Post to the EFV-8 Forum
Post Classified Ads
Shop the Online Store

User Login

Not Registered Yet? Click Here to Sign Up!

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

FORUM RULES: Users agree to these Rules when using Forum.

The site administrator reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the user agreement without prior notice to the user. It is the responsibility of the user to regularly review the terms of this agreement.

The user agrees to the following terms:

All information that you provide to us for your membership is correct.
You will not use your membership to spam, harrass, or exploit other members in any way.
Vulgar, Abusive, Racist and Sexist Language will not be tolerated.
Commercial-type sales postings will not be allowed.
No mass posting or flooding of the boards is allowed.
No Advertising of parts or cars; no Ebay or business/commercial ads (please use the "Classified" for ads Wanted or For Sale).
VIEWING MULTIPLE TOPICS ON SCREEN: You can choose to see more than 10 Topics at a time ... Log In and choose "Preferences" from the top bar on the Forum page. Scroll down and Change the "Default Topics Returned" parameter to 25 or 50, and save the changes. Since this setting is stored in your browser 'cookies' (if enabled), it seems to use that stored value even if you are not logged in. So, if you use a PC that you haven't logged into the forum from, the setting still seem to remain at the default.
EXTERNAL PHOTO LINKS ON FORUM: You can still use external photo links in your posts on the new forum. They follow the rules of any link in that they have to have the URL link qualified down to the full image file name (example: .jpg). The links will open in a new browser window, the same as an uploaded image attached to a post. Since an image attachment to any post does not display inline with the post, the results are the same. You can use multiple external links within a post. This link is from photos on a site from Don Clink's 'Deuce@75' albums:

http://donclink.com/deuce_75_1/images/dscn2950.jpg

Using links from photo sites such as Photobucket can help in "size" issue with uploaded attachment files. For best viewing in web browsers, photos should be around the 800x600 pixel range, and probably not more than 1024x768. Most cameras today store HUGE jpg image files, as the default settings are in the 7, 8, 10, and 12Mb image sizes. The image files that are then attached are very large, and the browser can't display the full image size without using the scroll bars. Use the re-sizing functions of your photo editing software to reduce the image to 800x600, which reduces the file sixe and the image load time in the browser. Don uses Google's free Picassa3 software, which is an excellent photo management product. All of the photo albums of the Deuce, Grand National, and Auburn that are links on the NORG site were built using Picassa's web creation functions. And it's free? (THANKS to Don Clink for the info!)
HOW DO I SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS ALONG WITH MY USERNAME? You can LogIn on the Forum, and select PREFERENCES. On this page Members can add optional information such as their City,State, Country; Occupation; Hobbies: list a Homepage; list AOL Instant Messanger Handle; Signature; "Make Email Address viewable to others;" and even change the number of Default Topics shown on a page. WHEN others click on your profile, they will see this information.

EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / Antifreeze concentration level

Reply to Discussion | New Discussion

<< previous || next >>

Posted By

Discussion Topic: Antifreeze concentration level -- page: 1 2

len47merc

01-11-2016 @ 8:46 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1165
Joined: Oct 2013

Just curious what concentration level of antifreeze you all in relatively temperate climates recommend and/or use in your flatheads - standard 50/50, 60/40, 70/30 (water/AF), etc.. As well what are your thoughts and considerations in your recommendations and what you use?

Knowing straight distilled water is the best coolant possible (with water wetters possibly increasingly so), when bringing the '47 back to life I installed only the minimum amount of AF necessary to address the coldest conditions the car may possibly (and most likely) experience here in NC.

Was doing some work on a racing cooling application my son was working on and it got me to thinking about checking the current concentration level in the '47 given temps at night are now beginning to approach the coldest of the year (usually high teens to low 20s) and found the mixture to still be in the ~67/33 range as originally installed (~0 degrees freezing point protection). Statistically it is rare for us to see single digits or below zero here in central NC and the coldest temp I've ever seen in my 55 years here is 9 below. Can count on one hand the number of below zero days in this period. Car is kept in an attached garage.

Had not looked at this since the summer of 2014. Given the car is driven routinely in the summer, sometimes in 95-100 degree temps and performs well in those conditions (coolant runs 190-195 degrees throughout the rpm range in the summer, both short and long runs) I'm a bit reluctant to change but thought it would be a good idea to get some input from you all.

Thanks -

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 1-11-16 @ 8:57 AM

cliftford

01-11-2016 @ 9:09 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 845
Joined: Jan 2014

In our part of the country [WA state] we usually use a 50/50 mixture which will give you protection to -34 degrees. This info. should be on the label of your antifreeze container.

len47merc

01-11-2016 @ 9:18 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1165
Joined: Oct 2013

Thanks cliftford - I am aware of AF concentration charts and what temps equate to each level of concentration. More interested here in whether anyone uses levels other than the 50/50 standard and what your/their thoughts are in doing so. For instance, I originally installed the 67/33 mix to provide better, more effective cooling in the summer months. Whether there is a flathead-specific reason (e.g., lubrication, etc.) beyond freeze point protection to run higher or lower concentration levels than I am currently is what I am interested in hearing. Thanks again -

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 1-11-16 @ 9:18 AM

ken ct.

