wkdformula89

i'm going to be flushing my radiator soon and just wanted to ask what brand/type antifreeze people generally use on this board for their 3rd gens.

Stekman

If freezing is no concern, water and a rust inhibitant.

Otherwise, I do 30/70 with Prestone green.

nidyanazo

So cali= 75%water (best coolent) 20% Coolent (I use shellzone), and a bottle of water wetter.
Done.
Unless you live where it gets really cold, then I don't know. Durp.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

As much as people dont listen, use distilled water instead of out of the tap. The distilled has no impurities so it wont boil like tap water does because it's so clean.

I ran distilled water plus 2 bottles of water wetter in my system last summer and a 20psi cap (raises boiling point of the water) and was the best cooling I've had todate. Bigger motor last year and never got hot like my smaller motor did in years previous.

This winter I just drained what was necessary, poured in some Peak anti freeze and let it sit for the winter. This spring I'll drain/flush it all again and reinstall all distilled plus water wetter.

The distilled is cheapest at Wal-Mart, think I paid like $.50/gallon for it. All the garbage in the tap water is what helps deteriorate your coolant system from the inside out, not to mention raised operating temps as well.

IROC212

iTrader: (1)

I agree with IHI, distilled water, water wetter 20lb cap. My car never ran cool in summer, I did distilled water simply because there is a ton of calcium and lime in the water here, seems to form buildup in the fins of the rad. No probs here 115+ in summer

Danno

Unless you have water that will stand up a spoon tap is fine. As far as coolant is concerned the new Prestone Long Life coolant mixes with everything now. It is almost clear instead of being green or orange like the traditional Dexcool. Remember, if you do a flush add a package of powered Bars Leak or use the GM sealing tablets. Otherwise' I'll guarantee you will be replacing the water pump within a month.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

What do you think eats at the inside of the cooling system? Corrosion starts with the very minerals and garbage that are in tap water, not to mention all the additives they ADD to the water to make it consumable.

Here's a Mr. Wizard quick test for anybody to try.

Get a cup or two of tap water and throw in in a pan, turn on the fire and let it go till it boils.

Now try that same test with distilled water, but wait, it's not boiling....no impuritites to burn out of the water.


I know tap will "work", but it's like telling somebody, "go ahead and smoke, it's fine" but in reality it's a bad thing that's eating away the person from the inside out and makes it harder for them to do their job properly. same thing with tap verses distilled

Danno

GM on thier Dexcool container says regular tap water for the 50/50 mix. The corrosion inhibitors in any coolant take into consideration average mineral content of drinking water. The only issue I have ever seen printed is by Honda with reference to thier motorcycle coolant and certain areas of central Europe where the mineral and particulate matter is so intense that it damages the water pump seals. My feeling is that if GM and other coolant vendors say tap is fine, and that takes into account vehicles covered by warranty then it really is not an issue to be concerned with.

Siggy

Here in Oz we get very hot in summer, I've run the newer cars, recently had a 29 Rstr Rod 351W and now a 88 IROC. My vote is distilled water with inhibiters, water is like 20% better at heat transfer then a 30% glycol mix. Glycol is a corrosive thats why they need to use inhibitors and they only last 12 months or so before the glycol attacks your block. Racing people know that glycol can cause layering of the coolant which can result in hot spots around the combustion zone. If you do not need protection from freezing forget glycol. Tap water verse distilled really depends on the quality of the tap water and I suspect the effectivness of the inhibitors that are use with the tap water, but then if you are using tap water why not rust all the way and use prestone. Did you know that tea in the cooling system works great!...drink coffee and Lipton the car.

stingerssx

Doesn't anyone here know that coolant keeps your car from overheating as well as freezing? Any mechanic will tell you that. If you run straigt water, then you'll definatly overheat.

Never go beyond a 70/30 mix either way, and don't use red (Shell Dexcool). It doesn't mix with anything. It causes corosion. And even if you flush your cooling system, embeded in the porosity of the block, some of that green, or gold still lives. Green and gold will mix.

