Winter maintennance.
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From: Massachusetts
Winter maintennance.
So the winter is coming and my friend and I were arguing whether to put 50/50 in the radiator or just full antifreeze. I said to put only antifreeze because the water will freeze and then create cracks in the radiator. Then he goes your suppose to blah blah blah. So, who is RIGHT? I believe you do 50/50 over the summer right or normal temps?
you're stupid.
the only reason you put anti freeze in your radiator is so your water DOESN'T freeze.
What most people do is run pure distilled water during the summer and 50/50 in the winter. or 75/25, depends how cold it gets. I bet you'll have to go back to your friend and sound like a ricer
btw: try putting 100% anti freeze in your motor...see how fast your needle will hit H.
the only reason you put anti freeze in your radiator is so your water DOESN'T freeze.
What most people do is run pure distilled water during the summer and 50/50 in the winter. or 75/25, depends how cold it gets. I bet you'll have to go back to your friend and sound like a ricer
btw: try putting 100% anti freeze in your motor...see how fast your needle will hit H.
Rockn' The Galant
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Shreveport, LA
Read his signature, at least he's trying to learn I suppose.
You're up north, so you're going to be getting into COLD tempatures...I use 50/50 mix always, I've never had any problems with heat or freezing.
Antifreeze also lubricates the waterpump so you can't go 100% water either...
You're up north, so you're going to be getting into COLD tempatures...I use 50/50 mix always, I've never had any problems with heat or freezing.
Antifreeze also lubricates the waterpump so you can't go 100% water either...
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Rohnert Park CA
Originally Posted by CyborgRyu
or 75/25, depends how cold it gets.
Because 75/25 (75%water/25% anti-freeze) is insufficient to prevent corrosion.
At very least you need 70/30, and I recommend 50/50 in all but the most extreme cases or the artic circle (or Canada and Wisconsin) where you might drop as low as 30/70 (water/coolant) so that the freeze point drops to around -85F.
See anti-freeze serves multiple purposes.
It lowers the freeze point of the coolant (typically most coolants at a 50/50 mix will lower the freeze point to around-32/-35F degrees)
It raises the boiling point (typically around 265F at 15 psi again with a 50/50 mix).
And it prevents corrosion and lowers electrolytic galvanic action. This means the alumn against steel corrosion is reduced.
And finally it serves as a lubricant for the water pump (and in our engines the coolant seals).
So let’s look at water. One of the most corrosive fluids out there. (Any doubters on that statement can go look at the Grand Canyon or any river bed).
Running a high amount of water through the motor (anything more extreme than 70/30 (water/coolant) and there will be major corrosion of the water jackets and passages.
On a street driven vehicle (even one that is raced on weekends) with a properly functioning cooling system, you should be running 50/50 or at very worst 60/40 (again water/coolant) for most parts of the country. If indeed your temps do drop under -30F then I might look at using a greater mix off coolant with a lower amount of water.
But 75% water and only 25% coolant will result in your motors life cut considerably shorter.
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: NY, MA, MI, OR, TX, and now LA or AZ!
Yeah, every once in a while depending on location in mass they hit those -40 to -50 stints, which is why I suggest the 70/30 (coolant/water) mix, but then again I'm also from Michigan (we get it worse than Wisconsin, lol), and spent a lot less time in Mass, so maybe I'm just used to over doing it.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 151
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From: Kzoo, MI
Ted, thanks for the insight in the rad coolant. it scary how we have misconceptions about rad fluids and water, I flushed my daily driver myself last MAY and i used distilled water but I remember many years back a buddy of mine did the drain and change for me used tap water and when I mentioned distilled water, he could not stop laughing...
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Rockn' The Galant
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Shreveport, LA
Originally Posted by stockrex
Ted, thanks for the insight in the rad coolant. it scary how we have misconceptions about rad fluids and water, I flushed my daily driver myself last MAY and i used distilled water but I remember many years back a buddy of mine did the drain and change for me used tap water and when I mentioned distilled water, he could not stop laughing...
