up the engine so that the top hose of a radiator warms up. When measuring the concentration of antifreeze, the temperature of the liquid should be close to +20°C.
On a hot engine, open the expansion tank cap carefully. There is a risk of burns! It is necessary to put a rag on the cork. Open the plug only when the liquid temperature is not more than +90°C.
9. Carefully turn away a stopper of a broad tank.
10. Draw liquid with a hydrometer bulb.
11. In our latitudes, the concentration of antifreeze is sufficient to protect the system up to a temperature of -25°C, in a particularly cold climate up to -35°C.
Adding antifreeze
Refer to materials Specifications at the beginning of the chapter.
If it is necessary to ensure frost resistance to a temperature of -25°C, the concentration of antifreeze in the coolant should be 40%.
If it is necessary to ensure frost resistance to a temperature of -35°C, the concentration of antifreeze should be 50%.
If a higher degree of frost protection is required, the antifreeze concentration level can be increased to 60%. This concentration will provide protection down to -40°C. If the concentration rises to a higher level, the protection of the engine starts to decrease and, in addition, the heat dissipation properties of the coolant deteriorate.
12. Remove the required amount of coolant and add antifreeze according to the Specifications.
13. Close the cap on the radiator and after a test drive, check the concentration of antifreeze again, refer to Specifications.