And on the distilled water subject, yes distilled is better. But at 150k, your gonna have some rust built up, weather or not you've flushed the system. So at that point, you'll want to pull the radiator, and have it rodded out anyway. About distilled water not boiling, umm, I don't think so. Everything boils, even the earth, (volcanos).

Just quoting the facts, not fiction.

Danno

Not as much as you think as far as overheating. System pressure and the ability to hold it does more than the coolant. In a 15psi system the boiling point of straight water goes to approx 257 degrees. With a 50% mix of coolant it goes to 265. Water is the primary cooling agent, the coolant raises it slightly by acting as a wetting agent. In order to use Dexcool you need to do TWO flushes, a thing most people don't do. Dexcool actually prevents corrosion within the system especially with aluminum rads, cast iron blocks and copper heater cores. The OAT technology that Dexcool is based on reduces the minute electrical activity that occurs in the system containing dissimilar metals. The best thing to do when converting is to replace all the rubber hoses, water pump and then use the GM sealing tablets. Prestone has thier new extended life coolant on the market that mixes with everything and has the benefit of longer intervals.

stingerssx

From my experience with antiqe cars, hotrods, muscle cars, street machines, new cars, radiator shops, the techs that know what they're talking about, and the idiots who think that they know everything, I've come to find out that straight water alone will dramatically increase the chance of overheating. Coolant helps transfer heat better.
As far as Dexcool goes, you can do 100 coolant flushes and you still won't flush out all of the green. Like I said, the green will still be in the pores of the cast parts. That comes straight from machine shops, dealerships, and coolant manufactures. The only way to change from green to red, or the other way, is to replace not only the hoses, and pump, but the radiator, the heater core, and also bake the block.

I work on fleet vehicles that get alot of use, and we've seen alot of problems with the change. Real world experience is what I listen to.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

I dont want to get into a pissing match, but I'd love to take you on a drive with my 100% distilled water and 2 bottles of water wetter and show you how overheated my car gets in traffic, on the hwy, whatever challenge you'd like to put it in trying to get it hot, it does'nt and it wont. I went from measily 350hp engine with 50/50 mix running on average 180-200* to guestimated 575hp range and 100% distilled water with water wetter additive for lube.

I now have a hard time building any heat, 160* is the norm and we gots alot more ponies now making more heat than we did before. On cool days 40-50* days, my gauge will not movve off the 100* mark on the gauge unless I shut off the fans/pump every few minutes trying to cycle and build heat.

I have just recently gotten the car out of winter storage and prepping for race season again. I drained system last fall so I could add enough anti-freeze for a -30 coverage during winter months. Outside temps have been in the 40-50* range this year when I've taken it out looking for any bugs, and what do you know, it now runs 160-170*-this is distilled water, water wetter/peak anti-freeze combination.

Like you said, real world experience is what I listen to. Pretty amazing all our buddies 10-11 second street/strip cars running straight distilled water with water wetter have no cooling issues what so ever? I'm done now, I know what works for me and it's proven so I'll stick with what I know.

Danno

IHI, you are correct. High performance sportbikes on the track MUST run sraight water, they don't allow conventional coolant and they make lot's of HP/cc. The small amount of cross contamination from 2 chemical flushes and a proper fill of extended life will make no difference in the real world as far as that is concerned. Stinger, what problems have you had with the change? Dexcool has issues, but they are generally related system pressure leaks when the water component cooks out of the mix. Coolant or a wetting agent will help the water transfer heat, so in a way you are both correct.

stingerssx

After pulling a number of radiators, heater cores, intakes, and rotting hoses, we've traced the problem to "accidental" switching of coolant. I work for a company contracted by LA county, and this probelm has happened on Crown Vics, Caprices, full size Chevy trucks, vans, and Dodges. We noticed that it wasn't happening on the Taurus, or Neons, or Civics. Some where along the line with the ones that went bad, someone switched the mix. They thought that it would be better for an "extreme duty" veh. After asking the radiator shop, and the dealers, the conclusion that was made was that the red doesn't mix with anything, even after flushes. Also, it seemed to run hotter. Our service scedule that we need to adhere to is a coolant flush at 50k.

