antifreeze choices.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 804
Likes: 5
From: Fresno CA
Very interesting discussion, I've been using a 30/70 mixture of Prestone Green and Redline Water Wetter with Distilled water in my Vette with no problems but maybe I'll have to look at other options. There has been alot of coolant discussion on some of the diesel forums and based on some good information being shared there I changed the green Ethylene Glycol coolant in my `01 Ford 7.3L Powerstroke to the Chevron Delo ELC Coolant a few years and lots of miles ago and it has worked great for me. I'm wondering if that coolant would work in a Vette?
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
Very interesting discussion, I've been using a 30/70 mixture of Prestone Green and Redline Water Wetter with Distilled water in my Vette with no problems but maybe I'll have to look at other options. There has been alot of coolant discussion on some of the diesel forums and based on some good information being shared there I changed the green Ethylene Glycol coolant in my `01 Ford 7.3L Powerstroke to the Chevron Delo ELC Coolant a few years and lots of miles ago and it has worked great for me. I'm wondering if that coolant would work in a Vette?
I'm not sure if it would work well in your vette, being an OAT type coolant like Dex-Cool I probably would not use it!
Last edited by mako41; Jul 29, 2011 at 02:44 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Riverside County Southern California
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forgot to mention Zerex. This is another crap all car makers should make this standard. Just like the airfoil, all coolants guarantee to cool your engine better but we already know the answer to it.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
Use GO5 or HOAT coolant. I bought mine from a Chrysler dealer dyed bright orange. It has long life and extended corrosion protection being a modern technology coolant without all the potential problems of OAT type (Dex-Cool and Dex-Cool Clones) coolants.
Or you could continue to use the factory fill Orange Dex-Cool it came with, just be sure to change it every two years, not the five year interval, GM suggests for it!
Or you could continue to use the factory fill Orange Dex-Cool it came with, just be sure to change it every two years, not the five year interval, GM suggests for it!
Last edited by mako41; Aug 7, 2012 at 05:05 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,685
Likes: 61
I used distilled water in my vehicles, particularly the aluminum-radiatored ones, for decades.
Then I read a chemist's experiment that showed distilled to be less stable in a cooling system environment. Lacking its own minerals, the water would leach minute amounts from metal components it contacted. Until the water could remineralize itself and become stable, metal was being removed or eaten away, at a molecular level.
I think most people don't keep or drive their vehicles long enough for the type of water to make any noticeable difference anyway.
Then I read a chemist's experiment that showed distilled to be less stable in a cooling system environment. Lacking its own minerals, the water would leach minute amounts from metal components it contacted. Until the water could remineralize itself and become stable, metal was being removed or eaten away, at a molecular level.
I think most people don't keep or drive their vehicles long enough for the type of water to make any noticeable difference anyway.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 355
Likes: 0
From: Dayton Ohio
If you mean right on about draining the coolant for winter storage I would have to strongly disagree. Reguardless of the real or imagined degrading effects any coolant may or may not have on seals, gaskets, or hoses the internal corrosion that would occur inside your engine block, heads and radiator would certainly outweigh the thought of trying to save those seals and gaskets by draining your coolant for winter storage. Seals gaskets, and hoses can be more easily replaced than your entire block or heads, or even the radiator!
Just go with marine products. My 1977 -454 is cooled by lake water and stored dry. No problems. I have seen one set of head gaskets for a car engine that was put in a boat and after a year the gaskets were eaten up.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 2,775
Likes: 138
From: cyberspace NY
see, there are just as many opinions as there are antifreeze choices.
I'm sure AMSOIL or Royal Purple will come out with a high performance coolant soon
The biggest problem I've come across is the plastic end tanks last about 10 years, then they crack.
I'm sure AMSOIL or Royal Purple will come out with a high performance coolant soon
The biggest problem I've come across is the plastic end tanks last about 10 years, then they crack.
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 5,364
Likes: 38
From: King George VA
AMSOIL Propylene Glycol Antifreeze and Engine Coolant
But, I'll leave it up to the experts like Mako41 as to whether it would be suitable for your C4s or not.
