How to mix?

[Plum Ranger XLT]

I'm going to change the coolant in my mom's 2000 Focus in the next week or so. I was wondering how do you "properly" mix the coolant and water?

 

[Kdawg532]

50% coolan 50% water is what i have always been told

 

[Shran]

Yeah, just remember distilled water ONLY.

 

[Mark_88]

get an empty bucket and a funnel to make it easier...or an empty jug and fill it up half-way with water then dump the anti-freeze in...

Most of the anti-freeze I looked at offer different levels of cooling so you can use more or less water to taste...

 

[martin]

You can get it pre-mixed, then you don't have to figure out anything.

 

[snake]

I do it differently. Look in the owner's manual for the cooling system capacity first and buy half of that amount in anti-freeze. (If it holds 8 quarts buy a gallon of AF. Then I pull the upper radiator hose at the radiator and let it hang loose- crank the engine, and pour distilled water in the radiator filler neck as needed. As the thermostat opens, water will pour out of the upper hose, so keep replacing it with the distilled in the radiator. It should take about 4 or 5 gallons before the water running out of the engine runs clear, at which point shut the engine off. Loosen the radiator drain plug and drain everything out. Then tighten the plug, reinstall the upper hose, and pour in the gallon of antifreeze (using the above 8 quart example) and crank the engine. Sometimes you can't get the whole gallon in because of the water that is left in the block, heater core, etc, if you get all the antifreeze in there, continue filling with distilled until filled. Run the engine and ensure the thermostat has opened before putting the cap back on. Save a little for the coolant recovery tank and mix that 50-50- if you couldn't get all the coolant into the radiator put what doesn't go into the recovery tank, as it will mix up with normal use. This way you have nothing but distilled water in the cooling system, and a guaranteed 50-50 mix when you are through...

 

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

Another thing to remember: If you do use tap water, DO NOT use 'softened' water. De-ionized is okay, vapor distilled is best. And never use more than a 70% coolant/30% water mix as you'll lose heat transfer capabilities and inhibit anti-corrosion properties in the coolant.