As for running straight water, I also restore antique cars, hot rods, customs, and muscle cars on the side with a restoration company, and we've found that the cars would overheat with just water. (The stupid owner of the company, wanted to save money, and not buy coolant)

As far as water wetter, I haven't tried it. (Slick 50 is supposed to be good too, but I haven't tried that either.) Water wetter isn't used in emergency vehicles, but I'll see if I can get some one to try it in a real world test, not to say it doesn't work.

flyitlikustolit

danno is on the money. mixing the two coolants causes the the leftover, mud-like substance to stick to everything... it doesn't create the mud. it gets there by cooking the dexcool too long. (not changing it often enough).

dyeager535

I'd bet a million dollars this has been covered before, many times.

Antifreeze inhibits *heat transfer*, that is a fact of physics. This info is so easy to find on the internet it's not funny. Water "absorbs" heat better than antifreeze, and it stands to reason if you add something that transfers heat WORSE, cooling is inhibited. Point of coolant is to remove heat from the engine, not to keep from boiling.

I did a LOT of research on my own about coolant testing, etc., (much of that info is available online, including how antifreeze is tested and how the numbers come about) and *IMO* antifreeze is almost worthless when talking about boiling point. ALL the manufacturers of that stuff use numbers gathered at *15PSI* as their boilover numbers on the back of the bottle. Boiling point has VERY little to do with the antifreeze and EVERYTHING to do with pressure. Look at the antifreeze makers boilover claims on the bottle. Find an online calculator and figure out what the boiling point of water alone is (but at 15PSI), and subtract that from the manufacturers boiling temp claim. It is nowhere near what pressure alone does.

Antifreeze does other things (water pump lubricant, lowers freezing point, protects dissimilar metals) but raising the boiling point is definitely not at the top of the list.

I'd rather have more efficient cooling (every time I drive the vehicle) BEFORE the engine overheats, than to limit the coolants ability to transfer heat, and be secure in knowing that I've got an extra 10* in boiling point because I'm running a 50/50 mix.

I run the absolute minimum antifreeeze mix I can in my vehicles, (still following antifreeze makers guidelines) and I have no problem keeping a 9.2:1 355 cool in all types of driving, with a single Lx1 fan. If I could run without the freezing protection of that stuff, I most certainly would.

BretD 88GTA

I run a 75% distilled water/25% coolant mix with Water Wetter in my GTA. This is per the Water Wetter instructions. The car runs just fine this way.

As for all the "Don't ever mix orange (DexCool) with green or you get mud" – from my research, that's not true. BOTH coolants are Ethylene Glycol based, so they will mix. What will happen though, is that benefits of DexCool will be reduced (or even eliminated) by mixing.

The difference between the two is in the inhibitors. With that said, any small residual amounts of green coolant in the system after flushing, shouldn't hurt the DexCool.

One other comment on running DexCool in our cars – DexCool was designed for the newer closed cooling systems ('96 and up). New cars don't use radiator caps and have a reservoir that seals when the cap is snugged down.

Our cars run an open system - radiator cap with a reservoir bottle with a breather cap. Again, from my research, DexCool does not like air in the system and this MAY be one of the causes of the brown goo that can occur.

I ran DexCool for a while, but switched back to green. DexCool is better for the aluminum components, but I didn't want to risk gumming up the system. I did find a tiny amount of the goo in my reservoir bottle.

On a final note, I have seen recommendations that DexCool should be changed just as regularly as traditional green coolant. Trying to run it for the advertised 5yr/150,000 time frame could also cause the stuff to gum up.

So, for my GTA, I'm sticking with good old green and will just make sure I change it regularly. The cooling system is probably the most neglected on most cars out on the road.

