Charge Cooler Fluid Info

Mod Description

Just in case you can't read German

Mod Details

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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

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.