Just curious, guys on a question that's been bugging me. My car has the aluminum block engine but not the original radiator. What is in there now is a brass radiator to replace the original one that cracked its plastic. If I use a water/ethylene glycol mix that's 88%/12% instead of the recommended 50/50 mix, how much anti-corrosion property will that give? Reason for considering a weak solution is that I live in a warm climate and have no need for antifreeze quality. I believe the water pump bearings are sealed, hence no need for the lubricity of normal coolant strength. Your comments?
How much anticorrosion protection on weak coolant?
- Thread starter berniedd
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The original design considered electrolysis between competing metals. You changed that so its hard to say. But yeah, more water, less inhibitors means more corrosion potential. I suggest the additive I use, RMI-25. Get the 1 qt bottle on Amazon. Use 1/2 qt every 20k/2 years and you should be fine.
Also while you don't have to worry about freezing, you do have to worry about boiling over. Coolant raises the boiling temp of water so I never go past 70/30
Also while you don't have to worry about freezing, you do have to worry about boiling over. Coolant raises the boiling temp of water so I never go past 70/30
You probably don't want to go under 30% antifreeze for corrosion protection. If your car is equipped with A/C, don't go under 10%, as there is a risk of freezing the heater core.
If you are going to put less than 30% in, it is probably a good idea to put something like Water Wetter in it for corrosion protection and to prevent air bubbling on the cylinder side of the water jackets.
I have thought of running 10% antifreeze, because where I live it never freezes hard enough to freeze a radiator. Not out of cheapness, though, but for the reason that water transfers heat about two and a half times better than ethylene glycol and about four times better than propylene glycol.
If you are going to put less than 30% in, it is probably a good idea to put something like Water Wetter in it for corrosion protection and to prevent air bubbling on the cylinder side of the water jackets.
I have thought of running 10% antifreeze, because where I live it never freezes hard enough to freeze a radiator. Not out of cheapness, though, but for the reason that water transfers heat about two and a half times better than ethylene glycol and about four times better than propylene glycol.
12% is nothing. Plan on lots of corrosion with that mix. Why are you so against a proper mix? Do you have cooling problems? Btw I'm in the desert too and my stuff is all 50/50with no prpblems.
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It gets into the 20's about 3x a year here.
However, Antifreeze does other things than just prevent freezing.
One of them you know, anti-corrosion protection.
The one I really respect is the anti-boil protection.
Boiling point of water is 212 degrees F, with a 50/50 mix 265 degrees f (with most stuff that I see online).
That's a significant difference.
However, Antifreeze does other things than just prevent freezing.
One of them you know, anti-corrosion protection.
The one I really respect is the anti-boil protection.
Boiling point of water is 212 degrees F, with a 50/50 mix 265 degrees f (with most stuff that I see online).
That's a significant difference.
Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
It gets into the 20's about 3x a year here.
Boiling point of water is 212 degrees F, with a 50/50 mix 265 degrees f (with most stuff that I see online).
That's a significant difference.
Right - BP of H2O IS 212F,..... at ATMOSPHERIC pressure.
Again, you are right - BP of 50/50 mix is about 265f,.... AT ABOUT 15 PSI OR SO!
You'd be surprised at how little difference making your coolant 50/50 as apposed to just straight water is in regards to boil over protection.
Freeze protection? 50/50 compared to straight water is a HUGE difference.
It gets into the 20's about 3x a year here.
Boiling point of water is 212 degrees F, with a 50/50 mix 265 degrees f (with most stuff that I see online).
That's a significant difference.
Right - BP of H2O IS 212F,..... at ATMOSPHERIC pressure.
Again, you are right - BP of 50/50 mix is about 265f,.... AT ABOUT 15 PSI OR SO!
You'd be surprised at how little difference making your coolant 50/50 as apposed to just straight water is in regards to boil over protection.
Freeze protection? 50/50 compared to straight water is a HUGE difference.
