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Charge Cooler Fluid Info

Mod Description
Just in case you can't read German
Mod Details
PremiumNo Difficulty Mod ID828 Creditevilution For452 Roadster Linkhttps://www.evilution.co.uk/mod/chargecooler-fluid-info.htm Copy to Clipboard

Information

Like the engine, the chargecooler has to run on a mixture of water (coolant), glycol (antifreeze) to stop it getting too hot in the summer and stop it from freezing in the winter and a anti corrosion additives to stop the cooler from rotting from the inside out.

If you just used water in the chargecooler you would soon have troubles. As soon as the temperature goes below 0 °C the water would freeze.This would stop the pump from spinning which will cause it to burn out and when water turns to ice it expands which can split the metal fins inside the charge cooler or the cooling radiator.

Fluid Data

The label on the chargecooler does explain what is required but a lot is lost in translation. The short, easy to understand version is 50% antifreeze, 50% water. This is good to protect the system from freezing all the way down to -37°C.

You can mix your own if you wish using normal tap water if you don’t live in a hard water area. Cheap mineral water is a good option if you live in a hard water area.

The easier method is to buy premixed coolant. Ensure it is a 50:50 mix and is suitable for aluminium. Premixed engine coolant from smart will be fine but probably over priced.

Approved Antifreeze

Smart have a document for engine coolant/antifreezes called Sheet 325.0

Concentrate

Product Name Country
Addinol Antifreeze Super Germany
Agip Langzeit-Frostschutz Germany
Aral Antifreeze Extra Germany
Avia Antifreeze APN Germany
Fuchs Fricofin Antifreeze Germany
Genantin Super Germany
Glysantin Anti Korrosion Germany
Glysantin G48 Germany
Glysantin Mit Protect Plus Germany
Hightec Antifreeze AN Germany
MB 325.0 000 989 08 25 Germany
MB 325.0 000 989 21 25 Germany
Procar Kuhlerschutz Extra Germany
BP Isocool England
Castrol Antifreeze NF England
Glycoshell England
Glycoshell N England
Agip Antifreeze Extra D Italy
Agip Antifreeze Plus Italy
Glacelf MDX France
Powercooling Concentrate Antifreeze France
Total Antifreeze and Summer Coolant France
York 716 France
EuroPeak Coolant Antifreeze USA
Mobil GS 333 Extra USA
Valvoline Antifreeze Extra USA
Zerex G05 USA
Zerex G48 USA
Engen Antifreeze and Summer Coolant South Africa
Engman’s – Super Antifreeze Coolant South Africa
Sasol Freezol South Africa
Shell Tri Guard South Africa
Krafft Refrigerant ACU 2300 Spain
Anticongelante Diator Premium Mexico
Antifreeze RL-Plus Mexico
Caltex CX Antifreeze Coolant Belgium
Aseol Antifreeze Switzerland
ESA Frostschutz G05 Switzerland
ESA Antifreeze G48 Switzerland
Motorex Antifreeze G05 Switzerland
Motorex Antifreeze Protect G48 Switzerland
Panolin Anti-Frost MT-325 Switzerland
Behran Zagros Iran
Dragon Power Coolant A Korea
Eurol Afrostin Austria
OMV Kuhlerfrostschutz Austria
EVOX Extra G48 Antifreeze Concentrate Hungary
Fridex G48 Czech Republic
INA Antifriz Al Super Croatia
Permant 100 Bosnia
PO Ozel Antifriz Turkey

 

Premixed

 Product Name  Country
 BASF Coolant G05-23/50  Germany
 Total Coolelf MDX-37  France
 Smart A 000 989 08 25  UK

Fluid Level

Smart have never suggested the correct capacity of fluid for this system. At a guess I’d say 2.5 litres.

The level of the chargecooler fluid should be checked monthly for signs of fluid loss. Although losing all the fluid won’t really affect the engine all that much, running the system dry or having an airlock in particular areas of the system could cause the motor to overheat or burn out.

The level should be kept around the bottom of the filler neck. The small air gap allows for expansion of the fluid through trapped air but allows the system to retain a slight pressure.

If you drain and refill the system you will notice the level will fall over a week or so as you use the car. This is because the trapped air is being forced through the system and eventually collects in the chargecooler. Just top it up each time until the level stops dropping.

Should I Bother Changing The Fluid?

A lot of people don’t even bother. The fluid doesn’t get that hot and it won’t freeze presuming you have the correct mix ratio. So why bother changing the fluid?

Unless you don’t want to buy a new charge cooler, read this.