"Permanent Anti-freeze" explained

[Dan Phariss]

Before the widespread use of Ethylene Glycol the typical automotive antifreeze was alcohol. It tended to evaporate out of solution with the water and had to be constantly replenished to preven freeze ups. It was not "permanent".
The E. glycol did not evaporate away and thus was called "permanent" to differentiate it from the "non-permanent" alcohol type. This is my understanding at any rate.
The instructions for the service life and replacement of the "permanent" anti-freeze is in the owners manual.

BTW look at the contents on the non-toxic anti-freeze like they sell at Wal-Mart and then look at the ingredients of Mountian Dew. They both contain Proplyene(?) Glycol. Now you know why Mountain Dew kinda looks like anti-freeze.


Dan

 

[Baradium]

Maybe the new non toxic antifreeze is just modified mountain dew?



Or visa versa?

 

[Jay Tabor]

Dan! so thats why I can go play in the snow and not freeze! just drink some mountain dew first!!!! HA!

 

[Philabuster]

Thanks Dan,

I always wondered about that antifreeze sticker too.

Speaking of antifreeze, is alcohol the main ingredient in those super duper coolant enhancing additives? You know, the one that says your old piece of crap will run 40* cooler or no money back.

I thought I hated Mt. Dew because of the ultra-high caffeene content. Sure doesn't sound like proplene glycol can be good for you.

 

[Goatee]

Actually all things soda/pop whatever are extremebly bad for you. Im currently trying to give them up myself.
Carbonation can burn your insides and it ruins cartalidge (sp)
caffiene does lots of bad things
yellow5 and 6 are both bad
too much pop can cause cirosis (sp) of the liver just like an alcoholic
yes it has some igredients similar to antifreeze
it can cause kidney problems
dark colas especially can cause cancer
more than 11 grams of sugar a day can cut your bodies ability to fight disease by over 90 percent
Theres more but I can't remember them all

 

[Dan Phariss]

Originally posted by Philabuster
Thanks Dan,

I always wondered about that antifreeze sticker too.

Speaking of antifreeze, is alcohol the main ingredient in those super duper coolant enhancing additives? You know, the one that says your old piece of crap will run 40* cooler or no money back.

I thought I hated Mt. Dew because of the ultra-high caffeene content. Sure doesn't sound like proplene glycol can be good for you.

As I understand it the stuff that improves cooling is a wetting agent that helps the coolant do a better job of contacting the coolant passages and thus carry away more heat.

Dan

 

[GregF]

That is probably why it is so slippery on a smooth surface like my garage floor, especially when I step in it!

GregF
76 Scout II Patriot (without antifreeze leaks now )

 

[BigOrangeIH]

water wetter makes your coolant temp go down by making your oil temp go up!

 

[Baradium]

Originally posted by BigOrangeIH
water wetter makes your coolant temp go down by making your oil temp go up!

huh?

 

[Frugal Binder]

What about Dexcool?

I was reading the horror stories on the old bulletin and did some research on GM and Dexcool. Apparently GM put some type of stop leak tablets in the cooling system the reason they did this was the big "100,000 miles before you need maintenance campaign". According to GM as long as you keep the fluid topped off and get no contaminates in the system there are no problems. They also admitted the radiator cap usually fails first causing the fluid to evaporate, and letting air into the system around the cap. GM wasn't very clear on this but somehow the tablets breakdown and the end result is all that brown sludge in the cooling system. I've been keeping a very close eye on my Chevy truck and so far I've been keeping it top off and check the cap every so often and so far no problems. I just hope it stays that way.

 

[BigOrangeIH]

http://e30m3performance.com/myths/more_myths1/Water_Wetter/water_wetter.htm

 

[Dan Phariss]

Re: What about Dexcool?

Originally posted by Frugal Binder
I was reading the horror stories on the old bulletin and did some research on GM and Dexcool. Apparently GM put some type of stop leak tablets in the cooling system the reason they did this was the big "100,000 miles before you need maintenance campaign". According to GM as long as you keep the fluid topped off and get no contaminates in the system there are no problems. They also admitted the radiator cap usually fails first causing the fluid to evaporate, and letting air into the system around the cap. GM wasn't very clear on this but somehow the tablets breakdown and the end result is all that brown sludge in the cooling system. I've been keeping a very close eye on my Chevy truck and so far I've been keeping it top off and check the cap every so often and so far no problems. I just hope it stays that way.

Dexcool is a completely different chemical than glycol based coolants and I don't think its something they add (makes no sense), its build right into the coolant. It is also not compatible with "green" antifreeze and will cause grief if mixed.
Dan