This could be a stupid question but a couple of collegues who are also vanners said I should replace the water / anti freeze mix in the coolant of my car with 100% anti freeze and run this all year round
They have done it and recon that during the summer when it's very hot and your are towing you are more prone to over heating. But if you do the above it helps to keep the engine cool.
I thought they were having a laugh (I am not very good with engines) but there appear to be serious.
Anyone else do this because my mind is saying if it is better for your engine why don't manufacturers do it as a matter of course? Not that I have a problem with over heating, it was just a conversation we had.
Cheers
Richard
------------- If you Don't ask, you Don't get..............
Easter - Alton Towers
May - Aveniemore
Summer - South West London (theme parks all Around)
September - Not Sure
October - Blackpool (Yet more Theme parks and attractions
Life is a Roller coaster and we will be on loads this year...
I suspect it might be true IF antifreeze has better heat transfer properties than water or a mix of water and antifreeze. After all, that's what cooling the engine is all about.
No,most modern antifreezes say on the pack that they are a summer coolant.Its worth checking that your engine can take it,why it wouldnt I dont know but Im not au courant with the latest units.It should give you much better cooling.Its cheaper than fitting an extra fan,though this is something I often do.Not replacing the vehicles usual one - I fit a suitably sized electric one in front of the radiator,behind the grill and switch it from the dash via a relay.
Antifreeze will increase the boiling point of water and therefore reduce the risk of boiling over if the car is getting hot. It also has a marginal effect on heat transfer.
However, antifreeze also has a tendency to search out any leaks and for this reason, I would avoid running at 100% anti freeze.
Antifreeze is primarily intended to stop the coolant freezing; its summer coolant is pretty much coincidental. However, it does reduce corrosion due to the corrosion inhibitors in it which in turn reduces the risk of obstructions in the radiator.
If you want to improve your cooling, there are better ways of doing it.
Someone has already suggested an electric fan, flushing the coolant out annually will also help, as would cleaning the fins on the radiator. You could also get a thermostat rated at a lower temperature if you really wanted, but thermostats are normally provided for the manufacturers recommended temperature. If you want to keep the engine really cold then you could take the thermostat out altogether, but this means the oil will not reach its ideal temperature and its lubricative properties will be compromised.
If you do find your engine running a bit hot, one tip to remedy the situation is to turn the heaters on to full and bleed the heat off through them into the car (probably want to open the windows though unless you want to melt in there!) This has the effect of adding a second radiator and fan to the cooling system and can cool a hot engine very quickly. Also avoid stopping as this can cause heat build up, it would be better if possible to coast as much as possible so that the maximum air gets through the radiator for the least energy being burned up by the engine.
If you do need to stop because you cannot cool the engine by these means, always let the engine temperature drop to ambient temperature before adding cold water and whenever possible, add boiling water to an overheating engine to reduce the likelihood of thermal shock causing something to crack internally (something that modern aluminium heads are prone to doing)
Quote: Originally posted by LegsDownKettleOn on 04/6/2010
Antifreeze will increase the boiling point of water and therefore reduce the risk of boiling over if the car is getting hot. It also has a marginal effect on heat transfer.
However, antifreeze also has a tendency to search out any leaks and for this reason, I would avoid running at 100% anti freeze.
Antifreeze is primarily intended to stop the coolant freezing; its summer coolant is pretty much coincidental. However, it does reduce corrosion due to the corrosion inhibitors in it which in turn reduces the risk of obstructions in the radiator.
If you want to improve your cooling, there are better ways of doing it.
Someone has already suggested an electric fan, flushing the coolant out annually will also help, as would cleaning the fins on the radiator. You could also get a thermostat rated at a lower temperature if you really wanted, but thermostats are normally provided for the manufacturers recommended temperature. If you want to keep the engine really cold then you could take the thermostat out altogether, but this means the oil will not reach its ideal temperature and its lubricative properties will be compromised.
If you do find your engine running a bit hot, one tip to remedy the situation is to turn the heaters on to full and bleed the heat off through them into the car (probably want to open the windows though unless you want to melt in there!) This has the effect of adding a second radiator and fan to the cooling system and can cool a hot engine very quickly. Also avoid stopping as this can cause heat build up, it would be better if possible to coast as much as possible so that the maximum air gets through the radiator for the least energy being burned up by the engine.
