50/50 coolant
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
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Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,956
Likes: 575
From: Pittsburgh PA
Pre mixed 50/50 is the biggest joke ever. You are literally paying a premium for something half water.
Buy a gallon of straight antifreeze and either use tap water or buy an 89 cent gallon of distilled water. You get 2 gallons for probably $3-4 more than pre mixed garbage
And yes you cannot just run straight coolant you must add water.
Buy a gallon of straight antifreeze and either use tap water or buy an 89 cent gallon of distilled water. You get 2 gallons for probably $3-4 more than pre mixed garbage
And yes you cannot just run straight coolant you must add water.
Last edited by Tiger Joe; Jun 24, 2017 at 09:57 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,113
From: Crossville TN
50% distilled water (get gallon jugs at any grocery store for about a buck a gallon) and 50% ethylene glycol antifreeze. Paying extra for having the mix already in a single bottle is NUTS!!! 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 778
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
But some must have "antifreeze"
And straight water has no additives for the pump and corrosion,
Im in florida and do not need antifreeze i run special bats water and additives like hyperlube....but the op didnt ask that,
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Pre mixed 50/50 is the biggest joke ever. You are literally paying a premium for something half water.
typically use 50/50 or up to 70/30 dont overthink it
Never had a problem running tap on any radiator either just drive it.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,170
From: Hermosa
Very true, and straight water is even better at heat transfer,
But some must have "antifreeze"
And straight water has no additives for the pump and corrosion,
Im in florida and do not need antifreeze i run special bats water and additives like hyperlube....but the op didnt ask that,
But some must have "antifreeze"
And straight water has no additives for the pump and corrosion,
Im in florida and do not need antifreeze i run special bats water and additives like hyperlube....but the op didnt ask that,
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 778
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
While i know antifreeze really is part of a cooling system for some people for me i would rather just overkill other parts, i run a custom larger dewitts radiator, extra large cfm fans, and i just dont see high Temps, and i live in florida.
100% of manufacturers of aftermarket aluminum radiators say do not run tap water, by this point we all know,why they say this,
My additives likely would pervent corrosion even if i did use tap water but im really cheap and it hurt what i paid for my dewitts radiator, why take any chances?
I would like to see some research on using reverse osmosis filtered water
Rather than distilled
Last edited by The13Bats; Jun 25, 2017 at 10:04 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 778
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
A couple people here run it, and like it when i first heard of it i thought it was my answer but i reaserched it and the hassles and cons do not make it at all worth it to me, perhaps some feel differently.
I saw on here a post saying some aftermarket radiator companies say evans voids their warranties.
If you do not start with a fresh cooling system and block you have to flush with evans expensive flush, any small percent of water effects it greatly.
It of course means you have to keep evans on hand for top offs,
And even evans says many will see a higher temp on their gauge with evans, i dont want higher temps,
Evans does not transfer heat as well as water or pre mix,
Here is a very good report,
Its unbiased, but one must understand the tech involved, i had to chat with my step brother who has degrees and works in these fields,
http://www.norosion.com/evanstest.htm
In most all cases all a person needs in a c3 corvette is water antifreeze mix, its cheap, easy, and works.....dewitts even makes their own version,
I saw on here a post saying some aftermarket radiator companies say evans voids their warranties.
If you do not start with a fresh cooling system and block you have to flush with evans expensive flush, any small percent of water effects it greatly.
It of course means you have to keep evans on hand for top offs,
And even evans says many will see a higher temp on their gauge with evans, i dont want higher temps,
Evans does not transfer heat as well as water or pre mix,
Here is a very good report,
Its unbiased, but one must understand the tech involved, i had to chat with my step brother who has degrees and works in these fields,
http://www.norosion.com/evanstest.htm
In most all cases all a person needs in a c3 corvette is water antifreeze mix, its cheap, easy, and works.....dewitts even makes their own version,
Last edited by The13Bats; Jun 26, 2017 at 01:18 AM.
Had a 1976 L-82, 4-sp
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5,338
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From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
Here is a very good report,
Its unbiased, but one must understand the tech involved, i had to chat with my step brother who has degrees and works in these fields,
http://www.norosion.com/evanstest.htm
In most all cases all a person needs in a c3 corvette is water antifreeze mix, its cheap, easy, and works.....dewitts even makes their own version,
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 31
From: Rapid City South Dakota
Evans
I use Evans, no overheating problems. I've used it for 6 years. I have older cars, and am tired of replacing the heater cores and radiators due to corrosion.