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
You could use the Amsoil coolant, they are not the only manufacturer making a propylene glycol coolant. It's not really a high performance coolant but has the advantange of being non-toxic and bio-degradable as are all propylene glycol coolants. However be aware that your cooling system was designed to use an ethyene glycol type coolant, as all of the coolants discussed in this thread so far are. Some cooling system components in our C4's may not be compatible with propylene gylcol coolant???
Because I may be more knowlegable than some, when it comes to coolants does not make me an expert, nor do I claim to be one!
My posts are from the been there, done that, variety no different than the knowlegable poster who may be posting on brakes or heads as they relate to C4 applications. My coolant choices are based upon previous mistakes I have made, (as I'm sure have many others) specifically with Dex-Cool, that upon detailed research I can recommend a better coolant for our C4's. Do as you please it is after all your Corvette, not mine. But you have been warned!
Because I may be more knowlegable than some, when it comes to coolants does not make me an expert, nor do I claim to be one!
My posts are from the been there, done that, variety no different than the knowlegable poster who may be posting on brakes or heads as they relate to C4 applications. My coolant choices are based upon previous mistakes I have made, (as I'm sure have many others) specifically with Dex-Cool, that upon detailed research I can recommend a better coolant for our C4's. Do as you please it is after all your Corvette, not mine. But you have been warned!
Last edited by mako41; May 13, 2009 at 02:12 PM.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
Are you saying your running a 454 cu inch V8 that cools itself with lake water? Is the block iron or aluminum. Don't you mean instead of an air too liquid radiator your running a liquid to liquid intercooler that uses lake water to cool the block ~ You still would need some type of coolant running thru the engine to do this? Right??
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
Already have one:
AMSOIL Propylene Glycol Antifreeze and Engine Coolant
But, I'll leave it up to the experts like Mako41 as to whether it would be suitable for your C4s or not.
AMSOIL Propylene Glycol Antifreeze and Engine Coolant
But, I'll leave it up to the experts like Mako41 as to whether it would be suitable for your C4s or not.
I WOULD RECOMMEND EXTREME CAUTION in using a PROPYLENE Glycol anti-freeze in an older car (e.g. our c4's). Reason is that propylene can have a very detrimental effect on many types of rubber and possibly other materials too (e.g. a boat's sea-water rubber impeller will degrade to unusable in just the few North East winter months when used to winterize the cooling system).
BTW, Texaco brand anti-freeze is also the 'old style' green anti-freeze (ethlyene Glycol with silicates, not sure if it also has potassium though).
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Bulverde TX
I'm getting ready to flush my system. Wondering how much does it hold. Burbing is easy just park the tail of the vette on about a 20 degree down angle start it up add your fluid and watch to bubbles.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 512
Likes: 2
From: Denton TX
Just drained and refilled my 96 LT4...Dex-Cool...The stuff that was in there appeared to original...looked like new...but 12 yrs old. I stayed with the original type antifreeze because I am a University of Texas fan...and its Orange...that is a legit reason if you're from Texas.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: new albany mississippi
I've had my '92 for going on 2 yrs now, and my daily driver is a 67 ford Galaxie. The 92 was over-maintained @ 41,610 miles when I bought it, and just turned 60k. Have I missed the service interval for the cooling system?
And how true is the 'refill it on an incline' story? I'm all about easy. If I blow this motor up, I'll get it right the next time.
And how true is the 'refill it on an incline' story? I'm all about easy. If I blow this motor up, I'll get it right the next time.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,010
Likes: 26
From: Somewhere nowhere
I just did my Impala LT1 motor, and all the sudden, the water pump gaskets start to leak......................
so now the water pump has to come off....... after I just did a flush and refill.
so now the water pump has to come off....... after I just did a flush and refill.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 694
Likes: 27
From: St James New York
Any old type "green" silicate/phosphate ethyene glycol coolant would be fine for your C4. The problem is not very many coolant manufacturers make it anymore. You can still get some made by Peak and I'm pretty sure Peak also makes NAPA's "old green" house brand. If you don't mind annual coolant flushes it will work just fine.
Last edited by mako41; Apr 7, 2009 at 12:27 PM.