Need advice.

[Paul Higg]

Does anyone know if the product called 40 Below really works or is it a waste of time?

Thanks,

Paul

94 LT1

 

[Tuna]

What is "40 Below"?

 

[Paul Higg]

It is a can of liquid that you add to your radiator that will supposedly drop your coolant temp. It is sold by Eckler's.

Thanks.

 

[Toms007]

I've heard of it Paul, just never had any personal experience with it. Another one is called "Water Wetter", I can't vouch for it either.

 

[Paul Higg]

Well, I think I'll try it and see what happens.

 

[gmjunkie]

I've heard of it Paul, just never had any personal experience with it. Another one is called "Water Wetter", I can't vouch for it either.

I've used "Water Wetter" and it works Ok in Old Farm Tractors and Dirt Track Roundee Rounders,But there is nothing going to cool it any Cooler than the temp of your thermostat!!

 

[Paul Higg]

Thanks Junk, now THAT'S a good point. I think I'll avoid it. Good advice.

Paul

 

[Tuna]

I use "Red Line Water Wetter" and have for years. It works.

Never tried "40 Below".

 

[Paul Higg]

Thanks Tuna but where do I get it?

 

[JAKE]

Both Water Wetter and 40 Below work on the same principle. They improve heat transfer.

Just as a point of comparison, my son and I have 96 LT1s (at least we both did before mine burned up on 10 Mar), and the operating temp of both engines differed dramatically even though we were both running the same temp stat.

Mine had a PCMFORLESS re-programmed PCM causing the fans to turn on at a lower temp and also has altered fuel and timing settings. My engine runs at least 40* cooler as compared to his. Mine ran around 180F while his is usually at or over 220F. His engine is bone stock.

Jake

 

[Paul Higg]

Hi Jake, that was mentioned to me recently by my mechanic. He said you could program the PCM to have the fans come on sooner. How do I go about doing this? What is the cost? Any help would be appreciated.

I added a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter today but I had to stupidly add it to the overflow tank. Do you think it will eventually make it's way into the radiator via the tank?

 

[gmjunkie]

I added a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter today but I had to stupidly add it to the overflow tank. Do you think it will eventually make it's way into the radiator via the tank?

Yep!!

 

[JAKE]

Hi Jake, that was mentioned to me recently by my mechanic. He said you could program the PCM to have the fans come on sooner. How do I go about doing this? What is the cost? Any help would be appreciated.

I added a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter today but I had to stupidly add it to the overflow tank. Do you think it will eventually make it's way into the radiator via the tank?

If you're referring to the over-flow tank located near the headlight, then chances are it won't circulate into the engine/radiator unless the engine gets hot enough to actually force coolant into that tank. Then as the engine cools, vacuum will draw coolant from that tank back into the system.

Best way would have been to remove the radiator cap and addd the Water Wetter there.

Even if your engine is bone stock, having the PCM re-programmed by Bryan at PCMFORLESS will make a NOTICABLE difference in engine performance. When my 96 was bone stock, I had Bryan re-program mine and the difference was instantly noticable; acceleration was sharper and engine pulled harder. I don't know what, if any, power improvement there is, but the car was much more FUN to drive. As soon as you turn the key you'll feel the difference!

There are two ways to go: To keep your PCM in it's stock configuration/bag it up for future use, etc. you can order a different one with the new programming in it, the cost - if me memory serves - was around $300/$350. If you ship yours to him to have it re-programmed it costs about $175 (memory again). The prices are posted on their site PCMFORLESS.COM. Turn around on sending yours in is only a few days.

Bryan can also make several other programming mods to the PCM, all for no additional cost. You can choose what you want modded or just leave it up to him.

Guys on every Forum I visit continue to rave about and recommend PCMFORLESS. Bryan and Alvin (who does the L98s) "Got it going on".

They're are only two screws and four plugs to disconnect, so removing and re-installing the PCM is a piece of cake.

Just changing to a lower temp stat won't do any good. All that'll do is take the engine a little longer to reach the same - high - operating temp. You also need to have the fans turn on at a lower temp.

Jake

 

[Paul Higg]

Thanks Junk, but there seems to be a difference of opinion here. See the post by jake. I was thinking about getting another bottle, a turkey baster (no kidding) and removing enough fluid to add the bottle. What do you think?

 

[Paul Higg]

Thanks Jake, that was my goal all along, to set the fans to come on earlier.

 

[Tuna]

I get Water Wetter from Mid America. Some parts stores sell it but not many - depends on where you are.

My method to adding Water Wetter is to siphon off some of the coolant from the main radiator fill tank (not the overflow tank below the head light) then add the Water Wetter and top off the tank.

I usually put the coolant I siphoned off into the overflow tank.

 

[JAKE]

I get Water Wetter from Mid America. Some parts stores sell it but not many - depends on where you are.

My method to adding Water Wetter is to siphon off some of the coolant from the main radiator fill tank (not the overflow tank below the head light) then add the Water Wetter and top off the tank.

I usually put the coolant I siphoned off into the overflow tank.

Yep, that's how I do it too. I use a turkey baster.

Jake

 

[gmjunkie]

Thanks Junk, but there seems to be a difference of opinion here. See the post by jake. I was thinking about getting another bottle, a turkey baster (no kidding) and removing enough fluid to add the bottle. What do you think?

What I think, if you've drove it over 20-30 miles it's probly already mixed!! If your cooling system is Full of coolant with No Leaks or Air Locks (Like it should be!!) and if you have no Leaks in the line going to the Coolant reservoir (Like it should be!!) Every time you start it and get it to running Temperature it has already pushed a pint or more out into the Reservoir!!Don't believe me just take that little line off right by the Pressure cap going to the reservoir and start it up and run till it gets to 200* and watch it "U-riya-nate" out on the floor! Water,Antifreeze,40 Below,Water Wetter,Liquid Cool don't matter it all Expands as it gets hot and contracts as it cools down!! Now lets say your driving around town and it's running about 220-225* in traffic and you head down the Interstate and it comes back down to say 200*as it's cooling down it will be sucking the coolant back into the cooling system as the coolant inside the engine contracts!! This is how a Closed Cooling system works!! In the old days the systems didn't have a reservoir and had a upright radiator 8-12 lb pressure cap and as they got hotter they would Puke it out on the road and eventually be to low of coolant to circulate and then get Hot!! Now as far as dropping the operating temperature below 195 or so,alls thats going to accomplish is create more Condensation, Sludge and Harmful Deposits inside your engine,More Emissions, and will effect your economy some!! There is a reason that they designed them to run as hot as they do,ever see the inside of a Old 283,327 or Big Block after 100,000 miles!(Get the Bucket,Scoop Shovel and Jack hammer!!) I have a customer with a 86 that has 248,000 on it and still going strong,we finely put valve cover gaskets and timing chain in it last fall and I was amazed at how clean the engine was inside!!

 

[Tuna]

Yep, that's how I do it too. I use a turkey baster.

Jake

Great minds think alike - I use a turkey baster also!

 

[Paul Higg]

Well Junk, you sure do know do know a lot and it sure does make sense. I am impressed with your knowledge and experience.

As for the turkey baster idea, great minds do think alike!