Question about using pure coolant
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 123
Likes: 10
Question about using pure coolant
Hey, so I have a c5 z06 and I brought pure coolant and distilled water to a mechanic and asked him to flush/change the coolant but when I came home I noticed that he only used the pure coolant. When I asked him about it he said 'yeah, water causes problems'.
Should I have it redone? Is running pure coolant perfectly fine?
I do live in North California btw.
Should I have it redone? Is running pure coolant perfectly fine?
I do live in North California btw.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 297
Likes: 26
From: San Jose California
Physical chemistry 101
As the concentration of antifreeze in water goes from 0% to 50%, the boiling point rises and the freeze point lowers. if you continue from 50% to 100%, the boiling point goes back down and the freeze point goes back up. The optimum concentration is 50/50!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 788
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From: Olathe Kansas
Straight Antifreeze is NOT good for your engine..
It is designed to be diluted .. In a warm climate, I'd go 40% Dexcool and 60% distilled water. Straight coolant can be corrosive as well.
Find Out Exactly what your mechanic actually did..
It is designed to be diluted .. In a warm climate, I'd go 40% Dexcool and 60% distilled water. Straight coolant can be corrosive as well.
Find Out Exactly what your mechanic actually did..
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
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From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
From a Nascar racing background the best coolant is 100% distilled water---It offers the best cooling properties----But those engines are re buit every race so corrosion is not an issue
On the street you want some corrosion protection--in colder freezing climates you would want to run at least a 50/50 mix for corrosion and freeze protection
Here in Calif where I live---I run 100% water in the summer months adding only some Red-Line corrosion protection----In the winter colder months I will drain out 1 gallon and add 1 gallon of 50/50 mix for freeze protection JMHO
On the street you want some corrosion protection--in colder freezing climates you would want to run at least a 50/50 mix for corrosion and freeze protection
Here in Calif where I live---I run 100% water in the summer months adding only some Red-Line corrosion protection----In the winter colder months I will drain out 1 gallon and add 1 gallon of 50/50 mix for freeze protection JMHO
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Le Mans Master
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
My limited understanding of this is when there is no coolant present this can be an issue, but not a 50/50 mix.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Central PA. - - My AR15 identifies as a muzzleloader
I believe in the Beer Fairy
Interesting statement but it does NOT match the info on the label of a container of coolant. The label I have reads:
50% coolant/50% water - Freeze point - 34F, boil point +265F using a 15lb pressure cap.
70% coolant/30% water - Freeze point - 84F, boil point +276F using a 15lb pressure cap.
No info above the stated concentrations....
50% coolant/50% water - Freeze point - 34F, boil point +265F using a 15lb pressure cap.
70% coolant/30% water - Freeze point - 84F, boil point +276F using a 15lb pressure cap.
No info above the stated concentrations....
Burning Brakes
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From: Kensington MD
Racer
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
If the mechanic thoroughly flushed the engine and heater multiple times until the drained coolant ran clear and was obviously water and then added the coolant you aren't at a 100% antifreeze mixture. With my C5s I would flush the system multiple times until I had clear liquid coming out of the radiator and then would add the exact amount of straight DexCool needed to bring the mixture to 50/50 when cool and then top off with water. There is no need to use distilled water. GM recommends clean drinkable water and that is what I have been using with my GM cars since I first took delivery of a 97 C5. My 2003 Tahoe is coming up on 14 years and it is on its third fill of Dex with water straight from the faucet. There have been no cooling system issues. My two C5s went into their second fill as well as my C6 and my 2008 Malibu is on it's second fill now. My wife's 99 Saturn was on its fourth fill when my nephew sold it this last Summer he had been driving the ca since 2008.
Bill
Bill
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I think the only thing that confuses more people than oil viscosity is coolant. 
things...
1. WATER is the primary means by which heat is absorbed and transported NOT antifreeze. Using a mixture of 100% antifreeze is less effective than a mixture of water and antifreeze for that reason. The purpose of antifreeze is to lower freezing points, raise boiling points, and provide corrosion protection. NOT to help the coolant move heat around.
2. Track cars don't use antifreeze for several reasons.
2.1 Water is better (see point #1)
2.2 Antifreeze creates "slicks" when it's spilled onto asphalt
2.3 Track cars don't typically see extremes of cold
2.4 Track cars typically have their engines rebuilt/replaced before corrosion becomes an issue
3. Using distilled water is silly. Total dissolved solids in tap water is usually around 500 mg per liter. Now if you do the math, that comes out to around .2 ounces in 3 gallons of water. Regardless of how much flushing you do, you're never going to get a car's cooling system so perfectly clean that those .2 ounces of dissolved solids are going to matter one G.D. bit. Or to put that another way, the instant you pour distilled water over a not-perfectly-clean-and-corrosion-free metallic surface, it is no longer distilled water.
things...
1. WATER is the primary means by which heat is absorbed and transported NOT antifreeze. Using a mixture of 100% antifreeze is less effective than a mixture of water and antifreeze for that reason. The purpose of antifreeze is to lower freezing points, raise boiling points, and provide corrosion protection. NOT to help the coolant move heat around.
2. Track cars don't use antifreeze for several reasons.
2.1 Water is better (see point #1)
2.2 Antifreeze creates "slicks" when it's spilled onto asphalt
2.3 Track cars don't typically see extremes of cold
2.4 Track cars typically have their engines rebuilt/replaced before corrosion becomes an issue
3. Using distilled water is silly. Total dissolved solids in tap water is usually around 500 mg per liter. Now if you do the math, that comes out to around .2 ounces in 3 gallons of water. Regardless of how much flushing you do, you're never going to get a car's cooling system so perfectly clean that those .2 ounces of dissolved solids are going to matter one G.D. bit. Or to put that another way, the instant you pour distilled water over a not-perfectly-clean-and-corrosion-free metallic surface, it is no longer distilled water.
Last edited by wcsinx; Oct 25, 2016 at 03:12 PM.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 297
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From: San Jose California
Distilled Water
Ultra pure distilled water as used in semiconductor manufacturing is corrosive. The distilled water that you buy in plastic jugs is nowhere near as pure and is not corrosive.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Central PA. - - My AR15 identifies as a muzzleloader
I believe in the Beer Fairy