BTW, check your radiator caps! I just had 2 caps pressure tested over the weekend, both failed. For a standard system using water, you must be able to increase the boiling point of the cooloant for it to work properly. Just a tip....
BTW, check your radiator caps! I just had 2 caps pressure tested over the weekend, both failed. For a standard system using water, you must be able to increase the boiling point of the cooloant for it to work properly. Just a tip....
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,956
Likes: 575
From: Pittsburgh PA
I've read the distilled water debate for years on various forums. I know many people swear you have to run distilled in your cooling system.
I point out 2 things for tap water- most of you guys drink the water from your tap, or if you only drink bottled water you are definitely bathing in it, yet you wont put it in your car? this never made sense to me.
2- besides all the cars with all their original radiators I've got some antique tractors, several from the 1940s and 50s and they all have original radiators except 1, which was replaced in the 70s. I'd bet money all of those rads at some point saw water from a creek, animal trough, or puddle when they were low and they have still lasted close to 3/4 a century.
I know tons of guys swear that tap water destroys radiators, but I've seen no evidence of it
I point out 2 things for tap water- most of you guys drink the water from your tap, or if you only drink bottled water you are definitely bathing in it, yet you wont put it in your car? this never made sense to me.
2- besides all the cars with all their original radiators I've got some antique tractors, several from the 1940s and 50s and they all have original radiators except 1, which was replaced in the 70s. I'd bet money all of those rads at some point saw water from a creek, animal trough, or puddle when they were low and they have still lasted close to 3/4 a century.
I know tons of guys swear that tap water destroys radiators, but I've seen no evidence of it
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,628
Likes: 2,553
The tap water debate depends on the mineral content of the particular source. That will vary all over the place even within the same area. You may be lucky and have no mineral content and never experience an issue. Other places may have high levels, hard water, and they will leave deposits. Better off spending the money on 2 gallons of distilled.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 778
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Evans isnt the only coolant to keep radiators and heater cores from corrosion,
Mine like many others has never seen evans and has no corrosion,
But this brings us to things like tap water,
If you want to run tap thats fine, if you like it,
most aluminum radiator companies will void a warranty if one uses tap...so no tap for me, not that i would run it anyway.
Oddly a top name aluminum radiator company voids if evans is used but doesnt say why.
Mine like many others has never seen evans and has no corrosion,
But this brings us to things like tap water,
If you want to run tap thats fine, if you like it,
most aluminum radiator companies will void a warranty if one uses tap...so no tap for me, not that i would run it anyway.
Oddly a top name aluminum radiator company voids if evans is used but doesnt say why.
Last edited by The13Bats; Jun 26, 2017 at 10:36 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 107
Likes: 12
From: New York
A couple people here run it, and like it when i first heard of it i thought it was my answer but i reaserched it and the hassles and cons do not make it at all worth it to me, perhaps some feel differently.
I saw on here a post saying some aftermarket radiator companies say evans voids their warranties.
If you do not start with a fresh cooling system and block you have to flush with evans expensive flush, any small percent of water effects it greatly.
It of course means you have to keep evans on hand for top offs,
And even evans says many will see a higher temp on their gauge with evans, i dont want higher temps,
Evans does not transfer heat as well as water or pre mix,
Here is a very good report,
Its unbiased, but one must understand the tech involved, i had to chat with my step brother who has degrees and works in these fields,
http://www.norosion.com/evanstest.htm
In most all cases all a person needs in a c3 corvette is water antifreeze mix, its cheap, easy, and works.....dewitts even makes their own version,
I saw on here a post saying some aftermarket radiator companies say evans voids their warranties.
If you do not start with a fresh cooling system and block you have to flush with evans expensive flush, any small percent of water effects it greatly.
It of course means you have to keep evans on hand for top offs,
And even evans says many will see a higher temp on their gauge with evans, i dont want higher temps,
Evans does not transfer heat as well as water or pre mix,
Here is a very good report,
Its unbiased, but one must understand the tech involved, i had to chat with my step brother who has degrees and works in these fields,
http://www.norosion.com/evanstest.htm
In most all cases all a person needs in a c3 corvette is water antifreeze mix, its cheap, easy, and works.....dewitts even makes their own version,
Im in the North East so the water debate does not apply.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,654
Likes: 190
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
The 50/50 stuff is for when to top up your antifreeze. Nothing more, you don't want to top it up with 100% antifreeze or water
Last edited by MotorHead; Jun 26, 2017 at 09:48 PM.