coolant top up issue

[Euroboy]

Hi

looking for some advise if poss, i have just had my colant flushed and renewed on my 1.9 petrol Transporter, drove for 20 miles and checked the expansion tank and found the level to be very low if not nearly empty, so i topped it up with water (plain) not much approx 3 mug fulls, drove back 20 miles all good running well, i checked it this morning after a very cold night and the water in the expansion tank had frozen

my question is: is this because it is now too weak? or matbe because the water i added has just sat in the expansion tank and not mixed with the rest of the system?

i started the van up and it seemed to run ok, im just worried this might damage the system.

any advise would be greatly appreciated,

many thanks

[ninja.turtle007]

Probably because the water had not mixed with the coolant in the engine. Take the lid off of the header tank and check to see if it contains anti freeze.

[toomanytoys]

Top up tank should be filled with neat antifreeze ideally.. (or ready mixed coolant as a minimum) of course except in an emergency where its just not to hand.. Syphon out the water/very weak mix and put in some antifreeze/coolant.

You need to check what they used.. and if not std blue glycol type (which is totaly fine to use) and have used one of the newer pink/orange stuff.. then you need to use that..

[Euroboy]

Hi,

thanks for the advise, ill get on it

[California Dreamin]

No harm done..if it's just frozen in the expansion tank then just boil a kettle and defrost and drain whats in there. Refill to the max level with correct 50:50 mix.

Martin