For my 2004 GMC truck, I'll probably stick with DexCool and again, just change it much sooner than the advertised intervals.

stingerssx

I don't mean to argue, just share information that I've picked up by many profesionals in the buisness. I also don't mean to preach, ("lord" knows that people will do what they will), but as said before, I will follow real world experience over "this guy said this", or "I read that somewhere". I don't trust what I hear, or read until I see it. And I've seen alot. And other people have seen other things too. And they can do what they want too. I'm not trying to say that my way is better, just what I've learned from real world experience.

flyitlikustolit

dex cool is not the same glycol..... it's propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. 2 different chemicals.

BretD 88GTA

First, I am not trying to argue with anyone in any way. Like the rest of you, I just want to get the fact sorted out from fiction.
Here's what I've found. Below is information gathered from various Web sites, followed by the links to these sites. I'll leave it to everyone to make their own decisions based on their own experiences. Enjoy!


Havoline® Extended Life Anti-Freeze/Coolant DEX-COOL®
Detailed Product Specifications
Havoline Extended Life Anti-Freeze/Coolant DEX-COOL is a single-phase, ethylene glycol type universal automotive engine coolant based on a Texaco's patented long life organic corrosion inhibitor system.
http://www.texacoxpresslube.com/prod...freeze_01.html


Prestone® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant
Prestone® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant is recommended and formulated for use in all GM vehicles that require a GM DEX-COOL® approved formula coolant, as well as all other cars and light-duty trucks with aluminum radiators. This patented formula has a concentrated blend of premium, long-lasting inhibitors for extended performance, protecting against temperature extremes and the ravages of rust and corrosion for 5 years or 150,000 miles.
Prestone® Extended Life has been proven in the laboratory to be compatible with all new extended life formulas at concentrations typically used in all newer vehicles coming off the production line today. These automobile manufacturers include:
Audi General Motors Suzuki
BMW Honda Toyota
Daewoo Mercedes Volvo
DaimlerChrysler Mitsubishi VW
Ford _ _
Tip
If you decide to replace your existing antifreeze/coolant with Prestone® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant, make sure you completely drain and flush the cooling system first in order to gain the full benefits of the longer-lasting formula. Also, if you are currently using Prestone Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant in your car's cooling system, and you add a conventional antifreeze/coolant, you will lose the extended protection.
http://www.prestone.com/


DEX-COOL Extended Life Anti-Freeze/Coolant.
By Scott Mueller
Dex-Cool is an Ethylene Glycol based high performance coolant that contains unique corrosion inhibitors, which are different from anything else on the market. Dex-Cool is vastly superior to conventional coolants, which use silicates, phosphates, borates, nitrites, nitrates, and amine additives to eliminate corrosion. These additives are abrasive to water pump seals, and silicates are especially unstable and drop out of solution and form a gel after time. All of these conventional inhibitors deplete after a short time, which is why conventional coolant must be changed every year.

The unique corrosion inhibitor technology in Dex-Cool is based on the use of two organic acids, which are synergistic and combine to form carboxylates. Texaco refers to this as Organic Acid Technology (OAT), or Carboxylate Technology. The corrosion inhibitors used in Dex-Cool deplete very slowly thus eliminating the need for traditional additives, or frequent change intervals.

Note that contrary to what some may say (or write), you can indeed mix Dex-Cool and conventional coolant with no ill effects. However, if there is more than 10% of conventional coolant in the system this will reduce the concentration of the Carboxylate such that conventional coolants change intervals must be followed. In other words, if you mix it, you can't leave it in for 100,000 miles or 6 years, but instead should treat a mix just like conventional coolant and change it every year until the concentration of Dex-Cool is over 90%.

You can purchase Dex-Cool in gallons two ways, either under the GM part number (#12346290) which lists for $15.95 (about $10 with a discount), or under the Texaco-Havoline brand name at your local parts store. In my area, Pep Boys has it for $7.49. Currently in my area they are about the only place that has it, as it is still fairly new on the market.