If you do need to stop because you cannot cool the engine by these means, always let the engine temperature drop to ambient temperature before adding cold water and whenever possible, add boiling water to an overheating engine to reduce the likelihood of thermal shock causing something to crack internally (something that modern aluminium heads are prone to doing)
If you coast, although you are cooling the radiator you are not cooling the engine - the important bit that needs cooling - as the coolant is pumped through the engine by the engine
Altering the amount of antifreeze is not a wise thing as many modern engines, especially Japanese ones, are set up to run with a specific amount of coolant additive in them. This is the reason why manufacturers of anti freeze like Comma now have charts (like the oil ones) to tell you what additive you should have in your radiator system - you'll also find 3 or 4 different grades of coolant additive on the shelves now.
------------- Caravanning is a way of getting a cheap holiday out of an expensive hobby
Concentrated antifreeze(coolant)should be mixed 50/50 with water. If used in higher concentrations or neat it is actually less effective. Putting heater on full as suggested is a good idea if temp rises & also keep engine revving in a lower gear to keep coolant circulating when towing up hill.
There is a product called 'water wetter'(google it)that is added to coolant to keep working temperature down but I really wouldn't bother. Provided car is properly serviced & antifreeze is at correct concentration then all is ok.
Using the advice as given above will keep your temp down when towing uphill.
Quote: Originally posted by Rune Caster on 04/6/2010
If you coast, although you are cooling the radiator you are not cooling the engine - the important bit that needs cooling - as the coolant is pumped through the engine by the engine
Don't think Legs Down was suggesting turning the engine off while moving. I hope not, anyway, as it's illegal (you are not in full control of the vehicle), potentially lethal (brake servos and power steering will stop working), and generally mad as a box of frogs.
Maybe he meant driving by the coast - it's always cooler there!
------------- * You never know where you're going 'til you get there...
no, I meant to let the engine revs down to tick over, either in neutral (not generally considered a good idea these days) or as high a gear as possible with little or no throttle applied so as to keep the combustion to a minimum whilst still circulating the coolant. Turning the engine off stops the water circulating as the pump also stops. I also stated in the post that it is better not to stop (the engine) as the loss of circulation reduces the cooling.
Hi, engine running, car moveing,car in neutral illegal, as viggo states ( you are not in full control of the vehicle) eg- driver passes out,car and van lose cannon, can only get faster, down hill no means of retarding the speed, up hill car rolls to standstill, then run backwards,pile up. could end up with new mates working on the chain gang. Car in gear car gradualy slows down and stalls,eventualy bringing unit to a halt,assuming it has'nt run off course and crashed.
running in neutral bad idea.
------------- If everything runs smoothly then I must have done something wrong
If in Doubt Check it Out.
I guess by the sounds of it my collegues are potentially causing more problems in their cars and I should just ignore them. Thats why I like this forum, lots of different experiences to help me out.
Cheers
Richard
------------- If you Don't ask, you Don't get..............
Easter - Alton Towers
May - Aveniemore
Summer - South West London (theme parks all Around)
September - Not Sure
October - Blackpool (Yet more Theme parks and attractions
Life is a Roller coaster and we will be on loads this year...
I've never heard of anything being run with neat Antifreeze & I suggest you ask the main dealer for your vehicle before trying it. If you have an over heating problem it could be address by having the Radiator recored, the Thermostat replaced or the cooling system flushed out. I've not done either for years but have done all three in the past.
I don't know the strength of the antifreeze in my cars, this is sorted by the dealers when they're checked each autumn but my lorry runs at 30-40% & as it operates in a very dusty environment, I wash the core off regularly to try & keep it clear for air flow.
This is only my opinion & I'm certainly no mechanic, but I don't think modern vehicles do their engine cooling systems any favours because the Aircon & Intercooler radiators are sat in front of the cooling radiator for the engine which makes me wonder if air flow to the coolant rad is impeded.
The airflow to the rad certainly is impeded if the intercooler and aircon are blocking it from the front,in such cases its nigh on impossible to put an extra electric fan infront,too.
The (gentle!!) cleaning of the rad fins is a VERY cogent point....I lost a discovery engine due to NOT doing it,a few years back.Thats a mistake I wont make again in a hurry!Spray a bit of water on the fins to loosen the dirt and lightly hose down a couple of hours later....dont be tempted to scrub or jetwash,modern car rads are delicate things.
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Topic: Anti Freeze
