How's it going? I'm flushing my radiator with Prestone's Super Radiator Cleaner this weekend. After it's finished and I have to fill, what should my coolant to water ratio be? I believe my radiator can hold either 18 or 20 quarts. I'm guessing 3 of the 4-quart Prestone jugs and then top off with distilled water and Redline Water Wetter. That's roughly 65% concentration. Is there a better brand that's sold at Autozone/WalMart than Prestone? Thanks.

 

I try and stay with a 50/50 mix. Keep in mind that water is what conducts the heat to the radiator and people often incorrectly assume that the anti-freeze does this

 

That is to say, water is a better conductor of heat than coolant.

 

So then is coolant primarily used for it's antifreeze properties? I live in Vegas, would it better for me to just use distilled water and an additive like Redline's?

 

FINALLY!!!!!!B-Dox and Dan are one of the few and far between, I've read that understand this concept! Yes, it is actually the water, that cools, and cools best, an engine. I have had friends who always have the misguided notion that "more Prestone/Zerex/ Peak is better, than scratch there heads in the summer when their 90% coolant, little if no water engines are running hot, sometimes even boiling over during heat soak conditions in the summer.
Seanny... some coolant is okay. In your case, you can easily run a 25% coolant, 75% distilled water mix, with Red-Line's Water Wetter, Purple Ice, or No-Roison, and be just fine, probably running cooler than ever. Look at Nascar engines. Yes, they have oil coolers, etc. but run on water. Those engines rev much more, and produce more heat than any street engine would.
I have run a 70% water, 30% coolant mix in a v6 for years, triple digit heat in California, 5w30 oil, AC blowing ice cold, in bumper to bumper traffic after an hour freeway run, 95 degrees - 108 degrees... with never a overheating or even running hotter than normal reading with this/. I flush my cooling system once a year, or at least once every other year, again, no cooling problems, ever. Ed

 

Water is indeed the best heat transfer agent!

In addition to freeze protection, antifreeze also contains corrosion inhibitors and surfactants to maintain the system and to assist in heat transfer.

The most efficient system would be straight distilled water supplemented by one or more of the products Ed mentioned that supply the additives.

Using the antifreeze is an economical compromise what will also provide winter freeze protection. There is a chart on the back of the jug that givesrecommended concentrations based on your lowest anticipated winter temps.

Steve

 

In addition to the above, (which all seems to devalue coolant,) coolant chemically plates the inside of you cooling system which is how it prevents corrosion. The coolant in effect protects the system from the water. The importance of using only distilled water cannot be overstated.

Also the boiling point of the system is increased a lot by the addition of coolant. (Again, see the chart on the back of the bottle.)

There is no dispute that water dissapates the water better, but don't take that to mean that coolant, (such as ethelyne glycol,) does not dissapate heat, it certainly does. You could run 100% coolant without ill-effects except in the most extreme heat and high load conditions, where mixing in distilled water would give you an edge. Maximum boil-over protection is with 70% coolant and 30% distilled water.

 

Excellent info. I also had the assumption that more Prestone would make my engine run cooler. I was wrong. I'm just going to run 100% distilled water and Redline's Water Wetter. I believe that Redline even suggests that it's better this way than with any coolant at all. I was going to add a 25% concentration of coolant and 75% water to protect the cooling system, but the Water Wetter already does that. It gets about 110 these days and the average temp during the winter is about 40. Would I need to add Prestone then?

Now I have to figure out how to completely flush out all the coolant. I drained the radiator last week and put some Radiator Cleaner and water in. I found out that only about 10 out of the total 18 quart capacity of my radiator emptied out. Now I assume I can do it the long way and drain the radiator each weekend. Then top it off with water and eventually after a few weeks, all the coolant would have been drained out, but is there an easier way? Should I grab one of those flush kits? You guys have been extremely helpful btw. Thanks.

 

You could remove the thermostat, disconnect the heater hose that goes into the water pump and adapt a garden hose to it so the water flow backwards through the system.
Run water through the system till it comes out clear. (You may want to run the engine with a cooling system cleaner in it first.)

You still need to get the tap water all out and replace it with distilled water.

 

I'd run 50/50 or close to it. But not less than 25% or so anti-freeze. Just water and Water Wetter will not give you enough corrosion inhibition, IMHO. You've got a lot of capacity, and it would take a lot of Water Wetter to get the additve concentration high enough to give you long-term protection.

Distilled water + Water Wetter is great for racecars that aren't allowed to run conventional coolant at the track. But race cars are driven and maintained much differently than a street vehicle.

Just my two cents.

 

I agree with pronstar.

The corrosion inhibitors and the water pump lubrication in ethelyne glycol are totally worth it. I always run 50/50, (or stronger if I'm not sure of the exact proportions.)

 

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Ahhh Wrong. As I have attended various NHRA Championship Drag Racing events as a boy in the mid 60s, I have learned a lot.
For example, with my daily driver, a workhorse stud '87 Aerostar XLT, when I get home from work, I do a complete tear down, and rebuild, as seen by the Pro Dragster and Funny Car Teams, between rounds. I will admit, I cannot do a completely tear down, inspection, rebuild and inspection and fire (start-up) in 52 minutes (average pit times) but it does take me nearly 3 hours, as it's just me, and the 3.0 V6 Ford powerplant. But to say, a race car is maintained differently than a street car?... obviously you have not seen my Aerostar*!
Peace, Ed

* PS Just kidding! I agree with what you are saying, and see your point, Pronstar.

 

Ed, you need to get a wife and kids and train them to be pit crew!

 

You totally got me on that one.

As I was began to read your post, I was laughing to myself and thinking "whaaaaaatttt the heck is this guy talking about???"

 

I thought you would! However, I will say, it never ceases to amaze me when I've watched a pit crew tear down and rebuild a full blown dragster motor or funny car motor. Each crew member knows exactly what their job is, and what must be done. Then when those American made full-assualt race motors fire, it's music to my ears! Thunder, and LOUD, echoing across the sky. Then they usually run it in gear, as those massive Goodyear Slicks are turning at about 15 mph. I'm smart enough now, that I carry noise protecting for my ears, but those engines are still so loud, even my hands over my ears, still cannot help, especially when the crew member stabs the accelerator, to keep the engine from loading up. NHRA Championship Drag Racing, I love it! Pro Stock cars in the early 70s were also amazing to me. Picture Ronnie Sox, SOX& MARTIN '71 Hemi 'Cuda, and that 4-2-6- HEMI at idle, Firestone Race Slicks on Keystone Mags, and to see a race car like this, actually light up full front headlights, running lights (turnsignals) bright red tail lights, as a kid back then, I loved this! This was just before the NHRA shafted HEMI powered Pro-Stocks, as they were kicking a** and taking names in '70-'71, which lead to grossly unfair weight rules starting in '72 for Pro Stock. My Dad was bent then, Nascar did the same thing to Chrysler's HEMI, eventually banning them outright, as Ford, Chevy and other GM divisions could not compete...
B-Dox, that is an excellent suggestion! Or I can train them to at least bring me a slice of fresh, hot, pepperoni pizza and a ice cold beer, when working on my van! Once I get to our "empty nest" situation (soon) then I hope to resume my weekend hobby for owning / working on a late 60s early 70s American musclecar. My '73 silver and black 1973 Dodge Charger SE, 440 CI 727 auto. needs a garage friend, if you get my point? Now my '87 Ford Aerostar XLT is the main garage "friend" to the Charger SE. Ed