Dex-Cool is extremely impressive compared to anything else currently available. Personally I am converting ALL of my vehicles over to Dex-Cool. For the Impala, I even installed the '96 Dex-Cool labeled reservoir cap and Dex-Cool "Notice" sticker for the radiator cover, exactly as they come on the '96 Impala. The Dex-Cool reservoir cap is available under #10285918 and cost me $3.29. The cap is functionally the same as the cap used in the '94 and '95 cars except for the sticker on the top which says to use only Dex-Cool, and which also has an orange dot in the middle instead of the green one found on the earlier caps. The Dex-Cool "Notice" sticker, which goes on the radiator cover, is available under #10283878. I don't know what it cost as my dealer did not charge me for it.

Since Dex-Cool is an Ethylene Glycol based coolant, it has the same excellent anti-freeze and heat transfer capabilities of other standard Ethylene Glycol based coolants. As such, Dex-Cool will perform as follows, which is identical to any other Ethylene Glycol based anti-freeze/Coolant:
Mixture (coolant/water) Freeze Point Boil Point
50/50 -34 deg F 265 deg F
60/40 -62 deg F 270 deg F
70/30 -84 deg F 276 deg F

Mixtures of less than 50% coolant or more than 70% coolant are not recommended. Note that these temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit, and the boiling point temperature is dependent on a sealed cooling system with a 15 psi rated pressure cap.

Note that Dex-Cool differs from conventional coolants only in the additive package, not in the Ethylene Glycol base, meaning it provides the same anti-freeze and boil over protection as conventional high performance coolants, but also provides superior corrosion protection to all cooling system metals.

This higher level of performance is unlike coolants based on Propylene Glycol (i.e. Sierra brand), which are advertised as being environmentally more friendly than standard coolants, however which are also inferior when it comes to thermal transfer, anti-freeze and boil over capabilities. For example, Propylene Glycol based coolants freeze at -26 degrees Fahrenheit in a 50/50 mixture, compared to -34 degrees for the same mixture of Ethylene Glycol coolant. Also, despite their "green" claims, Propylene Glycol based coolant is indeed poisonous to humans and animals. GM reluctantly agrees that Propylene Glycol based coolants can be used in pre-'96 vehicles, stating that it will perform "adequately", but other manufacturers such as Chrysler indicate that the use of Propylene Glycol coolants are prohibited, and may void the warranty.

Due to the reduced thermal performance and conventional corrosion inhibitor packages, I do not recommend Sierra or any other Propylene Glycol based coolants. Since Dex-Cool is based on a superior Ethylene Glycol base, and all auto manufacturers specify Ethylene Glycol based coolant as recommended for their cooling systems, Dex-Cool can be used without problems in any automotive cooling system.

It might be difficult for some people to get excited about something like engine coolant , but Dex-Cool is the first revolutionary new product in this area in quite some time. In the future, Texaco Havoline expects other manufacturers to follow GM's lead and also switch to Dex-Cool for new vehicle factory fill.
http://www.theherd.com/articles/dex_cool.html


Shell Dex Cool
http://www.shell-lubricants.com/prod...df/Dexcool.pdf


AC Delco
This antifreeze/coolant is manufactured from ethylene glycol and is a highly effective, long-term corrosion inhibitor package based on carboxylate technology.
http://www.acdelco.com/html/pi_vehcare_mech.htm


MACS 2001: GM and Texaco “Bare All” about DEX-COOL®
7. Mixing a “green” coolant with DEX-COOL reduces the batch’s change interval to 2 years or 30,000 miles, but will otherwise cause no damage to the engine. In order to change back to DEX-COOL however, the cooling system must first be thoroughly drained and flushed.

