Coolant

[Mr-Toy33]

Need to change whatever is in my radiator tomorrow as I'm doing a minor service on the car myself (oil filter change, oil change, spark plug change, etc). Just wondering as to which coolant is recommended to be run in a stock R33 GTST skyline these days?

Dont really want to go to supercheap and buy some cheap $5 coolant and then to find out it'll destroy the engine after 4,000k's like people have reported Mobil engine oil to come out all gluggy after 4,000k's when they serviced it.

So. Any recommendations?

[SteveL]

I use the stuff sold by Nissan. Costs about $45 for 4L which you then dilute to a concentration of between 30% and 50% with water (I used distilled water). Might cost a bit more than others, but if it's what Nissan use........

[Busky2k]

I recommend using concentrate because you can never get all the water out the block if you cant get to the drain bolt. That way the remaining water doesnt dilute the premixed coolant.

I reckon Castrol's stuff is good. Also Nissans concentrate is good. If the coolant capacity is 8L, just add 33% of it (Ie 2.7L or 3L) and fill with distilled water. Remember to drain, and rinse the system with distilled water twice (ie fill--->run for 5 mins--->drain--->fill--->run for 5 mins---->drain)

Too easy...

[Beer Baron]

having previously had an alloy radiator built for my old car i spoke to the radiator building guy about this. he has tried them all and reckons the green nulon one is the go. it's a glycol based coolant (like they mostly are). just make sure that whatever you use is suitable for use in a motor with an alloy head. not such a concern on RBs (iron block) but on my old SR20 (all alloy) you need to make sure you don't get a reaction when you switch coolant. that's the second piece of advice, pick a brand and stick to it as some brands won't go well together and can cause a chemical reation. not good.

[MerlinTheHapyPig]

rinse the system with distilled water twice

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you don't need to use distilled water, tap water is fine.

imo, any coolant will do, don't really see the difference between more expensive brands, and as long as your car doesn't overheat, then you're fine.

(just read the label and make sure it's alright for your car)

Edited August 26, 2005 by MerlinTheHapyPig

[Busky2k]

Yeah well if you've seen Adelaide tap water you'd start thinkin twice. Thus having a few litres of dodgy tap water still sitting in your block makes you wonder. Distilled water is cheap, no excuses.

Oh and I haven't had good experiences with Nulon's green. On 2 cars of mine the water pumps seals died soon after changing themover. Nulon green is actually a hybrid OAT/Glycol coolant.

Edited August 26, 2005 by Busky2k

[siksII]

i have used repco brand coolant with no problems. i bought premixed 10L bottle@ 33% its green and costs about $30

[Mumbo#5]

we use the repco coolant at work on all our cars... works well.. but killed my waterpump seals mainly due to the fact that the prick that had it before me wasnt running coolant more like that brown shit that stops leaks or whatever it is... but its cheap and works well..

[Mr-Toy33]

Ended up doin the coolant change over the weekend. Got a 5L bottle from Autobarn.

Autobarn plus many other skyline drivers I talked to about this on Friday night recommended that I only put 50% of the radiator's compasity of coolant in and the other 50% of the compasity of distiller water in. This, I have done and can see somewhat a bit more performance since the change.

Then again, I've also done a oil & oil filter change as well which really I think needed to be done.

Anyway! this weekend is the spark plug change. Just got to sit around the place I'm doing it at for 2hrs to let the damm engine cool down. OR! I could buy one of those huge industrial fans and let it blow on the engine for 10mins. LOL

[siksII]

Ended up doin the coolant change over the weekend.  Got a 5L bottle from Autobarn. 

Autobarn plus many other skyline drivers I talked to about this on Friday night recommended that I only put 50% of the radiator's compasity  of coolant in and the other 50% of the compasity of distiller water in.  This, I have done and can see somewhat a bit more performance since the change.

Then again, I've also done a oil & oil filter change as well which really I think needed to be done.

Anyway!  this weekend is the spark plug change.  Just got to sit around the place I'm doing it at for 2hrs to let the damm engine cool down.  OR!  I could buy one of those huge industrial fans and let it blow on the engine for 10mins.  LOL

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hey if u are talking about mixing concentrate with distilled water, generally you only need to mix around 1/3 concentrate with 1/3 water, and you would never put all the concentrate in!!

changing the coolant wont give u a performance benefit you can feel so ill assure u that the gain u felt was in your head

with the spark plug change unless your hands are very sensitive you can usually remove most of the stuff straight away when engine is hot, i usually use a rag when im touching hot parts when changing spark plugs so try that dont bother waiting u should be fine..

[t01-100]

I use Motul Motocool Factory Line.

Its a ready product you just tip in avilable in 1l bottles.

Have never had a problem with heat on the road or in competition.

$15 a bottle.

[Mr-Toy33]

hey if u are talking about mixing concentrate with distilled water, generally you only need to mix around 1/3 concentrate with 1/3 water, and you would never put all the concentrate in!!

changing the coolant wont give u a performance benefit you can feel so ill assure u that the gain u felt was in your head

with the spark plug change unless your hands are very sensitive you can usually remove most of the stuff straight away when engine is hot, i usually use a rag when im touching hot parts when changing spark plugs so try that dont bother waiting u should be fine..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Didn't say I got extra performance just from the coolant. I also did a oil service (oil change and oil filter change) to which would of helped with whatever extra performance I may of felt. Then again, cold air could of also been part of the factor for the turbo.

Or fact I probably didnt drive the car for a few hours to which had let the engine cool down. Plenty of facts could of been apart of the reason to what performance I may of felt.