is there an ideal winter coolant mix?

[brent]

Running 50/50 right now.
Single digits in the AM.
No noticeable problems at startup or after.
If it ain't broke don't fix it?
Brent

[tgreese]

AFAIK there's no advantage to a stronger mix over the 50-50 unless your local temps go below -30F or whatever (check the bottle). 100% antifreeze will give you the lowest temperature rating, though it is a less efficient coolant... but you probably don't care if you live somewhere that needs that low a rating.

[drlocke]

If it aint broke don't fix it!

[osceola]

actually 100 percent does not give you the best deep freeze combination.according to what ive read on the back of the bottle about two thirds ethylene glycol one third water will take you down to about 60 below.

[drlocke]

Originally posted by osceola:
actually 100 percent does not give you the best deep freeze combination.according to what ive read on the back of the bottle about two thirds ethylene glycol one third water will take you down to about 60 below.

That's what I've seen as well. But I don't wanna go where the temps go that low. My folks taught me to stay away from dangerous places. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[osceola]

On occaision I do have to go up to CCCCCCCanada in the WWWWWWWWWinter TTTTTTime.and it gets CCCCCCold.

[Rande]

If you wait until its broke to fix it, its your block you will be fixing.

[brent]

Rande--what does that comment mean? That I should be better than 50/50 when the minus 0 weather comes? I'm a desert boy still learning about the mountains and mountain climate. Thanks.
Everyone else who replied: as usual thanks for the info gents.
Brent

[mdill9]

Originally posted by tgreese:
AFAIK there's no advantage to a stronger mix over the 50-50 unless your local temps go below -30F or whatever (check the bottle). 100% antifreeze will give you the lowest temperature rating, though it is a less efficient coolant... but you probably don't care if you live somewhere that needs that low a rating.

I don't know what 100% does at -35+ but at -30
it gets pretty darn thick, I usually shoot for ~60/40
here in Minnesota, the higher the water content the better the heat capacity (as long as there is
some corrosion protection), so in the south I would
go more in the 40/60 range.

Mike D.

[RoofPrints]

Everyone here recommends 50/50. I'm only in my second winter, but it seems to work just fine. We just had a week straight of sub-zero temps, and last year I saw a couple of days of -20. No problems at all with the mix. The nice thing about 50/50 is how simple it is to mix; even the hillbillies here can handle it!

?Honor before honors.?
Sir Richard Burton

[drlocke]

Originally posted by Rande:
If you wait until its broke to fix it, its your block you will be fixing.

This is what temp gauges are for! [img]smile.gif[/img] I look at mine--frequently; just made it a habit to cycle the gauges briefly as I drive. I learn what angle the pointers should be at in normal operation so at a glance I can tell if something is heading for trouble. In 30 years of driving I may have come close a few times but I have never boiled a block.

[William 79ge]

i do belive were not worried about you boiling a block... but when water(antifreeze) freezes it expands, when it runs out of room in an area to expand it will make your block expand and hense break it

[J10-401]

I went jogging today in shorts and a tee-shirt. What exactly is this winter thing y'all are mentioning? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ December 10, 2005, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: J10-401 ]

[madmule]

Originally posted by J10-401:
I went jogging today in shorts and a tee-shirt. What exactly is this winter thing y'all are mentioning? [img]smile.gif[/img]

Somebody chuck a snowball at this dude!