8. Bacteria cannot live in a hot, Ethylene Glycol environment and is therefore not a threat to DEX-COOL.
http://www.imcool.com/articles/antif...l-macs2001.htm


Hot Rod Magazine
Antifreeze Just Got Better
Quick Tech
By Jeff Smith
Wintertime is probably the only time hot rodders think about antifreeze. Most look at it as something needed only if you live in cold-weather climates. But the reality, according to Texaco engineer Scott Lindholm, is that the anticorrosion protection offered by antifreeze—especially Texaco’s new Dex-Cool—is the reason you should use antifreeze/coolant year-round.

While it is true that straight water is the best heat-transfer liquid you can use in an automotive application, straight water, even deionized or distilled water, is still highly corrosive. And the addition of corrosion inhibitors doesn’t deliver a balanced anticorrosion package as does the new Dex-Cool.
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/52218/


Red Line WaterWetter®
WaterWetter® is a unique wetting agent for cooling systems which reduces coolant temperatures by as much as 30ºF. This liquid product can be used to provide rust and corrosion protection in plain water for racing engines, which provides much better heat transfer properties than glycol-based antifreeze. Or it can be added to new or used antifreeze to improve the heat transfer of ethylene and propylene glycol systems. Designed for modern aluminum, cast iron, copper, brass and bronze systems. Compatible with all antifreezes, including the latest long-life variations.
http://www.redlineoil.com/products_coolant.asp


Stewart Components
Coolant
UNEQUIVOCALLY WATER IS THE BEST COOLANT! We recommend using a corrosion inhibitor comparable to Prestone Super Anti-Rust when using pure water. If freezing is a concern, use the minimum amount of antifreeze required for your climate. Stewart Components has extensively tested all of the popular "magic" cooling system additives, and found that none work better than water. In fact, some additives have been found to swell the water pumps seals and contribute to pump failures.

In static cooling situations, such as quenching metal during heat treating, softening agents (sometimes referred to as water wetting agents) will allow the water to cool the quenched part more evenly and quickly. The part will cool quicker, and the water will heat up faster. However, an automotive cooling system is not static. In fact, the velocities inside a cooling system are comparable to a fire hose forcing coolant against the walls of the engine's water jackets. If the softening agents actually aided in cooling the engine, the temperature of the coolant as it exited the engine would have to be higher because it would have absorbed more
http://www.stewartcomponents.com/tec...ech_Tips_4.htm

stingerssx

I'm glad that some people do their homework, but the contradictions in that "essay", are the reasons that I rely on real world experience, and not just what I read. After talking to a sales rep, the owner of a radiator shop, a couple of guys from serivce departments at a couple of dealers, techs from different shops, and reading the back of the bottles, I only can repeat myself. The back of the Shell Dex-cool bottle alone says only to use it in newer vehicles that have Dex-cool already. But, I could be wrong.

BretD 88GTA

In no way am I suggesting that anyone mix DexCool with "green" coolant. Doing so ruins the benefits of DexCool. You basically end up converting the DexCool into "green". A couple of the articles I quoted all say that.

The point I wanted to make was in regards to the numerous posts of how mixing the two will bring about the "Apocalypse and the end of civilization as we know it." I see it repeated all the time that mixing the two will cause some type of chemical reaction and turn your coolant into a solid.

Everything I've read says that isn't so. GM says it won't happen. Texaco/Havoline (who invented DexCool) says it won't happen. If it were true, I'd suspect there'd be HUGE disclaimers all over the packaging as a warning, instead of a small blurb on the back of the bottle.

Both are Ethylene Glycol based. The only real difference is in the rust/corrosion inhibitors. "Green" uses silicates while DexCool use Organic Acid Technology (OAT). By mixing, you contaminate the DexCool with silicates and diminish it's benefits.

For an analogy – It's like mixing chocolate pudding with vanilla pudding. You still have pudding, just not a pure flavor. It doesn't turn into ice cream.

As far as the sludging issue, I haven't come across any definitive answer from any source as to what the exact cause is. It's all speculation right now. Some say it's due to air in the system. Some it's say it's because the coolant level got too low. Others say it's due to mixing. And others say it was because it was left in too long without being changed.

