This is a dark subject that any owner of a fluid cooled engine should know about?
After seven years but with low mileage a 3.8ltr Jaguars alloy cylinder head required welding on all of the fluid transfer ports where the face of the head mates to the steel engine block, the welding repair cost was R2600 and that does not include parts and labour.
Why did this happen? for sure the lack of road miles will have been a cause but given that the engine had the best antifreeze coolant that the suppliers I use stocked, I would really not expect such damage.
Those of you who know about what happens when two metals of different ends of the corrosion chain will understand that the alloy head and steel engine block were the main cause.
This 1967 Singer Chamios has the Rootes Imp all alloy engine, thats the head and the block, I have now removed all of the green antifreeze and replaced it with Caltex extended life coolant.
Its pink in colour and when spilt onto a cement floor turned green, so much so I thought it was antifreeze.
The coolant is pre mixed,it weighs twice that of normal tap water, if you need to top up the fluid for any reason and have no more Caltex extended life coolant you can use distilled water.
The coolant raises the boiling point by 8 degrees C , thats quite an advantage,it will also handle tempratures down to minus 40C.
The life of the coolant is five years or 200,000 kms.
The 5ltr pack was sourced for me by Clive of Killarney Auto Service in Montegue Gardens, the instructions on the pack clearly say you should not water the mix down. Contact with Caltex in Johannesburg told me that adding distilled water is allowed, this will affect the cold climate protection, which is not an issue in Cape Town.
My thanks for Caltex South Africa for having the Caltex filling station in Hout Bay stocked with 1 litre packs for me, talk about good service!
Roy
After seven years but with low mileage a 3.8ltr Jaguars alloy cylinder head required welding on all of the fluid transfer ports where the face of the head mates to the steel engine block, the welding repair cost was R2600 and that does not include parts and labour.
Click on the picture for a larger image.
My thanks to the filling station attendant Nommiselo Mzukisi for the LRP fuel he put in the cars petrol tank and also to Druma for looking after the drivers seat.
Why did this happen? for sure the lack of road miles will have been a cause but given that the engine had the best antifreeze coolant that the suppliers I use stocked, I would really not expect such damage.
Those of you who know about what happens when two metals of different ends of the corrosion chain will understand that the alloy head and steel engine block were the main cause.
This 1967 Singer Chamios has the Rootes Imp all alloy engine, thats the head and the block, I have now removed all of the green antifreeze and replaced it with Caltex extended life coolant.
Its pink in colour and when spilt onto a cement floor turned green, so much so I thought it was antifreeze.
The coolant is pre mixed,it weighs twice that of normal tap water, if you need to top up the fluid for any reason and have no more Caltex extended life coolant you can use distilled water.
The coolant raises the boiling point by 8 degrees C , thats quite an advantage,it will also handle tempratures down to minus 40C.
The life of the coolant is five years or 200,000 kms.
The 5ltr pack was sourced for me by Clive of Killarney Auto Service in Montegue Gardens, the instructions on the pack clearly say you should not water the mix down. Contact with Caltex in Johannesburg told me that adding distilled water is allowed, this will affect the cold climate protection, which is not an issue in Cape Town.
My thanks for Caltex South Africa for having the Caltex filling station in Hout Bay stocked with 1 litre packs for me, talk about good service!
Roy
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