I’m getting close to being back in the road so I started looking around at coolant. I’m amazed at the range in price, and since that radiator is huge, almost 6 gallons, I want to look for a decent price.

Napa has a sale on their premixed store brand for less than $9, where amzoil is $28 a gallon.

Any disadvantage to the cheep store brands?

Also, I’m thinking this system hasn’t been flushed in many years so maybe it’s a good idea. On the other hand, I’m not having any cooling issues, runs at a max of 160 even on hot days. It might just be a waste of time, pulling thermostats, flushing, replacing…you know.

thoughts?

thx

 

If it's never been flushed I'd say it's a good time to do it before adding new coolant. You're better off buying a concentrate than the premixed which is half water. I think all I used was 2 gallons of coolant mixed with 2 gallons of water in mine...

 

Not many folks selling the unmixed stuff, but I agree, distilled water is like $.75 a gallon. According to the 1949 owners manual, the flatty v8 holds 23 quarts. I drained more than 5 gallons so it seems right. I suspect it’s a lot different than your 56.

Thx.

 

I have the 351 w and a champion radiator so the capacity likely differs. Napa should carry the concentrate you would think, I believe Walmart carries it or does up here..

 

Buy the concentrate and as you already know, distilled water to mix. You don't want any of that New Jersey tap water in your radiator!

Napa should have what you need. And make sure you get the stuff for older vehicles. I think it's the green antifreeze. There was a thread here several years ago about which antifreeze to use.... and not to use.

 

Fixed it for you abe...

 

I use silica free mixed with distilled water

 

Thx folks.

I checked Napa, and yes they carry the concentrate, but, it’s twice the price of the premixed. Then I’d need to get distilled water so there’s no price advantage.

once this freeze is over I’ll flush and refill. I figure I’ll use vinegar and distilled water to flush.

 

Personally I’m a big believer in Amsoil oil, and I run it in 2 cars that are daily drivers. I don’t think I could justify the price on that coolant. Personally I use store brand universal or Peak universal whatever is cheaper that day. I’ve never had an issue with any coolant. It’s all propylene glycol now pretty much with different additives for corrosion resistance.

 

The premix is half the price because you're getting half the amount of concentrate with the other half water mixed in. Generally it's cheaper buying the concentrate and mixing it yourself..

 

That makes sense, except Napa has a sale, $12.99 on sale for $8.69. I’m going to go with that.

 

If pre-mix is the same price then definitely go with it. It’s less hassle and when you go to grab some off the shelf to top a vehicle off you won’t have to worry about if you had already mixed it already. It is kind of odd that 2 gallons of premix is the same price as concentrate though considering they have to ship all that additional water, but sometimes retail prices don’t make any sense. I worked at O’Reilly 9 years and was confused many times by this. Lol!

 

here is a copy of the warning in the thread I was talking about. I thought Ross started it but I could not find it even with an advanced search.

"AACA published this information in the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club Newsletter concerning the use of "extended life" antifreeze in cars over 10 years old.
In a nutshell--don't do it!

Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should an "Extended Life" antifreeze, which utilizes Organic Additive Technology (OAT, H-OAT, or N-OAT) as one of its chemicals, ever be used in our cars over 10 years old. It attacks the gaskets and gasket cements in our cars, causing major leaks and forcing ultra-expensive repairs. The "Silver Ghost Association" Rolls Royce people have documented massive cooling system failures apparently caused by this anti-freeze product.

Antifreeze that can be used safely in our cars uses older-fashioned Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT) additive. You cannot tell by the color of the antifreeze if it's safe to use. Also, the product may be labelled "Safe for Older Cars"--meaning 10 years old at most. Brands to be AVOIDED are all Prestone lines and Zerex's G-05 in the Gold-color container. Avoid any "extended-life" antifreeze. None of us wants to pull and rebuild our cars' engines.

