Using the best coolant?

[RJRENTON]

Interesting as I have a buddy who swears by some anti-freeze his shop's truck fleet uses can't recall it offhand; it's orange colored and runs some 25 bucks a gallon (not the GM stuff). Someone put me on to reducing the ratio of anti freeze to thwart an over heating problem and this seemed to help though I did several other things as well including adding 'water-wetter' I hadn't heard of. In any case my engine runs cooler now. I have around a 70-30 mix and should be good as I don't drive my ride in winter and sits in a heated garage.

It has to do with the specific heat characteristics of the blended mixture. 50% by volume dilution will supply the best heat transfer provide a good corrosion inhibiter, and freeze ptotection to approx -34° F. Running a higher concentration of antifreeze is usually detrimental for heat transfer. Out of curiosity....find out what your friend uses. If you store your car in a heated garage, why are you running a 70-30% Dexcool water ratio? Or was the ratio 30-70%? You state your engine runs cooler now.....how much cooler....what was it b4 you changed it. A water wetter is an ionic surfactant, which brakes the surface tension of the coolant providing "better" contact with the metallics of the engine and "better" heat transfer......or that's what they want you to believe.
Bob Renton

 

[Ranger16]

A water wetter is an ionic surfactant, which brakes the surface tension of the coolant providing "better" contact with the metallics of the engine and "better" heat transfer......or that's what they want you to believe.

That sounds a lot like "soft water" to me. Is that stuff any different than distilled water?

 

[RJRENTON]

That sounds a lot like "soft water" to me. Is that stuff any different than distilled water?

Yes....it is absolutely different. Soft water is produced by passing tap water thru a resin bed, specifically sodium zeolite, where an ion exchange occurs, the magnesium and calcium component of the water, calcium carbonate ions and magnesium carbonate ions are collected on the sodium zeolite liberating sodium ions making the water "soft". The softer is regenerated using a saturated salt solution (brine) removing the calcium and magnesium from the zeolite. Reverse osmosis uses a selective membrane to force the water under high pressure, thru the membrane leaving pure water with no chemicals other than hydrogen and ox.ygen. There are 2 streams...reject where all impurities "calcium, magnesium, bacteria, chlorine, etc" go and the product stream where all the "good water" goes. Reverse osmosis is used extensively in the chemical and food processing industries plus many other items. Distilling is a process of boiling the water and condensing it, leaving behind the residue.
Bob Renton

 

[Ron H]

To expand on my post (19), after full engine rebuild with .60 bore-over, mild cam, solid lifters, headers, 3" exhaust...the shop never addressed cooling. It ran hotter than a 2 dollar pistol (miss George Jones), maxing the dash temp gauge. I double checked temp with laser meter and was pretty accurate. Was running 225-235 at thermo housing. Shop wasn't concerned saying 'run it like I stole it'. Huh? An elementary thing...cooling was left alone. Stock. And what really peeved me was they put a load of stop-leak **** in radiator. It looked like a septic tank and they said they always do this. I've done enough engine work and have bud's that did more and a couple were mechanics saying they never put that crap in a new built motor. I did a pressure check to find a water pump bolt wasn't torqued and that popped out spewing coolant all over. Then I added a 7 blade, found an oem shroud, top seal for rad, complete system flush, and some temp drop; but still running hot. More chatting with fellow forum members and others led me to reduce the ratio of coolant to around 30% and try water-wetter. Got more drop; then changed to a lighter weight oil after reading up on how heavier visc oils increase temp. What worked and didn't? After all the bs motor is running some 20-degrees cooler. In all, can't rule out final engine break in. In any case thought it highly unwise to run the motor at those high temps without efforts to reduce it...

 

[RJRENTON]

Ron,
Out of curiosity, how much compression ratio did you build into the engine? Higher compression ratios usually cause the coolant to absorb more heat. Did you use the stock Mopar water pump or an aftermarket pump (Flowcooler, Edlebrock, etc). Contrary to what you may have heard or have been told, coolant circulating velocity and gallons per minute, are the key factor in efficient heat trsnsfer....the faster it circulates the more heat is transferred. The specific heat characteristics of the coolant is a major factor in its ability to absorb and release heat, with plain water being the best. System pressure determines the ultimate boiling point with every pound pressure increases the boiling point 3°F. With a 16# cap and a 50% coolant concentration the boiling point is 260°F. Then the Evans Coolant boys will argue that's why their's is the best product.
I'm not sure where the gospel number for coolant temp of 180° F - 200° F became the "not to exceed" number? It must be one the "they said" laws.....just like "how high is up" or "why is there air". Something that is accepted without substantiation or proof.....
Glad to hear you got your problem fixed.
Bob Renton

 

[Paul_G]

So what I ended up doing, I used 1 gallon of Prestone concentrate all vehicle green stuff with 3 gallons of distilled water. That is a 25% mix. I am in Phoenix and really dont need freeze protection. I am still thinking about corrosion protection and lubrication, is 25% coolant enough? The 383 runs cool, never runs above 195° with a 180° stat, there isnt even a shroud on the rad right now. Although the A/C is not working yet, when it is the entire cooling situation will change.

