LS1 pwrd NOVA

iTrader: (2)

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Right. lol

For your situation, you are maybe "OK" but no one can for sure say you are "All Good." If you went for a drive in Canada, 100% water would definitely be "Bad."

It's a hard topic because the question is subjective and the answers are always going to be conditional. The only way to be "All Good" is to follow the advice in the Owners Manual.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I've owned enough cars from the '70s and '80s to have seen what happens to radiators, heater cores and water pumps in these old applications when the coolant was neglected. You can absolutely still have issues with old green antifreeze if it's allowed to get too old. The old stuff was not a miracle product.

My 20 year old Dexcool-only radiator looks beautiful on the inside as well. I just keep the coolant changed. Nothing exotic, nothing complicated. Comprehensive system cleansing is only necessary if you neglect the system (leading to that "gunk") or have some cross-contamination from the junk factory PS cooler.

You might want to reconsider that claim. The old/original "green stuff" is not an extended life coolant. It's not designed to be in the system for 5 years without a change, and its shelf life is also shorter (which can be an issue since not many folks still buy this product....it could be on the shelf for quite some time before it goes in your radiator). So, even without a comprehensive chemical analysis of both products, there is at least one advantage to Dexcool.


Sounds like good advice regardless of coolant type.

FWIW, there is always some amount of air in the expansion tank, whether it's under pressure (like most modern applications) or not (like our LS1 F-bodies with a non-pressurized overflow).

LS1 pwrd NOVA

iTrader: (2)

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I'm not sure what didn't make sense.

I was just stating that Dexcool comes into contact with some amount of air even in a properly functioning cooling system, because there is always some air in the expansion tank whether it is pressurized (such as many modern applications which don't have a cap on the actual radiator), or not pressurized (such as our 4th gens with a simple overflow bottle and removable cap on the radiator itself). Either way there will be air in the tank, and this won't be a problem as long as the coolant is changed at the proper intervals.

dr_whigham

iTrader: (49)

Yes, correct.

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

well since this thread has been semi off track for awhile now, i dont feel bad about continuing that trend.

1) any benefits of running somewhere between 30-40% antifreeze in our cars?

2) if there is any benefit from that,anyone know a ball park estimate of a 4th gen fbody coolant capacity?

http://www.lovemycarnz.co.nz/images/...eeze-chart.jpg

id like to know the answers to those questions and if the answer to 1) is a yes, decide how much freeze i need to protect down to -25 or so.....im in southern pa and have never seen the temps go below -10.....but ive only been around 30 years or so. its super super rare to go below 0 at all around.

now we are getting technical, but say my coolant will protect to -10, its 0 degrees out today with a wind chill of -15.......is my coolant protection sufficient?

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

lets go even deeper, today is -2 degrees with a real feel of -12, is my coolant protection sufficient now?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

When you ask questions like this, you are going to have people pop in with special engines from builders with special requirements that are special to them and they will use it as proof that there are no absolutes.

There are no absolutes.

If you have a car with a stock system, particularly if you are in an environment with a diverse selection of weather, (like PA) then the guidance in the owners manual is what should be followed.


More importantly; Why would you ask these? What are you looking achieve by reducing the amount of coolant in your system?

BTW - Your car doesn't experience wind chill and "real feel" doesn't apply. That's only for organisms with skin that sweat.

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

just wondering if their is any benefits to an under 50 mixture thats all.

i figured the wind chill didn't really matter much

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Race cars eliminate coolant because it makes the track slippery when it spills. Beyond that, I can't think of any reason to cut back on coolant other than extreme desires to protect the environment or reduce costs.


Yea. Wind and humidity are the main drivers behind wind chill and real feel. Wind would help a car somewhat, but it's usually insignificant and would be directional. (The wind would have to be blowing directly over the radiator to make a difference.) On the human body, our radiators (our skin) are greatly impacted by wind and humidity. We don't have mechanical fans, so notice the wind's cooling effect (passive cooling) from all directions and humidity impacts the effectiveness of our sweat. (active cooling)

dr_whigham

iTrader: (49)

If you live in a climate that freezes, just keep it 50/50.

Those of us in the depths of hell make some adjustments.

8.Lug

pdxmotorhead

Straight distilled is not because its better for coolant purposes on track ,, SCCA and others don't allow
antifreeze in race cars because it turns in to a slimy mess in a collision that breaks the cooling system
open thats almost impossible to clean off the track, (WAY harder than getting rid of oil.. )

One of my steps in tech was to check in the radiator,, if the water was colored ,, check it with a
optical hydrometer or a dip strip,, if it was glycol,, no sticker..
Sorry stopping the whole event because someone tapped fenders and broke a radiator sucks..

Most track cars run distilled + a wetting agent (Pick one they are all the same basically)
Their purpose is to break surface tension and stop bubbles from forming.. Its been in use
for literally like hundred years in almost all big buildings that have a hydronic (Liquid) fed AC/Heating system.

Oh and the 50/50 number for water coolant is because distilled +50% Glycol is the least corrosive/chemically active
level of the mix. Either side of that your PH and electrolyte levels get wacky.

Dexcool (For the younger crowd) got its bad rap form back in the very early days,
GM hadn't figured out the compatibility issues with DEX and
the o-rings, gaskets, rubber seals, plastic radiators etc,, and so as a "fix" they shipped
a ton of cars with "Stop leak" dumped in them from the factory, resulting in a lot of clogged
heater cores, radiators, heater valve malfunctions etc..
Dealers had to do a lot of repairs back in the mid 90's. The worst was the clogged heater cores in the Caddilacs..

FWIW,, BMW uses a "blue" coolant that is awesome in AL engines,, and its 20 bucks for concentrate at the dealer, cheaper on line.
It supposedly minimizes the galvanic and ionic activity in the coolant. I know that a BMW thats been maintained the inside of the cooling system
is almost scary clean.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

I've also read that some companies are making OAT in non-orange versions, now because it make things look "clean". Evidently, the red/orange isn't visually appealing...

pdxmotorhead

yea its all about style.. LOL In the industrial setting the color is related to the chemical compounds and
the target PH and whether its a ion heavy or light blend.

Would not be surprised if none of the auto versions are anything but a industrial product repurposed ..
Heck the building system I currently have to monitor has about 25,000 gallons of blue coolant in it..

hammdo

Floorman279

iTrader: (11)

any idea the blue bmw coolant's capability with the ls1s seals and gaskets

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Before we go too far down the road of "If it's in a BMW, it must be better...", here's some information. (BTW - it's not better.)

Here is a good summary on the different coolant types:
https://www.valvoline.com/our-produc...engine-coolant

^ One will notice that BMW's coolant has Silicates added and Phosphates removed. (The later being the "special" part for the blue type.)

Here's why they go to the expense of taking that stuff out: https://prestone.com/safety-tips-faqs

Q: Does Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant contain phosphates?
A: Some European automobile manufacturers request that a phosphate-free antifreeze be used in their vehicles. This issue is related to the extremely high mineral content of the water in Europe. If you were to mix an antifreeze that contained phosphates with the type of water they have in Europe, it may produce deposits that can settle in the cooling system and promote corrosion. However, in North America we do not have this type of water problem. Typical North American coolants have contained phosphates (which is part of the corrosion inhibitor package) for many years. Therefore, the question of phosphates is a non-issue here in North America. Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant is completely safe for use in both foreign and domestic vehicles.


According to Prestone's engineer's, it seems like regular Hybrid OAT would be fine for BMW's in NA.