Hubby has been a right idiot and put some g13 coolant in the car. But he has mixed it with pc coolant instead of distilled water! The car has been driven for a few days. Skoda assist when I called them have said it should be ok as long as long as no more than half a litre was used and doesn't need to be recovered. Hubby thinks it was probably about 50ml of the wrong coolant. It even says on the bottle do not mix with other liquids. Should I just get it to a garage as quickly as possible tomorrow and see if they can drain it just in case?

Edited 7 January, 20197 yr by tigermad

What is pc coolant?

Just now, xman said:

What is pc coolant?

For water cooling pcs. 

2 minutes ago, tigermad said:

For water cooling pcs. 

 

I gathered that, perhaps I should say what pc coolant exactly, what is it made of, ingredients....

Just now, xman said:

 

I gathered that, perhaps I should say what pc coolant exactly, what is it made of, ingredients....

Sorry it just says synergistic corrosion inhibitors and scale and biological inhibitors. How many litres of Coolant does the car hold?

Mix some of this magic pc coolant with G13, dilute to 50% with water. Put it in a pan on the cooker, fetch to the boil and observe over several minutes, allow to cool. Notice any gunge forming or precipitation, change of colour etc?

 

Car holds several litres  maybe it says in the manual.

Just now, xman said:

Mix some of this magic pc coolant with G13, dilute to 50% with water. Put it in a pan on the cooker, fetch to the boil and observe over several minutes, allow to cool. Notice any gunge forming or precipitation, change of colour etc?

 

Car holds several litres  maybe it says in the manual.

We have some in a bottle that we mixed it in. Probably be just best to drain it all at a garage just in case? Dunno how much that charge though and I will have to get some more g13 to start again

8 minutes ago, tigermad said:

Sorry it just says synergistic corrosion inhibitors and scale and biological inhibitors. 

 

Sounds like its probably holistic ultrapure deionised hydrogen dioxide with some ink to give it its fancy colour. 

 

3 minutes ago, xman said:

 

Sounds like its probably holistic ultrapure deionised hydrogen dioxide with some ink to give it its fancy colour. 

 

This one's clear so at least the coolant in the tank looks normal. 

So probably just water.

If it was going to gel and thicken up would it do it after a few days or could it take months?

Mix it up as I described then see if it separates, that would indicate whether pc magicool is oil based or water based.

2 minutes ago, xman said:

Mix it up as I described then see if it separates, that would indicate whether pc magicool is oil based or water based.

Thanks. You normally at distilled water to it if that's any help. 

Something like this then?

 

http://www.xtremecooling-pc.com/shop/ek-ekoolant-evo-clear-concentrate-100ml/

 

Probably glycol based antifreeze at a guess.

 

https://www.wolflubes.com/EN_EU/Blog/2016/What-you-need-to-know-about-G13-antifreeze-and-coolant.aspx

 

50ml is virtually nothing in the scheme of things but I would at least do the hot chemical reaction test I suggested, maybe freezer test too, to check it doesn't turn into a lump of jelly.

 

Contact the pc coolant manufacturer and/or supplier for information, at the very least they have to supply COSHH safety sheets by law.

 

 

Sorry to widen the subject, but why was he adding coolant? I've not had to add any during my ownership (12 months on the current mk3). Do you have a leak? If so that is reason enough to take it to the dealer for diagnosis. 

2 minutes ago, BriskodaJeff said:

Sorry to widen the subject, but why was he adding coolant? I've not had to add any during my ownership (12 months on the current mk3). Do you have a leak? If so that is reason enough to take it to the dealer for diagnosis. 

We had the warning light come on the other day. We have topped it up and will keep our eyes on it. I know you shouldn't have to but spoke to Skoda and they said to do that and see. My service will be due in a few months so I may ask them to check it over anyway.   I hear it could be the water pump that causes it and is a common problem?

Mention of 50ml so possibly added 100ml in total. OCD person topping up to the Max line I bet.