 

[Dennis H]

No ac in Surprise? God bless ya. Ac no ac no cooling change or demand for me. Big Block sneers at that engine load.

 

[RJRENTON]

No ac in Surprise? God bless ya. Ac no ac no cooling change or demand for me. Big Block sneers at that engine load.

Sort of a cryptical response....please translate....for those of us (me) that do not comprend.

 

[Dennis H]

Sort of a cryptical response....please translate....for those of us (me) that do not comprend.

OK, how can you survive in Arizona without ac? Also, my BB seems unaffected by ac operation. Higher ambient temperatures will affect operating temps, but running ac on the big block just does not put enough load or strain on cooling. If it does, something else is going on. I don’t have one of those sensors that kicks up idle rpm when compressor runs. Not needed.

 

[Paul_G]

OK, how can you survive in Arizona without ac? Also, my BB seems unaffected by ac operation. Higher ambient temperatures will affect operating temps, but running ac on the big block just does not put enough load or strain on cooling. If it does, something else is going on. I don’t have one of those sensors that kicks up idle rpm when compressor runs. Not needed.

The small block in the 72 is effected by AC use. That is my experience. Engine temp goes up 20° or more with AC on in hottest part of summer.

 

[Slap Stick]

I have found over the years many vehicles come from the factory with one row rad cores. Barely enough to keep up with a 4 banger.
Add 4 cylinders and a.c. and you are in trouble.
And if your cooling system is maxed out adding things like Water Wetter won't help. The rad can't remove more heat than it is able.

 

[Dennis H]

Green green green green green. Green.

 

[RJRENTON]

Another cryptic response.....perhaps he meant ethylene glycol? But at what concentration? 50%/50% mix or some other concentration.
If ethylene glycol were blue color.....would the answer be blue, blue blue. Likewise, if oranges were purple, would they still be called oranges? Just curious.....
Bob Renton

 

[RJRENTON]

I have found over the years many vehicles come from the factory with one row rad cores. Barely enough to keep up with a 4 banger.
Add 4 cylinders and a.c. and you are in trouble.
And if your cooling system is maxed out adding things like Water Wetter won't help. The rad can't remove more heat than it is able.

Slap stick,
The secret to heat transfer properties in any heat exchanger system, is surface area. the more fins per inch the better the heat transfer capabilities, in addition to the coolant circulating velocities. Ideally, more tubes AND more fins per inch would be ideal. I believe that the reason for the single row of tubes is strictly economics....its cheaper to manufacture. This is just my opinion of course.
Bob Renton

 

[biomedtechguy]

I'm about to install 2 Cold Case aluminum radiators.
One in the 421 in the GTO, the engine was rebuilt 3 years ago and may have about 1,200 miles on it.
The other in my 70 Roadrunner, and I removed the radiator about 4 years ago to have it tanked, backflushed and serviced by a radiator shop (bastards! It sounded like a Pachinko machine when I picked it up from rust flakes dropping through it). That introduced mostly new coolant into the system, but this time I'm wanting to clean it out as much as possible.
I'm thinking about getting one of these filters for both cars:
https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Cooling-Systems-CCHF-1-50-Coolant/dp/B01FXRJ6R2

Now some of you have given advice, but this thread is my opportunity to ask...
I'm really liking the idea of using Evan's waterless coolant. What say you, especially @PurpleBeeper and @RJRENTON ?

 

[themechanic]

The benefit of Evans is cars that sit for long periods like Jay Lenos garage. The good old green stuff works well. Why change?

Scotty explains the different coolants for sale.

 

[biomedtechguy]

The benefit of Evans is cars that sit for long periods like Jay Lenos garage.

Our cars sit for long periods of time. Not like Leno's, but still...
As far as the video goes, some experienced people who have commented say that there is both fact and fiction in it.
My question is simple:
Evan's waterless, but if not, what? If I use anything but a waterless coolant, I will use a bottle of Water Wetter in the mix.

 

[themechanic]

Can you just add water if you blow a hose or have a big leak or overheat on the road?

 

[biomedtechguy]

Can you just add water if you blow a hose or have a big leak or overheat on the road?

I think so, and it boils out later.

 

[biomedtechguy]

TTT looking for answers and opinions

My question is simple:
Evan's waterless, but if not, what? If I use anything but a waterless coolant, I will use a bottle of Water Wetter in the mix.