Question: Fluid for aluminum radiator?

[KANE]

I have a new aluminum radiator... Can anyone recommend a good fluid for it?

 

[Vette79]

I use the pre-mixed Prestone 50/50 from AutoZone.

 

[Bill75]

I used distilled water and Prestone (green stuff).

 

[JohnZ]

Either the traditional "green stuff" or the newer Zerex GO-5 formulation will work fine; stay away from the Dexcool formulation - it tends to leach the lead out of soldered joints, which weakens them, like in the heater core. Dexcool is/was only used in applications with aluminum cores and plastic tanks in the radiator and heater core, with fully-closed cooling systems.

 

[minifridge1138]

Congrats on the new radiator. All of my heating problems went away when i bought mine. It actually ran too cool, so i had to put a higher thermostat on my car.

50/50 distilled water/prestone is what i use.

Tom DeWitt (of DeWitts radiators) told me to only use distilled water. Tap water has minerals in it that will corrode the aluminum. Distilled water has the minerals removed.

Good Luck!

 

[80RedL82]

Definitely use only DISTILLED water in an aluminum radiator. I use a 60/40 mix of distilled water and Zerex GO-5 along with a sacrificial anode for corrosion. At $6 the anode is a cheap insurance policy not only for the radiator but for aluminum heads and water pumps.

 

[TMPJoe]

yup prestone 50/50 premixed
it has the distilled water already in it.. safes time etc

i run a huge becool aluminum

 

[KANE]

Thanks for all the replies!

I wasn't sure if there was a wetting agent that I didn't know about. I've run brass / copper for years so I've never paid attention to see if aluminum had any special requirements.

Anyways, I installed the radiator. It went well, aside from the usual drama with nearly accidentally cross threading the lower tranny coolant line. Wow- that pig is something else... trying to thread at an angle, look at it from a different angle, and then tighten from yet another angle!

 

[GaryS]

I use Xerex G05 and distilled water. In my area, the premix green stuff is only slightly cheaper than the full strength and is only a 50/50 mix of course. That makes the premix an expensive option, imo.

Gary

 

[Phill]

It would be a good idea to drain all the water out of the system not just whats in the radiator.

 

[6880 Mike]

Miller Genuine Draft, longneck

Wait a minute, that's fluid for me, not the radiator....



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