Some people have had DexCool go haywire, while others have flawless performance. I ran it for a few years in my GTA without incident. However, after hearing some the horror stories, I converted back to green. Until there is some more conclusive evidence, I decided not to risk it in my GTA.

It's going on close to 10 years now that DexCool has been in use. Hopefully, someone will soon find an answer as to why some people have had trouble.

Dynodan

I was always told not to mix the 2 also heard that dexcool does not like air sludges really quick. After 2 years dexcools has a tendency to become acidic and eat away gaskets theres also a lawsuit with gm , and shell on the dexcool.

I stick with green cause it been used so many years, and not had problems I heard with dexcool.

Dynodan

Danno

Bret covered all the bases as good as it gets. Dexcool is what my chemist friend calls "quirky". To use an analogy, it's the same thing when you do the frying pan test with parrafin based oil vs. synthetic. With parrafin based oil you get a tar type mess and synthetic it still stays fluid at a given temp. My friend says that the OAT undergoes a rather radical change when the cooling system develops a problem. In every case I have seen it's always a leak in the system that allows the water component to boil off. GM has a TSB out on what to do if the problem develops. It's a chemical flush basically. Is green coolant better, maybe depending on individual circumstance. However you will see all the companies shifting over to extended life coolants and a gradual phasing out of the conventional stuff. 200K miles, 2 transmissions later my co-workers 97 Escort which was converted when it was new still has the same coolant and chemical testing revealed little or no change in characteristics. As far as the gasket issue, I myself had some concerns, however I feel now it has more to do with GM than the coolant. Lot's of other vehicles use some sort of extended life coolant and don't exhibit the same issues as GM is having with thier intake gaskets. I think the jury will be out a long time on that. Mixing does nothing more than change the color and reduce the service interval time. The other major benefit of OAT technology and it has not been mentioned is that it has a much longer shelf life than conventional green, a major benefit for manufacturers and distributors.

JOHNNY383

I've been using Evans NPG for my application for 8 years now. It runs with a 2lb pressure cap, and will not allow your motor to overheat (unless you really have problems) . I have a high flow water pump, and a Griffin oversized radiator and thats it. Prep the block by removing ALL remains of water - antifreeze and pour the stuff in straight. Since it has no water in the system it can efficiently remove all heat that would cause detonation in a properly tuned motor. It does allow for hotter normal running temperatures only because its taking all the heat away from hot spots instead of conventional antifreeze mixes that would flash to a steam pocket around a hot spot area. Check it out....

https://www.evanscooling.com/main21.htm

J383...

AJT86

GM Dex cool is a very good product. i work in a buick dealer- all day i see people who saw their coolant was low so added green- it doesnt make a thick substance- it just demotes dex from a 5 year coolant- to a green coolant status. if you want to go to dex- flush repeatedly- put in dex- flush again after a while- the old green will eventualy come out. alot of people are affraid of using the dex after GMs massive amount of coolant leaks in the 3100, 3400, and 3800. some blame coolant- its the torque specs of the intake- if you read the TSBs that went out to the dealers it talks about the newly designed gaskets but then at the bottom is says oh yeah we have increased the inch pounds on the intake bolts- sorry for the rant- go with dex-

vortec77

Hey guys,
Im getting ready to get my 350 running and ive been reading this thread here and Im pretty set on using the green, but im also gonna try the Distilled water with the green as well. So 70% green and 30% Distilled should be ok right?

dyeager535

*IMO* the least amount of antifreeze you can safely run (using the coolant manufacturers chart) in your environment is the best thing.

You want all the additive properties of antifreeze, and you don't want your engine to freeze when it gets cold, but that's about all you need from antifreeze. If 30% antifreeze will keep your engine from freezing, run that. If you need 50-50 for your climate, run that.

I ran 30-70 this year over the winter, and although not really cold compared to many places, it was in the teens and twenties consistently, and with the vehicle sitting overnight outside, there were no problems.

