Required tools:
- hydrometer, which is commercially available and also offered for use at gas stations. When using the hydrometer HAZET4810-B, it is also possible to measure the density of the electrolyte in the battery.
1. Warm up the engine so that you can grab the upper radiator hose with your hand without burning yourself.
Attention! With a hot engine, place a thick cloth over the filler cap before removing the radiator filler cap to prevent burns from hot coolant or steam. Remove the cap only when the coolant temperature is below +90°C.
2. Unscrew and remove the cap from the expansion tank, taking precautions.
3. Take the coolant from the expansion tank with a hydrometer and determine its concentration on the hydrometer scale (see illustration). Frost protection in our latitudes must be maintained down to -35°C.
Attention! The radiator and heater are made of aluminium. For this reason, only liquid recommended by OPEL should be added to the cooling system.
Attention! Do not mix coolant of different colors.
Increasing the content of antifreeze in the coolant
Example: When measuring the coolant concentration on a vehicle with a 4-cylinder engine, it was found that the filled coolant only provides freeze protection at an ambient temperature of -10°C. To ensure freeze protection at -35°C, drain 3 liters of coolant from the system and fill the system with 3 liters of clean antifreeze.
Attention! The table shows the values at a coolant temperature of +20°C.
4. Close the expansion tank with a cap and after a test drive, check the coolant concentration again.
Visual inspection of the cooling system for leaks
5. Check the cooling system hoses for porosity by squeezing and bending them. Replace hardened or swollen hoses.
The hoses must not sit too tight on the connection fittings.
6. Check up firmness of fastening of hoses collars. If necessary, replace the old clamps with new ones.
7. Check the condition of the expansion tank cap gasket and make sure there is no damage (see arrow in illustration).
Attention! Loss of coolant can be caused by an incorrectly screwed cap on the expansion tank.
If the coolant level is constantly dropping, and the leak cannot be found, then check the cooling system by warming up the engine.
8. Leave the hot engine idling until the radiator fan turns on and see if fluid is leaking from the water pump.
Perceptible loss of coolant and (or) the presence of oil in it, as well as white clouds of exhaust gases with a warm engine, indicate a defect in the cylinder head gasket.
Attention! Finding a leak is sometimes difficult. In this case, you should contact the workshop, where for this there is a special device with which the cooling system is checked under pressure. In this case, you can also check the pressure reducing valve on the cover of the expansion tank.
Attention! Drops of liquid on the water pump vent, as well as traces of its evaporation in the engine compartment, should not cause concern, if there is no significant drop in the coolant level in the expansion tank.
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