Why Not Use Straight Coolant?

[Macgyver]

Whats the real reason as to why youre not supposed to use straight coolant? Just wondering.

 

[Tom73]

Because it is antifreeze and not coolant. Water is a much better coolant but it will freeze and will cause rust. Antifreeze will keep the water from freezing and has additives to stop rust. If you live in a warm area just run water with a bottle of Prestone AntiRust treatment and you will be in great shape.

tom...

 

[JonM]

From the Prestone site...

Q: What is the best antifreeze/coolant concentration for a vehicle? Can I use 100% antifreeze?
A: We recommend that you use between a 50% and 70% concentration of antifreeze. At least 50% is necessary to give the adequate amount of corrosion protection, as well as freeze/boilover protection. However, we do not recommend more than 70% antifreeze. This would cause restriction of the heat transfer capabilities, corrosion protection, and freeze protection. The concentration of freeze/boilover protection of the antifreeze mixture can be checked using a Prestone® Antifreeze Coolant Tester.

 

[Tom73]

This is from the Stewart water pump site:
http://www.stewartcomponents.com/html/tech_support/techtip4.asp

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.

 

[Ken]

Who needs water?

Evans NPG+ Waterless Coolant:

EVANS NPG+™ COOLING is a new technology, a system initially developed for cooling race engines to reliably increase power. It does that and much more. It's a racing-tested engine cooling breakthrough! The technology is centered on a revolutionary non-water-based coolant. In addition to our own race teams and testing programs, EVANS waterless coolant technology has been proven in many different racing vehicles, street machines, and trucks. EVANS NPG+ is used in 2000 HP drag cars, cross country vintage racers big block modified cars. EVANS NPG+ has solved cooling problems in all makes of motorcycles including exotic high horsepower racing bikes to 1500cc, 6 cylinder touring bikes. NPG+ is just as beneficial to street machines of all types as it is to these high performance applications. It was through this rigorous testing and racing that we realized the enormous potential to solve the many "common" issues experienced with automobiles of all makes.

 

[Tom73]

Who needs water?

Water is much much much much much cheaper

 

[Ken]

But then you have to deal with lower boiling points and the resultant effects.

 

[Macgyver]

What are the effects of that Ken?

THe reason I ask is becuase I travel 100miles everday to school and my temp is a concern. Now this is what Ive experienced: 80%+ Coolant mixture will make my Vette run on the average 30degrees or more, cooler than straight water. Strange yes but my friend has experienced the same thing. I thought that pure coolant would leave some sort of residue or something behind that would damage the heads of somehting. But........

 

[wishuwerehere82]

McGuyver,

As well as the cooling/anti-freezing affects that it has, anti freeze has Ethylene glycol in it which is slippery and lubricates the seals on the water pump. There is usually a chart on the bottles that tells the temperature range, depending on the concentration. But I know of no cooling efficiency chart to my knowledge. I would think the higher concentration of water up to 50% the better.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Also.

Water has a lower viscosity than antifreeze, making it flow faster though the cooling system.

 

[Bill75]

Evans

Evans is interisting stuff, but a little caution might be in order about using it in older cars. Internationl issued a bulletin cautioning users that it was not compatable with rubber seals used in older engines. Newer ones have updated materials I understand but using it in an older Vette might not be the thing to do without a good investigation.

 

[Macgyver]

Hmmmmm, how much is this Evans stuff? My baby drinks alot of water so I fill it back up about every 6 days. It stays nice and cool but since I changed the oil the oil temp raised alot. But thats a nother question and problem that I have. i imagine if I switch back to 10w40 and Valvoline it should drop back down to 180.

But w/ paying 15$ per day for gas I dont want to tack on more expenses like 12 more a week for antifreeze or evans.

 

[Ken]

To begin with, Evans NPG+ is not inexpensive! That is one of the main reasons I didn't use it when I built my engine - I didn't want to waste it in case I overheated (which did wind up happening!). The costs even out evetually because supposedly you do not have to change it yearly, as you do other coolants.

Then you say that your "baby drinks a lot of water." Where's it going? Are you leaking it out somehwere? Something's wrong if you keep having to replenish the water in the radiator. :confused

 

[Macgyver]

Yeah Somthing is def wrong but then again I dont have a cap on the resvr so my pretty valve covers get all nasty and so does the intake. Theres where most of it goes but the rest Im not sure. I replaced the cooling system before I got her back on the road. Before there was a leak in the rad so when parked for a while I could see hwere it came from but now theres no leaks any where that I can see as tell tale signs. THe Rads all black so it would be easy to see any white residue where its getting burnt off. I figured it was probably a head gasket that might be cuasing the slow leak, but then again what do I know. Im fine w/ refilling it for now but if it stays the same after I get a cap than I might replace the hoses on the Rad. Everywhere I go though I look for a generic rad resvr cap and I never find one!

 

[Tom73]

Everywhere I go though I look for a generic rad resvr cap and I never find one!

I picked one up at WalMart.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Now this is what Ive experienced: 80%+ Coolant mixture will make my Vette run on the average 30degrees or more, cooler than straight water. Strange yes but my friend has experienced the same thing.

Gee, you must have one of those magic cooling system pressure regulators from Edelbrock that defies the laws of physics and fixes all problems, imaginary or not!

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Yeah Somthing is def wrong but then again I dont have a cap on the resvr so my pretty valve covers get all nasty and so does the intake. Theres where most of it goes but the rest Im not sure. I replaced the cooling system before I got her back on the road. Before there was a leak in the rad so when parked for a while I could see hwere it came from but now theres no leaks any where that I can see as tell tale signs. THe Rads all black so it would be easy to see any white residue where its getting burnt off. I figured it was probably a head gasket that might be cuasing the slow leak, but then again what do I know. Im fine w/ refilling it for now but if it stays the same after I get a cap than I might replace the hoses on the Rad. Everywhere I go though I look for a generic rad resvr cap and I never find one!

McGuyver would use a piece of Saran Wrap and a couple of rubber bands in the mean time.

 

[Macgyver]

Gee, you must have one of those magic cooling system pressure regulators from Edelbrock that defies the laws of physics and fixes all problems, imaginary or not!

Im sorry I wasnt paying attention, did someone say something?

Ive been to every walmart around me and no dice, but I thought I saw a cap there before. Im going to try all water tomorrow and pick up some of that corrosion inhibitor stuff. maybe I just wasnt paying attention to the gauge before i tried all coolant. Thanks for all the advice. Ive been wondering that for a long time and no one around me seemed to know.