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I'm going to be flushing and refilling my radiator soon. Since my car will never be in freezing temperatures (actually, not likely to ever be below 50 degrees since it's in a cooled/heated garage), it doesn't seem like a 50/50 water to coolant mix is necessary.
Since, from what I've read, water is a better cooling agent than straight coolant, it seems I could use less coolant and more water to take advantage of water's better cooling properties. However, I don't want to lose the advantage of boil over protection, water pump lubrication, and corrosion protection that coolant provides.
What do you guys in hot climates use? I'm thinking maybe a 25/75 mix of coolant to water. Bad idea?
I have a DeWitts aluminum radiator. Also Vintage Air if that makes a difference.
Remember in the 50's and 60's all anyone used was water, using water is all I use unless I drive back to NY again
LOL. Yeah, I remember back in the 60's in high school (Virginia) having enough money for either gas or antifreeze. I chose gas and on freezing nights, I'd go outside a couple of times during the night and start the car to warm it up.
I'm sure that Prestone, Peak, Zerex, and all those other guys much prefer the 50/50 mix because they sell more stuff. They don't make any money on water.
Since, from what I've read, water is a better cooling agent than straight coolant, it seems I could use less coolant and more water to take advantage of water's better cooling properties. However, I don't want to lose the advantage of boil over protection, water pump lubrication, and corrosion protection that coolant provides.
What you've read is accurate. Pure water can transfer heat at a higher rate than can antifreeze or any combination of water and antifreeze.
Running pure water, if that's what you decide to do, will necessitate adding a corrosion inhibitor and some soluble oil (both available at your FLAPS) to the water.
FWIW, race cars such as the one in my avatar, are compelled by rule to run water only. Antifreeze is not allowed because if the cooling system pukes on the track, antifreeze makes the track dangerously slippery. Anyway, point being that water works well if you are in a climate where you don't need to worry about freezing.
I'm sure that Prestone, Peak, Zerex, and all those other guys much prefer the 50/50 mix because they sell more stuff. They don't make any money on water.
Steve
Yes. You need some coolant to maintain lubrication and corrosion protection, not sure how much.
I'm sure that Prestone, Peak, Zerex, and all those other guys much prefer the 50/50 mix because they sell more stuff. They don't make any money on water.
Steve
Don't overthink this. Run a 50/50 mix (distilled water) and be happy.
In the early days (1970 or so), a 33% antifreeze and 67% water mix was what was recommended for southern climates by Prestone and others. But in doing so, you lose your corrosion protection margin of safety and also your boiling point margin of safety.
I think Tom DeWitt might also have an issue with your warranty if you knowingly used a lower than 50/50 coolant mix.
If you MUST try it, then do as Jim L states and use distilled water and the special corrosion and surfactant additives needed and give it a try for a month or so. See what you are gaining...........if anything much. Recognize that your coolant (water) boiling point will now be around 250 F with a 15 psi cap versus 265 F for a 50/50 coolant mix with the same cap.
Your 180 F thermostat will still keep the same 180 F engine temperature by restricting flow.
Larry
EDIT: Replacing a radiator is just expensive $$$$$. I can deal with that. Replacing a heater core in a car or in a factory air car like mine is a nightmare. I will go for maximum corrosion protection for copper, brass, and lead solder joints without fail. My remaining life is to short to consider a heater/AC box R&R.
Last edited by Powershift; 09-11-2016 at 06:27 PM.
Anyway, point being that water works well if you are in a climate where you don't need to worry about freezing.
Jim
I don't dispute your statement.. but race cars also have fresh fluids for every race. On a typical classic car driving schedule (occasional drives, long sits in garage), I would say the benefits of coolant mix (lubrication, corrosion resistance) outweigh the slight improvement in cooling efficiency.
I don't dispute your statement.. but race cars also have fresh fluids for every race. On a typical classic car driving schedule (occasional drives, long sits in garage), I would say the benefits of coolant mix (lubrication, corrosion resistance) outweigh the slight improvement in cooling efficiency.
Just my opinion.
Depends on the race car, I suppose. Since I'm a lazy sort, I changed the water/oil/corrosion inhibs. only if I had a compelling reason to open up the cooling system. If the corrosion inhibitor does its job and the soluble oil does it's job, I didn't see a compelling reason to mess with what wasn't broken.
Last edited by jim lockwood; 09-11-2016 at 07:37 PM.
Depends on the race car, I suppose. Since I'm a lazy sort, I changed the water/oil/corrosion inhibs. only if I had a compelling reason to open up the cooling system. If the corrosion inhibitor does its job and the soluble oil does it's job, I didn't see a compelling reason to mess with what wasn't broken.
Jim
maybe a silly question; but how do you know they are doing their job? or, when they quit....
Bill
Growing up in Miami I just used water too. However, when I took my car to Biloxi during Air Force Tech School they had a blizzard! I found out that FREEZE PLUGS actually do work!
Jim
maybe a silly question; but how do you know they are doing their job? or, when they quit....
Bill
Not a silly question at all.
My unscientific method was to change the water whenever I pulled the engine for freshening..... every couple of years or so, depending on what the oil analysis revealed. IOW, it turned out to be about as often as one would have changed antifreeze, generally thought to be good for a couple of years.
Often overlooked is the fact that one of the two major purposes for running antifreeze is corrosion protection, and a 50/50 blend of antifreeze and distilled water will provide maximum corrosion protection.
You should use an HOAT formulation like Zerex G-05 because modern OAT formulations don't protect solder as well.
Be sure you remove the block drain plugs to drain the gallon or so of old coolant that is in the block.
Change it at least every five years, regardless of mileage.
If the engine overheats there's something wrong with the cooling system like a clogged radiator, dead fan clutch, or dead or incorrect vacuum advance.
The normal operating temperature range with a 15 psi cap is 180-230, not 180 all the time, and it's perfectly normal to operate above 180 in a hot weather traffic jam.
Remember in the 50's and 60's all anyone used was water, using water is all I use unless I drive back to NY again
That is what the original owner of my '66 L79 did when he bought the car new in Denver: 100% water. He cracked the block during the first winter and bought a '67 replacement block from the same place he bought the car, which is still in it today.
BTW, I have the original block in my garage; original pistons and crank are still in the block as not one of the 8 owners (myself included) has ever looked into repairing the block.
Thanks for the correction Bill.
How many miles and calendar days in a season?
Fred
Generally for us, it's 10 or 11 events per year plus 2 test days.
The events are 3 sessions, practice, qualifying and race, each 30 minutes. So, that's 15 hours on the engine (we run hour meters on some of the cars). Test days can e 5 sessions so, 10 more hours.
We do change the oil at 4 1/2 hours.
Then usually the engine (the one in my pic gets sent to a pro rebuilder for refresh.
The mix of corrosion/water pump lube and distilled water looks pretty good at the end of the season.
As Jim said, you could easily go 2 years. But even in the lower priced engine classes (like Formula Ford), you are going to pull the heads over the winter. So, you change the coolant, it costs about $8 bucks.
09-11-2016, 04:47 PM
Coolant/water mix ratio for hot climate?
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