106 gti coolant change

1. Alex16v L-plater Joined: May 2011 Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 50 106 GTI

   #1 25th January 2012, 19:24

   Hi guys, gonna be doing one of these on my 106 GTI this weekend, have a few questions:
   
   1) How much coolant does the system need?
   
   2) Is it red type coolant it requires?
   
   3) What is the order of opening/shutting off the bleed valves?
   
   4) What should the coolant be mixed at - 50/50?
   
   Many thanks,
   
   Alex
2. user_55186 Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire

   #2 25th January 2012, 19:36

   6.1 L
   Yes
   Rad, thermostat, rear hose
   Yes
   
   Don't forget to use a header tank

   2 users thanked this post: logic_guy, Alex16v
3. Alex16v L-plater Joined: May 2011 Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 50 106 GTI

   #3 25th January 2012, 22:34

   Cheers...Can I use half a big bottle as a makeshift header tank?
4. user_51379 Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2011 plymouth Posts: 2921 mk2 VTS

   #4 25th January 2012, 22:36

   ah so blue coolant no good then?
5. Gandi699 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182

   #5 25th January 2012, 22:41

   Theres lots of different types and some people are choosy over which type contains the best corrosion inhibitors for their engine but Ive never had a problem with the blue coolant - just make sure you flush all the old stuff out as its not good to mix types

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6. Gandi699 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182

   #6 25th January 2012, 22:41

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Alex16v Cheers...Can I use half a big bottle as a makeshift header tank?

   yep, bit of tape round the neck and it works a treat

   1 user thanked this post: Alex16v
7. Alex16v L-plater Joined: May 2011 Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 50 106 GTI

   #7 25th January 2012, 22:43

   Why does a header tank have to be used may I ask...is it so you can get the water level above the filler cap?
8. Gandi699 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182

   #8 25th January 2012, 22:46

   Yeah thats it , I mean it can be done other ways but the header tank method is by far the easiest once you've made your bottle tool
9. Alex16v L-plater Joined: May 2011 Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 50 106 GTI

   #9 25th January 2012, 22:48

   Sweet...cheers bud. What could possibly go wrong eh?
   
   Oh one more thing...once I've bled the system, do i run the car with the filler cap off for a few mins with the fans on until it's up to temperature?
10. user_55186 Regular Poster Joined: Sep 2011 Wirral Posts: 280 desire

    #10 25th January 2012, 22:51

    The rear pipe is higher than the filler neck, this will cause trapped air to stay in the pipe. The header bottle raises the height of filler allowing all the air to be bled out. Keep the header bottle on and topped up until the fan kicks in 3 times, also have heater on hottest setting and max fan setting to make sure no air is trapped in heater matrix.

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11. tweeqd Established Member Joined: Mar 2006 Farnham Surrey Posts: 1542 AX GT 16v turbo 6 speed with NOS 205 gti6 E 320

    #11 25th January 2012, 23:00

    if you dont have a header bottle just run the engine once you have bled the rad and thermostat ones
12. Gandi699 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182

    #12 25th January 2012, 23:07

    http://www.saxperience.com/forum/sho....php?p=5771584
    
    This thread covers it mate, saves me typing it all out
13. Alex16v L-plater Joined: May 2011 Walsall, West Midlands Posts: 50 106 GTI

    #13 25th January 2012, 23:19

    Confuses fuck out of me this does. So many little things!
    
    So once I've bled the rad, the thermostat and the heater matrix bit, I then run the car, with the cap off and the header tank still attached?
    
    Was so much easier on my ZS lol!
14. Gandi699 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 9100 Amazon green VTR 16v, Inferno RS clio 182

    #14 25th January 2012, 23:29

    Yeah thats it. Wait for the stat to open and the level in the bottle to rise, keep going til the ran fan comes on (or if you have a manual override fitted like I do just flick the fan on over half) and run it for a wee while. Switch it off after this and then let it cool down, remove the header tank which should be empty after cooling and top up to the mark if necessary or take a drop out but thats unlikely provided you've used the right amount of coolant.

    1 user thanked this post: Alex16v
15. AdamH Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Oct 2004 South Posts: 3638

    #15 26th January 2012, 22:03

    Flushing The Engine / Radiator & Bleeding