| jimbomac | -- 09-12-2014 @ 7:12 AM |
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What is the correct coolant/mixture for both warm and cold climate operation of a stock 53 239 V8. The car is in coastal New Hampshire. It will probably be in heated storage this winter, but just in case I want to be prepared. Thanks!
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| ken ct. | -- 09-12-2014 @ 8:04 AM |
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What ever mix you have in your modern car,how long have you lived in new Hampshire?? ken ct.
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| jimbomac | -- 09-12-2014 @ 8:40 AM |
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30 yrs- all of my other cars are new and usually maintained by the dealers. In the 60's in Pa we would only use a few quarts of antifreez in the winter only, plain water in the summer. I just don't want to screw up the system in my 53 by using too much or the wrong type of antifreeze
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| Old Henry | -- 09-12-2014 @ 3:50 PM |
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It's a balance between having enough antifreeze to keep the engine from freezing in the winter and as little as possible to improve cooling in the summer (since water cools better than antifreeze). The balance I found best for where I live in Utah is two gallons of Sierra propylene glycol antifreeze (since it cools better than ethylene glycol) and three gallons of water. That combination protects down to 5°, which is colder than I've ever parked outside overnight at a motel (I keep mine in an insulated garage too). Hope this helps. P.S. Prestone has just started making a non-toxic propylene glycol antifreeze too.
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| TomO | -- 09-13-2014 @ 8:59 AM |
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Follow the directions on the bottle to protect your engine for the coldest temperature it will see. Protection to -20F seems to appropriate for your area. Tom
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| joe b | -- 09-13-2014 @ 10:37 AM |
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TomO has said it best. As an old timer told me "When all else fails, follow the directions". I lived in NH for a few years and protected my '41 to -20. If you feel you are having cooling problems in the summer change to water. I like to use distilled. Also, I don't know your heated garage situation but I remember reading something on another thread that I never thought of. The guy had a heated garage so didn't bother with anti-freeze. His heat went out and his engine froze up. Better safe than Oh so sorry.
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| Drbrown | -- 09-13-2014 @ 6:33 PM |
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The above are correct. Don't take a chance. If the local electric service went out for very long you could experience damage (been there). I'm in upstate NY and use 50/50 mix to get protection down to minus 20 or so. Mix per container.
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| len47merc | -- 09-13-2014 @ 6:53 PM |
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Tagging on to this discussion, much is made of the additional cooling benefits of Sierra propylene glycol versus Prestone ethylene glycol. From a purely technical perspective understandably so. Just curious as to whether anyone has empirical data/knowledge/experience with your personal V8s as to what the actual improvement and/or reduction in temperature may be realized by using the Sierra product in our engines. Thanks in advance - Steve
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| TomO | -- 09-14-2014 @ 8:46 AM |
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I have not noticed a significant difference in temperature control between Sierra and Prestone, except when the Prestone foamed and ran out the overflow. The Sierra doesn't foam as easily as the Sierra. The big advantage of Sierra is that if you have a leak into the combustion chamber or oil pan, it will not destroy your engine like Prestone. Tom
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| JT Ford | -- 09-14-2014 @ 1:25 PM |
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The only reason I use Sierra is that if it leaks in the garage and my dog drinks it, it could kill her! If it were not for that I wouldn't spend the extra money for it. And I wouldn't use distilled water either.
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| Old Henry | -- 09-14-2014 @ 1:47 PM |
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Here's the data on the difference between Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-propylene-glycol-d_904.html This message was edited by Old Henry on 9-14-14 @ 4:07 PM
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| supereal | -- 09-14-2014 @ 2:20 PM |
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Deminerlized water is usually less expensive than distilled. Neither will break the bank. Our water here comes from a deep well, and even after a trip thru the softener it is still not suitable for the radiator, so we have to use the other.
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| TomO | -- 09-15-2014 @ 7:44 AM |
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In my grocery store, steam distilled water is around $1 a gallon. To clean a radiator of mineral deposits is around $100. I use distilled water in my cooling system. Tom
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| len47merc | -- 09-15-2014 @ 8:46 AM |
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Thanks everyone for your replies. Like TomO I also use steam distilled and have always had great results with it in all my vehicles over the years. Main interest here was whether replacing the less than 6-months old Prestone (solution mixed to protect down to 0 degrees, installed when bringing the car back to life earlier this year) with Sierra was worth the investment based on additional potential cooling. Based on Tom's comments from his experience that he has not noticed a significant difference in temp control between the two I plan to wait until next summer to flush and changeover to Sierra (changeover for the reason noted by Tom). I have read that mixing propylene glycol with ethylene glycol produces a 'muck' that is very difficult to fully remove from a system. If true, are there any concerns or special considerations one should be aware of and/or follow when changing over to Sierra from Prestone other than thorough flushing of the entire cooling system to remove as much Prestone as possible? Basically is flushing with water adequate to allow for a problem-free conversion, specifically in our V8s' cooling systems, or is something more required (e.g., specific chemical flush)? Thanks again to you all for all your work, experience, studies and references on stats and coolants - really great stuff and very helpful. Steve This message was edited by len47merc on 9-15-14 @ 8:46 AM
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| Old Henry | -- 09-15-2014 @ 12:48 PM |
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I switched from Ethylene to Propylene by just draining out the one and putting in the other without even any flushing and have no problems.
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