Acceptable brands are Peak, Peak's HD Product "Sierra," and Zerex Original Green in the WHITE container.

If any of the OAT, H-OAT, or N-OAT products are in your car the cooling system should promptly be drained--radiator and block-- the system flushed thoroughly, and IAT antifreeze installed.
The article is in Newsletter LVII Number 8 2010. It will be posted on the ACDCLUB.ORG site in a few days in the newsletters section of the forum.
Forewarned is forearmed"

While I have never used DexCool or GO-5 in my truck, I'll have to check if it is labelled "Extended Life" (it's NAPA antifreeze). I'd be surprised if any of our old trucks still have original gaskets anyway."

 

Here is what I bought a few years ago at NAPA


I bought 1 bottle pre-diluted because of the amount the shop manual called for. But it didn't take the full amount. I'm thinking I didn't have all the coolant drained from the engine block.

 

While I agree for the most part on this, there is criteria that goes along with this IMHO...... We know from test conducted by Prestone, conventional coolant has a life of 13 + years (at that mark they stopped the test) and it's contaminants that kill the coolant and damage components. IMHO,1. Nothing substitutes a periodic flush of the radiator

2. When I drain the coolant, I place a doubled up paper towel over the funnel which filters to less than 3 microns (much better then any of the inline filters)- in terms of contaminants, the coolant is now as clean as when it came out of the original bottle. Provided it meets all the other test I do, it is reinstalled in the vehicle.

3. I have installed a magnesium anode in all overflows (same electrolysis protection used per code for all underground tanks)- Zinc anodes are available as well (JC Whitney, etc.) specifically for automotive applications and sell for about $25- they attract all the nasty stuff that destroys radiators, pumps, hoses etc and they become the sacrificial lamb- and keeps the ph of the fluid neutral. The inside of my cooling system and related components is spotless- literally!

4. I check the ph (using a swimming pool kit) - and check the alcohol content using a conventional coolant bulb type test device ($20 at any parts store)

the results.....

1. Contaminant production is eliminated by 90%+ as a result of the neutral ph maintenance

2. Contaminants that are produced are contained outside of the system flow, in the overflow at the anode. At this point I have less contaminant in my system than if I used an inline filter because we have eliminated 90% of the production and contained the residual.

3. With the paper towel, I can actually see the residual system contaminants (which you can typically count) and by most accounts visually know if a potential problem exist by the type and color of the products. The coolant is as clean as if I had opened a fresh container.

4. The system is clean and performance level known.

My personal results...

My father (an ol salt flats racer & aerospace engineer) starting this in the 1950's and typically the conventional coolant lasts 10-20 years in the vehicle before requiring replacement. I have seldom repaired a radiator or heat exchanger or water pump during my 50+ years on this earth on any of my family's vehicles- (I take that back, I replaced 2 water pumps on my 1990 F150 when due to a pulley tension/alignment problem it ate two bearings/seals, my fault as I didn't check it the 1st time, but at 80,000 miles I was not too surprised to see a leak from the water pump bearing).
We typically keep our vehicles for 10+ years. Our list of vehicles includes...

1959 221 CID V8 Ranchero (1965 to 1971)
1932 Flathead V8 Ford Coupe (1960 to present)
1965 Mustang (1965 to present- same Copper Core radiator installed new in 1985)
1969 F100 (1972 to 1984)
1984 F150 (1984 to 2006) (400K+ miles w2 rebuilds)
1979 Honda (1982 to 1990)
1987 Toyota Celica GT (1987 to 1997)
1990 F150 (1990 to 2006- 2 waterpumps due to bearing failure)
1997 Cougar Sport (1990 to present- 1 radiator replaced at 17 years due to plastic structure cracking, heater core started leaking at 19 years, just installed 2nd waterpump due to drip observed at weephole)
2006 Mark LT (2006 to present)
2006 F150 4x4 (2006 to present)

IMHO, basic chemistry makes the difference!