DinoOil, you are right! I did some research and here's what I found out. At atmospheric pressure, pure water boils at 212 deg F while 50% water-50% ethylene glycol mixture boils at 227 degrees F. At 15 psi, pure water boils at 248 deg and a 50-50 coolant mix boils at 265 degrees F. Here's where it gets interesting: a 33% ethylene glycol -water mix at 15 psi boils at 257 degrees F. That's only 8 degrees lower than the 50-50 coolant strength combination.
Here's something more to ponder. Today I measured with a digital voltmeter the voltage between the radiator coolant through the filler neck and ground on a new, month old CRV (with factory plastic tank/aluminum tube radiator) with factory blue coolant. I got 0.300 volt. Then I went over to my CRV with the brass radiator and 10% coolant strength and did the same - I got 0.015 volt! There's no error here. I repeated the voltage measurements many times and got the same readings over and over.
What's going on here? I thought the voltage reading reflects the anti-electrolysis condition of the coolant, and that anything below 0.5 volt was OK. Is it a linear curve? That the lower the voltage the less electrolysis (and corrosion) is happening? If that is the case, then I have good anti-corrosion in a very weak coolant mix?
And for that matter, just how does ethylene glycol (and other coolants) inhibit corrosion at the chemical level?
What's going on here? I thought the voltage reading reflects the anti-electrolysis condition of the coolant, and that anything below 0.5 volt was OK. Is it a linear curve? That the lower the voltage the less electrolysis (and corrosion) is happening? If that is the case, then I have good anti-corrosion in a very weak coolant mix?
And for that matter, just how does ethylene glycol (and other coolants) inhibit corrosion at the chemical level?
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I like to run at 60% antifreeze. I got a vanagon, and they are known to have head gasket rust issues. I rather have the extra corrosiion protection. I drain and flush every two years.
remember the corrosion protection additives get used up, and in low concnetrations they become less effective. if you go weak, you get less effective rotection, and less long term protection.
remember the corrosion protection additives get used up, and in low concnetrations they become less effective. if you go weak, you get less effective rotection, and less long term protection.
Originally Posted By: berniedd
Here's something more to ponder. Today I measured with a digital voltmeter the voltage between the radiator coolant through the filler neck and ground on a new, month old CRV (with factory plastic tank/aluminum tube radiator) with factory blue coolant. I got 0.300 volt. Then I went over to my CRV with the brass radiator and 10% coolant strength and did the same - I got 0.015 volt! There's no error here. I repeated the voltage measurements many times and got the same readings over and over.
What's going on here? I thought the voltage reading reflects the anti-electrolysis condition of the coolant, and that anything below 0.5 volt was OK. Is it a linear curve? That the lower the voltage the less electrolysis (and corrosion) is happening? If that is the case, then I have good anti-corrosion in a very weak coolant mix?
The brass radiator conducts electricity much better than the plastic tank radiator, so your voltage will be much lower (less resistince). I have never put much faith in testing coolants using an VOM meter. Just too many variables.
Here's something more to ponder. Today I measured with a digital voltmeter the voltage between the radiator coolant through the filler neck and ground on a new, month old CRV (with factory plastic tank/aluminum tube radiator) with factory blue coolant. I got 0.300 volt. Then I went over to my CRV with the brass radiator and 10% coolant strength and did the same - I got 0.015 volt! There's no error here. I repeated the voltage measurements many times and got the same readings over and over.
What's going on here? I thought the voltage reading reflects the anti-electrolysis condition of the coolant, and that anything below 0.5 volt was OK. Is it a linear curve? That the lower the voltage the less electrolysis (and corrosion) is happening? If that is the case, then I have good anti-corrosion in a very weak coolant mix?
The brass radiator conducts electricity much better than the plastic tank radiator, so your voltage will be much lower (less resistince). I have never put much faith in testing coolants using an VOM meter. Just too many variables.
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