How to top up coolant

[5up3rman]

Most of you may laugh but i'd rather ask and be safe than sorry.

Anyway.
Checked coolant level this morning and noticed it has gone to just under the min level.
Do i need to buy Audi coolant or will something from halfords do?
If i buy Audi coolant do i need to mix it with water, or can i just add it in?
What is the best thing to do?

Thanks

[Sam]

NEVER MIX COOLANTS!!!11

With that out the way, if it's just a small amount missing, top up with water - I've always done it and I'm still alive as is my car.

Now all I have to do is wait for the purists to pee on my campfire :)

[NickPicks]

The coolant bottle should have printed on it what coolant to use. I expect it's either G12, or G12+. Probably G12+ It should be pink.

Available from Audi, TPS or GSF etc.

Do NOT use blue stuff from Halfords or anywhere!

Mix with the right quantity of water (It should say the ratio on the bottle) and pour in to the max level. If I was doing it, I'd probably just pour in 50:50 water and G12+

Edit: as Sam say, never mix coolants (he means the pink and the blue, not mixing it with water). You'll end up with a brown sludge which doesn't work very well.

[5up3rman]

my coolant is pink i can see that quite clearly.

so you're saying buy the official Audi coolant.
i've seen a coolant in halfords:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_18 5166_categoryId_229902_langId_-1?cm_vc=IOV4PDPZ1&iozone=PDPz1

like i say the level is gone just below the min level, so do you guys reckon it's ok to top up to max with cold tap water?

[burkey1]

If you can see that its pink then tap water fine for that amount.

That halfords coolant is fine to use on your car too, expensive though!!!

[iwaters]

Never mix coolant from Halfords with the Pink G12+, it will turn brown and sludgey and will destroy the seals in the coolant system.

[rhencullen1989]

The latest stuff from TPS (Audi) is actually G12 ++ (thats right, plus, plus!!) Only use this stuff in your Audi, as long as its pink and has not been already mixed with the wrong stuff. I don't use tap water, i use de-ionised water, if not available, then de-stilled water followed by tap water. You can mix at different values, but i usually go for 50/50, this will be good enough for our winters.

[burkey1]

Never mix coolant from Halfords with the Pink G12+, it will turn brown and sludgey and will destroy the seals in the coolant system.

Are you saying the pink halfords coolant (TL774D) whick 5up3rman is referring to mixed with pink G12+ will turn brown????

[NickPicks]

If the halfords pink stuff meets the VW spec, then it should be OK, but if most people went to halfods and asked for coolant / anti freeze, they'd end up with blue ethylene glycol, which will not mix properly with G12 (although I think G12+ will tolerate it)

[iwaters]

I've zoomed in on the image on the Halfords website. It says it meets TL774D, which I think is G12. TL774F is G12+.

According to the workshop manual G12+ can be mixed with G11 and G12 so yes the Halfords pink stuff should be ok.

[burkey1]

[QUOTE=NickPicks;559856]if most people went to halfods and asked for coolant / anti freeze, they'd end up with blue ethylene glycolQUOTE]

Thats another issue, but im pretty sure pink halfords coolant (TL774D) will mix fine with pink G12+

[5up3rman]

i think for the sake of a few quid i'll go to audi on the way home and pick up some of their stuff.
will give them a call and get them to leave some by for me.
However in the time being, can i add tap or bottled water into the coolant reservoir?
i don't think it will need maybe more the 250-350 ml.

[burkey1]

Just fire tap water in, its cheaper then bottled!!!!!!!!!!

[5up3rman]

tap water in london is very hard.
only asked cause we get free mineral/bottle water at work.
i have no idea if it would make any difference at all.
lol

[burkey1]

Honestly, Im not one for shortcuts and can be a stickler for details, but at the amount you are talking about ild say if you put 7up in there it would be fine..

[5up3rman]

lol
thanks a lot guys.
just out of curiosity and for knowledge.
how many litres of coolant does the system need?

[NickPicks]

Depends on the engine, but for my V6 2.4, I think it's about 8 litres, so for your 250ml top up, plain water would do, and as burkey said, 7up wouldn't make much difference (apart from a lemony fresh smell)

[iwaters]

This is from the page in the workshop manual for replacing the coolant:

Use only clean tap water for mixing coolant.

[5up3rman]

oops silly me.
ok so topped up the coolant with water.
however i overfilled past the max mark.
not by much possibly a few cm's when you look at the coolant reservoir