01-11-2016 @ 9:31 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1513
Joined: Jan 2010

Steve , I would just add another quart of straight anti-freeze (not 50/50) to the rad and just forget about. OMO. ken ct.

len47merc

01-11-2016 @ 10:06 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1165
Joined: Oct 2013

Let me be more clear. Assuming freeze-up is of no concern at all and can be guaranteed not to happen, and assuming a rust inhibitor is used, what reasons are there - if any - to not run any antifreeze at all (only distilled water + rust inhibitor) to achieve maximum cooling effectiveness/efficiency? Or conversely, do our flatheads need - make that REQUIRE - a 50/50 mix for mechanical and/or effectiveness reasons?

Does anyone in the south or southwest run straight distilled and if so what problems, if any, may you have run in to doing so? Does anyone run different concentrations in the winter versus summer and if so why, what conclusions did you make from doing so and what problems might you have run in to in the process?

Or in the end am I just splitting hairs here, that the difference between pure distilled and an AF mix too infinitesimal to be of value and this is not a discussion worth having?

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 1-11-16 @ 10:26 AM

cliftford

01-11-2016 @ 11:23 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 845
Joined: Jan 2014

Steve, back in the day {the 50s] Nearly every one ran straight water or water plus rust inhibitor in the summer and antifreeze in the winter. I don't remember that it made much difference in operating temp.

Old Henry

01-11-2016 @ 11:27 AM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 738
Joined: Apr 2010

I've tried and experimented with all options. For a few years I switched coolant twice a year between no antifreeze in the summer and 50-50 mix in the winter. That got old and I learned from some research that the engine needed some of the anti-corrosive additives of antifreeze all year 'round so I quit that and went to standard 50-50 mix year round. Then, after some overheating problems I did some more research and, after learning that water cools better than antifreeze and the propylene glycol antifreeze cools better than ethylene glycol antifreeze does, I ended up doing exactly what you are already doing - two gallons of propylene glycol with three gallons of distilled water and a couple of bottles of hy-per lube coolant (like Water Wetter but better). That protects the engine down to 0°, which is colder than my car ever sits in (it's kept in an insulated garage and only hits those lows outside of motels on winter road trips), and maximizes the cooling power of the water by maximizing its volume in the mix. Seems to work great for me and should for you too.

This message was edited by Old Henry on 1-11-16 @ 11:28 AM

len47merc

01-11-2016 @ 12:27 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1165
Joined: Oct 2013

Thanks cliftford & Old Henry.

Old Henry - similar to you my attached garage is also insulated (doors as well) so the car rarely sees below 50 degrees even with outside temps in the teens. Great experience and information you shared. I know you have taken your (from memory) '46 on long tours out west including Pikes Peak climbs so you've got quite the data set to speak from. Two more questions for you if you don't mind and then I believe I'm done:

1) Why did you switch to propylene glycol (performance or environmental/toxicity) and if for performance what improvement if any, did you see over ethylene glycol?
2) Did you make any observations or have any personal data/experience that evidences any improvement in performance associated with the hy-per lube and if so what were those results?

I'd considered running the hy-per lube previously but had no one who had personally vetted and validated the claims made by the product. Be very interesting to know if you found even a 5 or 10 degree improvement, much less the 20 degree claim made by the product.

Thanks again guys -

Steve

Old Henry

01-11-2016 @ 1:01 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 738
Joined: Apr 2010

Here is the study comparing the two types of antifreeze that you can review and decide for yourself which to use: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-propylene-glycol-d_904.html

Here is a great study comparing 4 different coolant additives for you to review and see which one best fits your kind of driving: http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/engine/0703-turp-cooling-system-additives/

len47merc

01-11-2016 @ 1:35 PM

reply profile send p.m.

Senior
Posts: 1165
Joined: Oct 2013

Thanks Old Henry - good studies. Had seen the propylene vs ethylene glycol study before but not the additive. Greatly appreciate it -

Steve

<< previous || next >>

PAGE: 1 2

NOTE: YOU MUST BE A REGISTERED USER AND BE LOGGED IN TO POST (and reply to) messages in this forum. If you are a first time user, please click the CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT in the masthead above to register and Log In. After that, all you do is LOG IN to enjoy using this site.

DISCLAIMER: The V-8 Club does no independent testing of any of the opinions, thoughts or suggestions presented in the website on the Forum, in the Tech Tips section, or any section. A reader should consider the website to be a forum wherein differing solutions to a particular set of circumstances may be discussed. Ultimately, the selection of an item for an individual's vehicle must be based upon the independent study of the vehicle owner in consultation with people in the hobby and restoration experts.

Early Ford V-8 Club Forum

Merchandise Questions

Membership Questions