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How clear is your coolant?

Marco

Marco

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Hi everybody,

I've been flushing my engine for a few weeks now (putting water in it, going to work and back, draining the water, 5x a week) and it now starts to come out quite clear.

I was wondering when enough is enough and its time add coolant?
Is your coolant as bright and clear as it was in the bottle or is it normal for it to become a tad brown?

Gr Marco
 
I would completely drain your system including the block (remove plugs on each side). Fill with your preferred coolant (antifreeze) and add only distilled water. Tap or well water can lead to corrosion quicker than distilled water.
 
If you had brown coolant to begin with, then only a chemical flush will get rid of the rust scale that developed n caused it. But once that complete, then once distilled water flushes afterwards show clear, then the 50/50 coolant n distilled water should stay clear. "Should"
 
Thanks for your quick responses!

I've indeed been draining the coolant through the plugs on the engine.
I'm planning to add the pre-mixed 50/50 coolant so i should not have to work with water at al.
But I was just wondering when I should add it.

Yes it was quite hot chocolat looking at the beginning but right now I can almost see the bottom of a full bucket.

I'll buy some of the chemical flush and drive a few days with it, when it is still clear I'll add coolant, if not i'll keep flushing.
Gr Marco
 
50/50 with tap water, for YEARS and still clean/clear/translucent ...‍
 
Mine is fairly clear..... Water plus Water Wetter. Maybe a slight pink tinge, but not noticeable.

upload_2021-4-24_9-11-22.png
 
kiwigtx said:
Mine is fairly clear..... Water plus Water Wetter. Maybe a slight pink tinge, but not noticeable.

View attachment 1101651
Click to expand...

Due to the heat here, 120°+, I run 50/50 w distilled and 2 bottles of Water Wetter. So far in 105° this yr, 185 t-stat, mechanical fan w shroud on 496, never over 195 in stop n go n never over 186 while steady cruising. Made a damba$$ mistake this morning n stated my car to check the fuel injection, got distracted inside n forgot for 2 hrs it was idling in 85° weather. Was steady 184° when I remembered n oil pressure was great. Oops. But for 6 months now the coolant has stayed the pinkish cloudy.
 
diesel_lv said:
Due to the heat here, 120°+, I run 50/50 w distilled and 2 bottles of Water Wetter. So far in 105° this yr, 185 t-stat, mechanical fan w shroud on 496, never over 195 in stop n go n never over 186 while steady cruising. Made a damba$$ mistake this morning n stated my car to check the fuel injection, got distracted inside n forgot for 2 hrs it was idling in 85° weather. Was steady 184° when I remembered n oil pressure was great. Oops. But for 6 months now the coolant has stayed the pinkish cloudy.
Click to expand...
I have a relatively new engine....still tight really. So I have flushed the engine a couple of times - mainly due to a perforated radiator a couple of years ago. Radiator now new....and before doing a Christmas parade in 2019, I made sure that the Water Wetter was a decent percentage....as our Christmas is in mid-summer. Temp held until right up to the last turn when I could get a little more speed and air-flow happening....maxed out at 220F toward the very end of the parade, but maintained a steady 208-215F for the second half when the Chinese Dancers were taking their time, and fannying around too much. :rolleyes:

In normal running without delays, I sit at around 178F, and it can creep up to 185F...maybe 190F while negotiating traffic. But overall, the temperature is pretty good. Better than running regular coolant....never had much luck with that stuff ...even my GTX used to get hot at times.
 
kiwigtx said:
I have a relatively new engine....still tight really. So I have flushed the engine a couple of times - mainly due to a perforated radiator a couple of years ago. Radiator now new....and before doing a Christmas parade in 2019, I made sure that the Water Wetter was a decent percentage....as our Christmas is in mid-summer. Temp held until right up to the last turn when I could get a little more speed and air-flow happening....maxed out at 220F toward the very end of the parade, but maintained a steady 208-215F for the second half when the Chinese Dancers were taking their time, and fannying around too much. :rolleyes:

In normal running without delays, I sit at around 178F, and it can creep up to 185F...maybe 190F while negotiating traffic. But overall, the temperature is pretty good. Better than running regular coolant....never had much luck with that stuff ...even my GTX used to get hot at times.
Click to expand...
What is everyone's thoughts on Evans waterless antifreeze?
 
kiwigtx said:
I have never used it....don't even know if it is available out here.
Click to expand...
Google proves me wrong...

Evans Waterless Coolants are the ONLY 100% waterless automotive engine coolant available on the market. All Evans Waterless Coolants are a chemical blend that results in more efficient cooling due to a higher boiling point. The increased boiling point of the coolant eliminates the occurance of boil over, cavitation, and detonation. Not only do Evans Waterless Coolants not boil over, they do not freeze. At extreme cold temperatures the coolants contract and become extremely thick, not becoming solid and expanding like antifreeze containing water. Because Evans Waterless Coolants do not contain water electrolysis and corrosion are also eliminated. Every Evans Waterless Coolant requires the entire cooling system to be drained (radiator, engine block and heater core) and refilled 100% with Evans Waterless Coolants. No need to add anything.
Click to expand...

upload_2021-4-24_9-56-43.png


Agents are a local Speed Shop close by to me. I might look into that one day.
 
