Antifreeze

[old-school]

Are you supposed to run straight antifreeze in your radiator or add a little water to the mix? Also, what type of antifreeze is best for our big blocks? Thanks

[nivvy]

I run 50/50 anti freeze..

[HP2]

You get the greatest range of temperature protection and corrosion prevention by using a 50/50 mix.

[GoodysGotaCuda]

Never run straight anti-freeze. I run 70% distilled water/30% coolant.

Depends on your climate.

[moparmaniac59]

I've never run straight antifreeze, but I've heard that straight antifreeze (no water added) can actually freeze. Anybody else heard this??


                                                    Matt B.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

I've never run straight antifreeze, but I've heard that straight antifreeze (no water added) can actually freeze. Anybody else heard this??


                                                    Matt B.

Matt,

  It's actually the opposite. Water has a far better cooling ability over anti-freeze. The problem is, water freezes and corrodes. Anti-freeze doesn't corrode, or freeze, but...is far less able to "get the heat out of the kitchen" than water. So a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and distilled water fits most folks.


   Mike

[old-school]

Thanks everyone for all of the opinions! The resources on this website are awesome!

[Aussie Challenger]

  Using tooo much anti freeze causes more problems than it solves. The anti freeze can actually cause corrosion especially on any aluminum parts, I have had water pumps fail due entirely to tooo much anti freeze.   

[MrMopar440]

Along the same lines - Has anyone here run the Royal Purple additive (Purple Ice  - or something like that)? It is supposed to lower the surface tension on the water/antifreeze mix and allow better cooling. I know that there are a few products out there that are similar, but I only have easy access to the Royal Purple line. Thoughts?

[Chryco Psycho]

the coolant additives to increase cooling do work but are less effective with higher percentages of antifreeze

[Changin Gears]

Water is a beeter thermal conductor than anti-freeze so if you run 100% anti-freeze you are more likly to overheat.  But, anti-freeze has a higher boiling point which would make it boil over at a high temp.  Sort of a double edged sword.

I use somewhere between 70/30 and 50/50.

[go-fish]

This is broken down for Old-School. He is a self proclaimed non-mechanic so I want to help him in any way I can. You have to start somewhere in this hobby, right? Here goes some basic coolant/anti-freeze tips:

If you go to any parts store you will be able to find an anti-freeze tester. It is a clear plastic thing with a tube that goes in your coolant/anti-freeze and has a little rubber squeeze thing on the other end. When you pump the rubber pump thing it will suck a sample into the clear plastic part and little tiny balls will float around and tell you what your mixture protects your engine to (degrees wise).
Just ask them for an anti-freeze tester. Also, never pour your anti-freeze in and then water on top of that. Pre-mix to ensure thorough mixing. They sell anti-freeze/coolant premixed with distilled water, it is a simple solution. Remember to use distilled water too.

[old-school]

Thanks go-fish! I appreciate all the comments.

[moparmaniac59]

OK,
I am not crazy.  Antifreeze alone with no water added will actually freeze at about 8 degrees fahrenheit. Really, it's true!! Here's some info I puuled from a science web site:  Ethylene glycol, the principal component of most antifreezes, freezes at 8 degrees above zero (fahrenheit). It is only when WATER is added that the freezing point is depressed. The freezing point of an ethylene glycol and water mixture drops rapidly as the concentration of glycol is increased to a mixture of about 60% antifreeze and 40% water. Around that point, an abrupt turnaround occurs, and as more antifreeze is added, the freezing point rises almost as fast as it had previously dropped. I've never seen an antifreeze container with a note to this effect. So there you have it. It is clearly a case of what you don't know that can hurt you. Thom Wigle of Dow Chemical in Ontario says that his office get several hundred complaints each winter from irate customers complaining that their antifreeze is "No damn good.". A typical story is that the customer was using a Dow product undiluted and their engine froze up at around zero (fahrenheit). So NEVER run your engine with a concentation of antifreeze/water above a 60% ethylene glycol mixture. Too much antifreeze is not good. This has nothing to do with the heat transfer/cooling properties (that's a different subject). Simply the ability of antifreeze from keeping your coolant from freezing!! Your science lesson for the day!!!

                                                              Matt B.

[Changin Gears]

OK,
I am not crazy.  Antifreeze alone with no water added will actually freeze at about 8 degrees fahrenheit. Really, it's true!! Here's some info I puuled from a science web site:  Ethylene glycol, the principal component of most antifreezes, freezes at 8 degrees above zero (fahrenheit). It is only when WATER is added that the freezing point is depressed. The freezing point of an ethylene glycol and water mixture drops rapidly as the concentration of glycol is increased to a mixture of about 60% antifreeze and 40% water. Around that point, an abrupt turnaround occurs, and as more antifreeze is added, the freezing point rises almost as fast as it had previously dropped. I've never seen an antifreeze container with a note to this effect. So there you have it. It is clearly a case of what you don't know that can hurt you. Thom Wigle of Dow Chemical in Ontario says that his office get several hundred complaints each winter from irate customers complaining that their antifreeze is "No damn good.". A typical story is that the customer was using a Dow product undiluted and their engine froze up at around zero (fahrenheit). So NEVER run your engine with a concentation of antifreeze/water above a 60% ethylene glycol mixture. Too much antifreeze is not good. This has nothing to do with the heat transfer/cooling properties (that's a different subject). Simply the ability of antifreeze from keeping your coolant from freezing!! Your science lesson for the day!!!




                                                              Matt B.

I never new that, looked it up myself, your right.