Edited 7 January, 20197 yr by xman
Removed wrong advice....

6 minutes ago, xman said:

Something like this then?

 

http://www.xtremecooling-pc.com/shop/ek-ekoolant-evo-clear-concentrate-100ml/

 

Probably glycol based antifreeze at a guess.

 

https://www.wolflubes.com/EN_EU/Blog/2016/What-you-need-to-know-about-G13-antifreeze-and-coolant.aspx

 

50ml is virtually nothing in the scheme of things but I would at least do the hot chemical reaction test I suggested, maybe freezer test too, to check it doesn't turn into a lump of jelly.

 

Contact the pc coolant manufacturer and/or supplier for information, at the very least they have to supply COSHH safety sheets by law.

 

 

Thanks. Why do I need to add more water before I test it. Can't I just put the mixture in I have? Will it ruin my saucepan?

1 minute ago, xman said:

Mention of 50ml so possibly added 100ml in total. OCD person topping up to the Max line I bet. (Which is ill advised as levels should be checked at operating temperature)

You should do it cold shouldn't you. It was quite a bit below the minimum line when cold and we topped it up to half way between min and MaX. 

11 minutes ago, tigermad said:

Thanks. Why do I need to add more water before I test it. Can't I just put the mixture in I have? Will it ruin my saucepan?

 

Hehe, sounds just like my wife......no don't worry, corrosion inhibitors you know.....but I would use something old, make sure you wash it thoroughly afterwards, a couple of times at least as antifreeze is highly toxic. Perhaps better to put some in a clear glass and pop it in the microwave.

 

Water might form part of any chemical reaction so give it all the options.

 

9 minutes ago, tigermad said:

You should do it cold shouldn't you. It was quite a bit below the minimum line when cold and we topped it up to half way between min and MaX. 

 

You are correct, I checked the manual and you check/fill when cold.

 

54 minutes ago, xman said:

Something like this then?

 

http://www.xtremecooling-pc.com/shop/ek-ekoolant-evo-clear-concentrate-100ml/

 

Probably glycol based antifreeze at a guess.

 

https://www.wolflubes.com/EN_EU/Blog/2016/What-you-need-to-know-about-G13-antifreeze-and-coolant.aspx

 

50ml is virtually nothing in the scheme of things but I would at least do the hot chemical reaction test I suggested, maybe freezer test too, to check it doesn't turn into a lump of jelly.

 

Contact the pc coolant manufacturer and/or supplier for information, at the very least they have to supply COSHH safety sheets by law.

 

 

It’s the first one in your link by the way. Looks like it’s premixed. It’s the 1000ml one below. So it’s mixed with distilled water anyway. So looks like even weaker than I thought anyway. 

 

https://www.scan.co.uk/products/ek-ekoolant-evo-clear-premix-1-litre

 

Datasheet

https://www.ekwb.com/shop/EK-PSS/EK-PSS-3830046999610.pdf

 

Edited 7 January, 20197 yr by tigermad

So mainly its this

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol

 

This is where my knowledge stops, my uneducated guess is it will probably be ok because only 50ml and water diluted anyway so in effect even less.

 

To flush and change the coolant will be very expensive, could cause more issues than its worth, any chemical reaction will have already taken place anyway, which I think is unlikely anyway.

 

Skoda assist said it was ok so thats all you really need to know...

 

Goodnight!

 

 

 

1 hour ago, BriskodaJeff said:

Sorry to widen the subject, but why was he adding coolant? I've not had to add any during my ownership (12 months on the current mk3). Do you have a leak? If so that is reason enough to take it to the dealer for diagnosis. 

 

Not uncommon with some other MQB cars I know of (MK7 Golf in particular). Coolant needing topping up every few months means a slow, almost undetectable leak via the thermostat housing according to some reports. First time (even second) it happens dealer just tops it up and asks you to keep an eye so not a straight-forward "it's broken - fix it" process, ask me how I know...

Edited 7 January, 20197 yr by newbie69