Have forgotten. What fluid do you use In Radiator.

[stooge]

the tap water in most places around Australia is garbage for things like coffee machines, irons, engines etc.
while it may be fit for human consumption it is not really advised to use it in certain types of machines.

in my area here in bunbury I wouldn't advise people drink the tap water it is that bad.

you can use tap water and say "I have no problem with it" but the damage it causes is not something that happens overnight.
it is a slow process because the chemicals in the coolant help prevent it but they don't totally prevent it and you cant really see the damage until you pull the cooling system apart.
you can see the damage done on older engines where tap water was used or there was poor maintenance on the cooling system you will see severe pitting and damage caused by the reaction in the cooling system.

the general consensus among people in the industry is to just use demineralized or deionized water depending on who you are talking to and for the sake of about $7 for 5 liters which makes 10 liters of coolant why would you use tap water on your own vehicle.

I could totally see holden just using tap water because it saves them a buck and they don't give a **** about you or your vehicle once the warranty expires and sometimes before it expires lol

 

[abuch47]

high quality soft water

cries from adelaide

 

[Skylarking]

cries from adelaide

Oops, been to Adelaide and you’re correct, your tap water sucks

 

[Skylarking]

@stooge I’ve never had issues with using tap water in irons or coffe machines and I don’t have scale buildup on the glass panels in my shower. I have also used tap water in one of my vehicles for near on 20 years and there was no issue with the iron block, alloy head or brass radiator.

I do accept other places may not have such soft tap water and thus they could have problems with scale buildup. So in those cases, as you say $7 for 5 litres of demineralised water, why not use it. Holden dealers in those locations would be neglectful if using hard water to make their dexcool mix and I’d definitely be bagging them if that was the case.

Dexcool supposedly lasts 5 years, so $14 extra over 10 years will not break even a kiddies bank. And that way if you have cooling corrosion, you don’t give Holden an out by them claiming their vague nonspecific terminology was never meant to be taken as using clean tap water.

Alternatively, as I live in a place where water is rather good, I’d do the same as I do with my oil changes and simply change the coolant more frequently. As is, I feel 15,000kms is far too long between oil changes and in the same token I feel 5 years if far too long between coolant changes. In such cases, it shouldn’t matter if you’re using clean soft tap water in the mix; the dexcool will have enough oomph chemicals to cope with the little mineral living in your tap water

Probably the bigger issue is whether GM has once and for all sorted the dexcool chemical composition so it is no longer eating plastics

Maybe a waterless coolant coolant is the way to go...

 

[VFSV6FORME]

I took the car back to Holden fix the known oil leak from the timing cover so since that they have done this do they have to remove all Coolant from the v6 before remove the timing cover to fix the oil leak (ps misplaced the receipt so i don't know what they have replaced)

If Holden had to take the timing cover off to fix the oil leak do they have remove all the radiator fluid to do this and if so I must have newer fluid in the SV6 not original coolant when new. What do you think?. I know on most car I have worked on if you have to take the timing cover off you must drain the coolant first.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

But some premixed dexcool from Holden spare parts. It's the right stuff for the car and not that expensive. Alloy motors like this need OEM coolant in my opinion.

Edit - just read your dealer is a fair hike away. Look to buying online perhaps

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/151744780130

I will get this on Monday.

 

[stooge]

If Holden had to take the timing cover off to fix the oil leak do they have remove all the radiator fluid to do this and if so I must have newer fluid in the SV6 not original coolant when new. What do you think?. I know on most car I have worked on if you have to take the timing cover off you must drain the coolant first.

I would dump the coolant and change it because it is not a big cost to do it and then you will know for sure.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

I would dump the coolant and change it because it is not a big cost to do it and then you will know for sure.

Yes I agree. All i have to do if find the capacity of the VF V6, get half or more in coolant and used distilled water for the rest.

 

[stooge]

Yes I agree. All i have to do if find the capacity of the VF V6, get half or more in coolant and used distilled water for the rest.

the good thing with netlube is it normally lists the capacity and for the 6cyl 3.6 vf it lists as 10 liters.

when I replace it I mix it in another container keeping the 50/50 mix and add it from the mixed container so I always maintain the 50/50 in the vehicle

 

[VFSV6FORME]

the good thing with netlube is it normally lists the capacity and for the 6cyl 3.6 vf it lists as 10 liters.

when I replace it I mix it in another container keeping the 50/50 mix and add it from the mixed container so I always maintain the 50/50 in the vehicle

Do similar. I always keep a 5 liter distilled empty container and i put 50% of coolant in it and then fill the both containers (coolant one too) with new Distilled water.