What's the best way of getting proper coolant mix?

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I'll do a distilled-water flush. I have a separate radiator cock and engine-block cock, and I'll drain both. Specified system capacity is 6.6 qt per the OEM repair manual.

Do I just assume that this is the correct capacity and use 3.3 qt of concentrated antifreeze and top off the rest with distilled water to get the optimal 50/50 mix? Should I put a little more than 3.3 qt just in case? Heavy-duty heater core could result in a higher system capacity and the repair manual might not have taken into account a generously filled overflow reservoir. Of course, the overflow reservoir needs to be filled with the 50/50 mix separately as it won't mix easily by itself and I need to include the amount of the antifreeze put in there in the calculations.

Any tips are appreciated.
 
If it were me, I'd put in 3.3qt of antifreeze, then top off with water (as you suggested).

I don't think it gets that cold where you are to worry about it, but you can always later test your anti-freeze to see its freezing point. If too low, just add a bit more anti-freeze.
 
Getting exactly 50/50 is not a big deal. You can safely run 60/40. Seeing as how you're in LA, you'll never know the difference.
 
I guess you measure how much you drain out and somehow calculate the amount.
 
Of course, I am not worried about freeze protection at all in LA, where it went down to 30 F only once in the last 20 years.

I am worried that (1) if I put less than 50% antifreeze, corrosion inhibition will be compromised, as the corrosion inhibitors will be too dilute, and (2) if I put more than 50% antifreeze, cooling efficiency will be compromised, as antifreeze is not as efficient as water in transferring heat. (3) In addition, antifreeze has very low viscosity and a very high concentration could result in leaks and coolant consumption.
 
Like I said, being off by a bit isn't going to be a big deal. Pour in the 3.3 quarts and fill the rest with water.
 
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Of course, I am not worried about freeze protection at all in LA, where it went down to 30 F only once in the last 20 years.

I am worried that (1) if I put less than 50% antifreeze, corrosion inhibition will be compromised, as the corrosion inhibitors will be too dilute, and (2) if I put more than 50% antifreeze, cooling efficiency will be compromised, as antifreeze is not as efficient as water in transferring heat. (3) In addition, antifreeze has very low viscosity and a very high concentration could result in leaks and coolant consumption.


A higher concentration of coolant has a higher boiling point... better than lower. Not sure where you got the opposite.

Dump in 4 quarts of coolant, and top off with water. You'll be fine. You're over-analyzing this big time.

181951d1260121020-antifreeze-water-ratio-coolant_protection_chart.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
A higher concentration of coolant has a higher boiling point... better than lower. Not sure where you got the opposite.

Of course, it has a higher boiling point and lower freezing point.

I am talking about the cooling efficiency -- how much a coolant can extract heat from the engine. Water is more efficient than antifreeze in extracting heat; so, in principle, your engine would run cooler with 100% distilled water than with an antifreeze mix. Of course, there would be little corrosion protection.
 
If you use distilled exclusively in your system, then don't get too hung up on corrosion protection. In your climate, I'd be fine with 60/40 h2o/glycol (and my personal preference, a surfactant based wetting agent). I premix the coolant with distilled before I pour it in, and adjust later for any flushwater that may have been used and remained in the system, if it's any consequential amount.
 
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
A higher concentration of coolant has a higher boiling point... better than lower. Not sure where you got the opposite.

Of course, it has a higher boiling point and lower freezing point.

I am talking about the cooling efficiency -- how much a coolant can extract heat from the engine. Water is more efficient than antifreeze in extracting heat; so, in principle, your engine would run cooler with 100% distilled water than with an antifreeze mix. Of course, there would be little corrosion protection.


I give up. Go buy a new car. Problem solved.

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Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
A higher concentration of coolant has a higher boiling point... better than lower. Not sure where you got the opposite.

Of course, it has a higher boiling point and lower freezing point.

I am talking about the cooling efficiency -- how much a coolant can extract heat from the engine. Water is more efficient than antifreeze in extracting heat; so, in principle, your engine would run cooler with 100% distilled water than with an antifreeze mix. Of course, there would be little corrosion protection.


