Lambert's heater fix

Hi Lambert

HAPPY NEW YEAR MATEY!

Just a quick question, you mentioned using Liqui-Moly Radiator cleaner with good results.

I'm thinking of doing the same thing and wanted some advice.
There are two types of this stuff - which one did you use?
Liqui 5189 Moly Pro-Line Radiator Cleaner 1L - Black tin (about £16 from Amazon
Liqui Moly Radiator Cleaner 300ml - Silver tin (about £7 from Amazon)

How did you go about draining the system - bottom pipe on rad? Did you run it with it drained to pump the dregs out? Did you attempt to back-flush (the heater matrix) with a hose-pipe and if so how?

I'm convinced that my heater matrix might be blocked because as you descibed yours, I just get tepid heat from it. Temp indications are spot on (a needles width below half) the same as everyone elses it seems.
Thermostat is relatively new (I had a leak from it last year so it was replaced) and the system was drained (but not flushed) a couple of years back (I did this because when I acquired the car the coolant looked black).

I've tried blocking the lower radiator grille to see if this helps - it doesn't; the temp gauge remains the same - the only difference from doing this is it makes the heat get tepid quicker!

Any advice appreciated

Lambertr - Giggles at the Ibiza foam party reference!!.. Though I wonder just how many folks you get in thereB)

Thanks Lambert - excellent reply

I hadn't realised there was a drain tap - that makes life easier.

So (.. without having any instructions for this product to hand), I'm assuming that the cooling system doesn't actually need to be full to the top to do this job - like it's the foam that is going through it that is actually clearing it out rather than fluid?

There seems to be some doubt which coolant should be used IAT or OAT - even when I asked Suzuki what the coolant spec was they didn't seem to have an answer! I'm sure mine has the blue glycol stuff but...
I'm tempted to use Prestone - its claimed to be for all engines no matter what the manufacturers spec, can be mixed with any type of existing coolant products, and has a 10 year life.

PRESTONE

Thanks for the further details, Lambert. This is all very useful stuff.

The BigJimny Wiki states that the coolant above all else, MUST BE "STRICTLY SILICATE FREE" (and I think that is possibly true of all Japanese cars)

It also states:
It SHOULD BE
Ethylene-glycol;
Preferably 2-EHA free;
Preferably phosphated;
And, if diluting a coolant concentrate with water, use only distilled water (which I'm sure is different to De-ionised water)

The colours of coolant fluids are what confuses a lot of folk and the type of fluid is not to be defined by its colour, one example of this is the Halfords Silicate free coolant which is pink (I know because I have some in my workshop) and Bluecol brand is red, whereas I have found others that are blue, green or even yellow!

Reading several articles late last night leads me to think that its the mixing of the two different types of fluids that causes sludge to occur, so if someone has topped up with the wrong fluid thats where the problems begin.
Like you I don't know where the blockage is or what has caused it (I'm only assuming it is the heater matrix!)

For anyone else following this thread other useful information for mixing a 50/50 coolant is knowing the Jimny's coolant capacity which I found in the attached notes






Oh yes, and don't get this stuff on your paintwork - or if you do - wash it off thoroughly and immediately