I normally run and recommend maintaining the standard 50/50 mix year
round. I suppose you could run a lower, diluted mix in the summer but
then you would be changing AF twice a year.
I am actually doing coolant changing today in a couple of cars. This I
do right before winter about once every two years or if I had ended up
diluting the AF earlier in the year due to some maintenance (thermostat,
water pump, etc).
This week however I have been working on the coolant in my son's Chevy
S10 pickup. Last year I noticed his coolant had turned orange and when I
mentioned it to him, I found that he had replaced his antifreeze with
straight water months earlier that spring/summer. The lack of antifreeze
with its anti-corrosion agents led to serious rusting. So we flushed the
system and replaced it with 50/50 AF. However, it once again turned
muddy orange so I ran a coolant cleaner through it last weekend - one of
those you add to water after flushing the system. It said to run it over
several days, driving the car for several hours. I did all that and
flushed the system, refilled it with 50/50 AF this morning. I'm not sure
what makes a Chevy more prone to corrosion or why GM likes to use its
own special antifreeze (Dex?) but this is a 1991 which was running the
regular green stuff when we got it two years ago and still does. Maybe
MGs are more tolerant of straight water but I wouldn't try it.
Here shortly, I will replace the AF in my 74 Landcruiser. Always clean
and green but it has been a few years since I replaced it. I suppose the
stuff may last for more than a few years but the 50/50 mix is only good
to 35 below zero and it can get close to that here in the winter, but
usually not much colder than maybe 25 below.
David Councill
67 BGT
72 B
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Larry Daniels
Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 6:44 AM
To: oliver; MG List
Subject: Re: overheating
In addition to the typical good advice you received from Paul H., I
would
lower that quantity of anti-freeze to no more than 10 - 20% in the
summer
and then raise it back to the amount needed for your winters.
Anti-freeze does not shed heat anywhere near as quickly as straight
water.
It will raise the boiling point of the mixture, but will also raise the
temperature. If you like, you can try adding a little Water Wetter from
Redline. I ran straight water in my race car years ago and saw a 15
degree
drop by adding Water Wetter. YMMV.
Larry Daniels
79 MGB LE
72 Midget
60 Bugeye
67 Austin A60 Pickup
"You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it
doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it
shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape."
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