As someone else said, you are over analyzing things. Your car has fans, if it gets too hot, the fans will kick it. It's a moot point. You might save 2 cents in gas due to use less electricity to power the fans. Life's too short, just fill with water and move on. If you wanted to go nuts, make sure you use distilled water, but that would affect your savings from a going with a more efficient mix.
 
Guy at work insisted on filling his pt cruiser with straight antifreeze and wondered why it overheated in the winter. Now he has castor oil in there and said it doesn't over heat anymore.
 
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
I'll do a distilled-water flush. I have a separate radiator cock and engine-block cock, and I'll drain both. Specified system capacity is 6.6 qt per the OEM repair manual.

Do I just assume that this is the correct capacity and use 3.3 qt of concentrated antifreeze and top off the rest with distilled water to get the optimal 50/50 mix? Should I put a little more than 3.3 qt just in case?
If you can drain out more than 50% of cooling system volume, your plan should work.
However have found on some cars, cannot drain out half of the stated total coolant system volume. If true, cannot put in full strength antifreeze in volume of 50% of stated total coolant volume and expect 50/50 mix after water flush. In that case, if coolant not too dirty or acidic, consider just drain and measure volume and fill with home brew or store bought 50/50 mix and repeat at or more often than manufacturer's recommendation.
 
IF you are that worried about being perfectly exact measure out each and mix in a larger container before filling the system.

You engine isn't going to notice or care if you accidentally get 48/52 or something.
 
Originally Posted By: Wolf359
Originally Posted By: Gokhan
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
A higher concentration of coolant has a higher boiling point... better than lower. Not sure where you got the opposite.

Of course, it has a higher boiling point and lower freezing point.

I am talking about the cooling efficiency -- how much a coolant can extract heat from the engine. Water is more efficient than antifreeze in extracting heat; so, in principle, your engine would run cooler with 100% distilled water than with an antifreeze mix. Of course, there would be little corrosion protection.


As someone else said, you are over analyzing things. Your car has fans, if it gets too hot, the fans will kick it. It's a moot point. You might save 2 cents in gas due to use less electricity to power the fans. Life's too short, just fill with water and move on. If you wanted to go nuts, make sure you use distilled water, but that would affect your savings from a going with a more efficient mix.


I spent a week flushing my cutlass ciera by simply draining the radiator. Every night I dumped the previous night's water and put new in. It ran better, less pinging, on pure water than it ever did with antifreeze. Since water conducts the heat away better it was cooling down a specific hot spot in the motor.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
... I spent a week flushing my cutlass ciera by simply draining the radiator. Every night I dumped the previous night's water and put new in. It ran better, less pinging, on pure water than it ever did with antifreeze. Since water conducts the heat away better it was cooling down a specific hot spot in the motor.

Well McGyver (j/k), while I personally wouldn't run pure water, that is an interesting anecdote about reducing the pinging. Never heard that one before, but an interesting result nonetheless. Since I don't want to bothered trying to find or use block drains, I usually use a similar method only using distilled water, and do it all in one day. Difference though after last drain, I fill with concentrated AF to ~50% capacity, then top off with distilled.

Running straight water wouldn't help me sleep at night. But for McGyver I could see it working out just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Guy at work insisted on filling his pt cruiser with straight antifreeze and wondered why it overheated in the winter. Now he has castor oil in there and said it doesn't over heat anymore.

My dad also made the mistake of using 100% antifreeze in his '71 Toyota Corolla.
He looked at the package of the antifreeze and noticed that 70% Antifreeze and 30% water would not boil at higher temperatures.
He then was sure 100% antifreeze was best, but he was wrong.

He said his cooling system had the worst corrosion he ever saw. He used a very strong chemical to clean his cooling system, and he truly needed it.

He then learned more about how cars work, so he didn't make mistakes in the future. He said that what he learned was that anti-corrosion additives weren't effective without water.

Anyway, I get as close to a 50/50 mix by putting a small amount of antifreeze in, then use an equal amount of water. After I do this several times, the system is full, and since the antifreeze goes in first, if I can't add water, I don't have much more than 50% antifreeze.
 
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