Jlui83

Just went in my garage and poped the hood open and noticed that my coolant lvl is just below the "low" indicator..... Which kind of coolant do you guys recommend if i wanted to add more?

Also its been sitting for a day... Does the coolant lvl rise after the engine is running?

mRVRsport

Honestly, Any Quality Brand antifreeze will do.

Some come pre-mixed and some requires you to mix them with distilled water in a 50/50 mixture for "optimum" performance.

>> I prefer to stay factory original (OEM coolant $20 per Gal.) and mix them myself. I don't like to have different color antifreeze in my cooling system.

If you're just a tad shy of the "low mark" then, you can fill with distilled water (for $1.38 @ WallyMart)

Jlui83

Thanks!

Jlui83

Well picked up some from the dealer.. $20plus tax..... It says NOT to add water which is great. Less stuff to worry about.

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (12)

Should have just bought distilled water. When you buy coolant that says "don't add water" that just means it's already a 50/50 mix of distilled water and coolant. Adding a little distilled water if you're a tad low will only make the ratio like 49.95/50.05 haha

mRVRsport

Can you take a photo of the product you received from the dealer?


Well, if it has changed to a pre-mix.. and if he hadn't opened it.. He can get a refund (Hopefully).

Live and learn.

Jlui83

its ok... good to have on hand anyways. ill take a pic when im off work

jackPN

Does anyone have tried using the Prestone 50/50 antifreeze coolant?

mRVRsport

^
Are you inferring that you just want to use Prestone to top off alittle bit, or are you planning on a complete coolant flush and replace it with Prestone 50/50?

ILuvJDM

iTrader: (12)

I use prestone in my evo, it's just coolant, I wouldn't think too much into it

Burtonrider1002

Unfortunately, I would say otherwise, and I have justification.

A little while back, I was backed into while parked on a Chicago street. The front bumper flexed (a LOT) with minimal damage, but the radiator (and A/C something) were damaged. The body shop replaced the radiator and used NON-, but still name-brand premium coolant, which I was OK with. As of recent, I've learned that was a poor choice.

In the Outlander Sport owners manual, it instructs you to use ONLY Ultra Long Life Super Premium Coolant (or something along those lines). It states that using other coolant can cause corrosion of the aluminum components in the cooling system. As someone who now has almost no heat, and probably needs a new heater core (and is outside of the warranty period), I am pretty certain that the non- coolant is to blame.

I'll get the sheet out of my car later on tonight and post some more details.

mRVRsport

OH ****.
That just blows.

You think it might have been the "repair" more than the non-Mitsu coolant?

**************

Okay.
Thought about your situation a bit more..

BEFORE you spend any hard earn money on (any) repairs... Have you tried to bleed your cooling system?

> There may be some air pockets trapped in your heater core.

Burtonrider1002

Cooling system has been flushed ($130, but it was "needed" for the 60k maintenance anyways), burped/belched multiple times, and the thermostat replaced (Different dealership (Max Madsen in Downers Grove, IL) were able to get warranty approval for the thermostat).

The damage to the radiator was only bent/crushed/smushed fins, there was no leakage or punctures, and the replacement was genuine . I've considered it, but I'm just not sure what could have happened with the repair to cause this.

mRVRsport

Well, that may be. But are you sure they bled the system with the heater turned on to max heat? (so to open the valve to the heater core - to allow for proper air evac.)

> Not sure if the tech missed that process (either through negligence or if it was summer time when the accident occurred and he just didn't think-of or bother to set the heat to high/max.)

Either way, I still say give it a try and elevate the front of your vehicle a bit to help the bleed. It won't cost you anything that's for sure.


Secondly, I'm not sure how they came to the conclusion that it ONLY caused a few "smushed" fins... Cause from your photos it clearly showed the lower portion of your radiator was bent AND there's fluid on the catch-pan/splash-plate

To me, this is what smushed fins means >

Burtonrider1002

3 different technicians at 2 different dealerships have bled it So I really hope that at least one of them knew what they were doing.

Also, it worked fine all last winter, post accident.

Worth a shot (The real question is whether or not I will actually get my *** out there and do it, especially now that I live on campus and have only used my car twice in the last 2 weeks).

I didn't intend to downplay the damage by any means (obviously, as I posted a picture of it). I simply meant that it was ONLY bending/ [severe] smushing of the fins, not a leak or any way for debris to have entered the system. I agree though, I should have been a little more accurate with my description, my apologies.

As for the liquid you see on the bellypan, to quote Mr. Boucher, it was simply some "high quality H2O". It was winter and there had been some periodic snow-melt induced wet spots during my drive to the shop. The body tech, shop manager, and myself all tested the fluid using a highly accurate scientifical test, commonly known on the streets as a "sniff test" , and the results were unanimous that it was water, not coolant.