According to Sierras tech page (not an endorsement, just tech info) 40% antifreeze gets you to -4*F...does it get anywhere near that cold in your area? Remember, wind chill isn't a factor for this.

You'll get as many opinons as there are people (this thread is proof lol) but do what makes you feel good.

(As an aside, for this whole thread, that Sierra page shows a 9* boiling point change with 50% antifreeze over straight water. Not even close to what 15PSI will do to waters boiling point, which is also handily shown there as well)

chesterfield

JOHNNY383,

Do you think you got any performance enhancement from the evans coolant? any noticable increase in fuel economy? What compression ratio do you run with what octane? Were you able to advance your timing?

thanks,

Tremo

What about Zerex coolant? I hear it mixes with green, and is not as harsh on the cooling system.

1meanGTA

i just drained my system for the summer and put in distilled water with a bottle of water wetter, but it seems to be running the same, maybe even a bit hotter than it was with about 50/50 prestone green/distilled. whats the crack? on the interstate it stays about 160 or 170, thats with the fan on. once i get in stop and go traffic it quickly jumps up to 220-230. bothers me having it that hot, i have a flowkooler water pump, a cheap, but only a couple months old autozone radiator, and i recently flushed the hell out of it. should i maybe try 25/75 mix with a bottle of water wetter, or add another bottle of the water wetter? can having a crappy fan cause it to run that hot? there are 2 small fans but only one is hooked up right now, i hooked both up and it blew the fuse after a few seconds, the guy i got the car from said i could put in a bigger fuse but it would melt the switch. those kind of temps will eventually damage the motor right?

JOHNNY383

I was running 12 to 1 on 94 octane Sunoco. That was the main reason for the switch to Evans. As far as gas milage, its mainly a street/strip car setup for big shots of nitrous (up to 300 shot) so gas milage was not really an issue. Yes I was able to run more timing.


J383...

1meanGTA

im guessing evans coolant would fall on its face during the winter? how expensive is this stuff?

JOHNNY383

I'm not sure I understand your "falling on its face" statement? As far as winter usage, its the only thing I've been using for 8 years in this car. No water, straight in after you've prepped the cooling system. It is pricey though - $25 a gallon.

https://www.evanscooling.com/main21.htm

Considering that you never have to flush, add, ect... to a properly maintained system, its not that expensive...


J383...

1meanGTA

ah, i was thinking it was strictly coolant, and wouldnt work as antifreeze. might have to get some.

ragtopfrank

Has anyone ever used ProBlends cooling additive, I called the company & was told most Nextel Cup cars use their product. They reccomend using just distilled water, Problend, waterpump lube & rust inhibitor. The tech rep I spoke to was a world of information about my car. The additive is expensive $20 at Advanced/Discount auto parts, I'm going to give it a try soon, my "92 RS runs hot in the Florida summer heat. I'll post about it after I try it.

BOTTLEDZ28

iTrader: (9)

With the distilled water and 2 bottles of watter wetter case, would I need to still use both electric fans or will just one of them pull enough air into the front of the engine to aid in keeping it cool? I have the dual fan setup(factory) in my car but I have removed my A/C so the second fan is rendered useless right now. I DO NOT want to cut the factory harness for the fan and run a manaul switch to the cockpit. I bought a single fan setup and was wondering if I should just run that instead of the daul fan setup. Is there any other method of getting the second fan to work in conjunction with the primary fan without cutting and splicing wires everywhere? My cooling setup consist of a brand new radiaitor(stock replacementt), proform electric water pump, 160 stat, and the fan switch is questionable. I had it lying around in my toolbox for a long time and I dont remember which setting it is. I think it is the lower one though. I cant see why I would buy the higher of the two.
So to sum it all up, Im pretty much set of running distilled water and water wetter but now I need to know which fan setup option I should use.

chesterfield

distilled water absorbs heat better than anti-freeze(anti-boil) but it has a lower boiling point so its prone to boiling in the heads. this can cause steam pockets that impede the flow of coolant and cause overheating and pinging. so i'm told.