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 10,630
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From: NY, MA, MI, OR, TX, and now LA or AZ!
Originally Posted by stockrex
Ted, thanks for the insight in the rad coolant. it scary how we have misconceptions about rad fluids and water, I flushed my daily driver myself last MAY and i used distilled water but I remember many years back a buddy of mine did the drain and change for me used tap water and when I mentioned distilled water, he could not stop laughing...
LOL, That's Mark, not Ted!
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Cincinnati, OH
Originally Posted by Icemark
I hope you mean 25 percent water, 75 % coolant.
Because 75/25 (75%water/25% anti-freeze) is insufficient to prevent corrosion.
At very least you need 70/30, and I recommend 50/50 in all but the most extreme cases or the artic circle (or Canada and Wisconsin) where you might drop as low as 30/70 (water/coolant) so that the freeze point drops to around -85F.
See anti-freeze serves multiple purposes.
It lowers the freeze point of the coolant (typically most coolants at a 50/50 mix will lower the freeze point to around-32/-35F degrees)
It raises the boiling point (typically around 265F at 15 psi again with a 50/50 mix).
And it prevents corrosion and lowers electrolytic galvanic action. This means the alumn against steel corrosion is reduced.
And finally it serves as a lubricant for the water pump (and in our engines the coolant seals).
So let’s look at water. One of the most corrosive fluids out there. (Any doubters on that statement can go look at the Grand Canyon or any river bed).
Running a high amount of water through the motor (anything more extreme than 70/30 (water/coolant) and there will be major corrosion of the water jackets and passages.
On a street driven vehicle (even one that is raced on weekends) with a properly functioning cooling system, you should be running 50/50 or at very worst 60/40 (again water/coolant) for most parts of the country. If indeed your temps do drop under -30F then I might look at using a greater mix off coolant with a lower amount of water.
But 75% water and only 25% coolant will result in your motors life cut considerably shorter.
Because 75/25 (75%water/25% anti-freeze) is insufficient to prevent corrosion.
At very least you need 70/30, and I recommend 50/50 in all but the most extreme cases or the artic circle (or Canada and Wisconsin) where you might drop as low as 30/70 (water/coolant) so that the freeze point drops to around -85F.
See anti-freeze serves multiple purposes.
It lowers the freeze point of the coolant (typically most coolants at a 50/50 mix will lower the freeze point to around-32/-35F degrees)
It raises the boiling point (typically around 265F at 15 psi again with a 50/50 mix).
And it prevents corrosion and lowers electrolytic galvanic action. This means the alumn against steel corrosion is reduced.
And finally it serves as a lubricant for the water pump (and in our engines the coolant seals).
So let’s look at water. One of the most corrosive fluids out there. (Any doubters on that statement can go look at the Grand Canyon or any river bed).
Running a high amount of water through the motor (anything more extreme than 70/30 (water/coolant) and there will be major corrosion of the water jackets and passages.
On a street driven vehicle (even one that is raced on weekends) with a properly functioning cooling system, you should be running 50/50 or at very worst 60/40 (again water/coolant) for most parts of the country. If indeed your temps do drop under -30F then I might look at using a greater mix off coolant with a lower amount of water.
But 75% water and only 25% coolant will result in your motors life cut considerably shorter.
if you are in warmer weather areas such as FL you CAN run water with no coolant and NOT have corrosion... BUT you have to add a corrosion inhibitor ( and yes i know my spelling may suck). a lot of hotrodders run just water because 100% watter cools better than a water coolant mix.
Rockn' The Galant
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,901
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From: Shreveport, LA
Originally Posted by scheistermeister
if you are in warmer weather areas such as FL you CAN run water with no coolant and NOT have corrosion... BUT you have to add a corrosion inhibitor ( and yes i know my spelling may suck). a lot of hotrodders run just water because 100% watter cools better than a water coolant mix.
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