What I've heard about Evans is that there can not be any water in the system at all. You can't add water to the system if it needs any, only more Evans. So if you would happen to spring a leak, you have to have some extra Evans on hand. Close to $50 per gallon. No thanks.
 
As far as the cleanliness of the cooling system, be advised that there are two types of contamination.
First is TSS or Total Suspended Solids or the contamination you can see visually. It can reach a concentration level that the solution becomes saturated. This saturated solution will begin to deposit the contamination as solid particles in low velocity circulation areas (bottom of the water jackets, top tank / tube inlets, firewall end of cylinder head coolant transfer ports, etc.). These deposits can usually be removed with a cleaning/flushing profuct.
Second type of contamination is TDS or Total Dissolved Solids or the contamination you CANNOT see visually. This contamination comes from the water used to dilute the coolant to the owners requirement for freeze/boil over protection AND heat transfer characteristics. Typically this contamination is both Calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. These contaminants can be reduced/eliminated by the use of "soft water". De-ionized water will eliminate just about all contamination minerals. Distilled water will as well but may enhance oxygen attack to the iron components.
If the coolant is left in too long, the rust inhibitors will be depleted, at which time the oxygen in the water will begin to "rust" the cast iron composition of the block and heads, contributing to the TSS snd TDS build up.
Evans Coolant has zero water, but is propylene glycol which has totally specific heat characteristics (ability to capture and release heat)....some people swear by it, others swear at it.....plus it is very $$$$.
Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON
 
RJRENTON said:
As far as the cleanliness of the cooling system, be advised that there are two types of contamination.
First is TSS or Total Suspended Solids or the contamination you can see visually. It can reach a concentration level that the solution becomes saturated. This saturated solution will begin to deposit the contamination as solid particles in low velocity circulation areas (bottom of the water jackets, top tank / tube inlets, firewall end of cylinder head coolant transfer ports, etc.). These deposits can usually be removed with a cleaning/flushing profuct.
Second type of contamination is TDS or Total Dissolved Solids or the contamination you CANNOT see visually. This contamination comes from the water used to dilute the coolant to the owners requirement for freeze/boil over protection AND heat transfer characteristics. Typically this contamination is both Calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. These contaminants can be reduced/eliminated by the use of "soft water". De-ionized water will eliminate just about all contamination minerals. Distilled water will as well but may enhance oxygen attack to the iron components.
If the coolant is left in too long, the rust inhibitors will be depleted, at which time the oxygen in the water will begin to "rust" the cast iron composition of the block and heads, contributing to the TSS snd TDS build up.
Evans Coolant has zero water, but is propylene glycol which has totally specific heat characteristics (ability to capture and release heat)....some people swear by it, others swear at it.....plus it is very $$$$.
Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON
Click to expand...
What is everyone's preferred Antifreeze to use or do you just go to Wal Mart?
 
Hi everybody,

On the weekend I added the radiator flush and after driving it for about an hour I just flushed it, and guess what?!.... IT REALLY BROWN again...
So I guess I'm going to invest in a few jugs of radiator flush and keep flushing it till it starts becoming clear. The engine in only rebuild about 3 years ago and I've been running coolant ever since then so I guess they did not hot tank it.... Radiator, rad hoses are also new and the heater core I flushed before the engine went in...

Thanks for informing me that the coolant is supposed to be clear even on these old cars!
I'm going to run Kroon oil -26c coolant when I'm done.

I'll let you all know when I'm done with this debacle, I've flushed the cooling system 12 times now.

Gr Marco
 
I use Prestone premix and change it every year. A little cloudy but not dirty or brown.
 
Ronald Weishaar said:
What is everyone's preferred Antifreeze to use or do you just go to Wal Mart?
Click to expand...
I just use a conventional green coolant from Walmart , O'Reilly's or such. Change it every 2 years and it always looks just like it was when installed after 2 years, and this is on an original radiator & engine. Prior owners must have taken care of it.
 
Ever look at your water neck, or timing cover and wonder why it's pitted? The aluminum is the softest thing in the system. The HOAT coolants like Zerez G-05 are supposed to have a longer life, and less corrosive to sacrificial metals.
 
Demonic said:
Ever look at your water neck, or timing cover and wonder why it's pitted? The aluminum is the softest thing in the system. The HOAT coolants like Zerez G-05 are supposed to have a longer life, and less corrosive to sacrificial metals.
Click to expand...
My new aluminum radiator has a sacrificial anode in it for that very reason. Just as both of my aluminum boat engines. The corrosion will attack the softest metal 1st. Similar to a water heater.
 
diesel_lv said:
My new aluminum radiator has a sacrificial anode in it for that very reason. Just as both of my aluminum boat engines. The corrosion will attack the softest metal 1st. Similar to a water heater.
Click to expand...
A sacrificial anode is a good thing to have in a system, but it has to do with the galvanic action or an electrolytic reaction between two dissimilar metals, like aluminum radiator and iron engine block. The anode will react faster (dissolve) than the aluminum but must be checked and replaced as needed,,to prevent the aluminum from reacting. The book defination: Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals are immersed in a conductive solution and are electrically connected. One metal (the cathode) is protected, whilst the other (the anode) is corroded.
BOB RENTON
 
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