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Antifreeze (or not)
Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 11:53 pm
by southerly95
Do you guys use anything in the rad to act as a preservative? There's seems little point in adding antifreeze nowadays. Thanks, John
Re: Antifreeze (or not)
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:24 am
by Packedup
southerly95 wrote: There's seems little point in adding antifreeze nowadays.
Because water and iron are well known for never interacting with each other...
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:44 am
by bmcecosse
The official advice is to use it all year round. But if the water isn't changed - it soon loses it's dissolved oxygen and there are no problems. I haven't put any in my car for the 6 years I have had it - but it lives indoors in a warm garage attached to the house. It's your choice - doesn't cost a fortune !
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:58 am
by alex_holden
Antifreeze also raises the boiling point of the water.
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:36 am
by gairlochrosie
Put it in.
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 1:21 pm
by bigginger
Seconded
a
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:10 pm
by dunketh
Why not use it? Its not expensive, it aids cooling (regardless of weather) and it keeps the system clean.
Surely the question is why not just use it 100% undiluted instead of water.
Is there someone on here who can provide a proper scientific answer why that would be a bad thing?
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:37 pm
by Matt
I believe its to do with viscosity and the heat transfer abilities of the antifreeze. But dont quote me on it!
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:45 pm
by alex_holden
The manufacturers recommend you use between 50:50 and 60:40 depending on the ambient temperature. Surely if there was any advantage to using 100% antifreeze, they would encourage you to do so and thus sell twice as much?
From this
FAQ:
How much water should I mix with my antifreeze?
If you mix antifreeze with distilled water at the ratio of one part antifreeze to one part water, you will have freeze protection down to –34°F and boil-over protection up to 265°F (if using 15 PSI pressure cap). Never use concentrated antifreeze in a cooling system without adding water. At least 40% of the mixture should be water.
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:51 pm
by bmcecosse
Neat ethylene glycol is actually slightly 'syrupy' - I use it at work. Hence the water mix.
Antifreeze
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 7:50 pm
by southerly95
Thanks for replies - I was thinking of using Fernox, but then perhaps I should have been a plumber instead of an accountant
Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:21 pm
by bmcecosse
Ahh - obviously counting the pennies!!
Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:41 pm
by stevey
yea always use antifreeze!!!!
Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 5:40 pm
by ColinP
I was thinking of using Fernox
Strangely, our central heating engineer (when carrying out repairs to the motorised valve) didn't think much of Fernox....
For my tuppemce worth I'd add antifreeze & inhibitor now, and renew in a couple of years - the Minor system isn't sealed, so there will be a gradual lessening of the inhibitor action...
Cheers,
Colin
Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:31 pm
by Dominic
Antifreeze also has useful anti-corrosion properties I understand - it would therefore seem to me to be cheap at the price.
Dom
Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 11:41 pm
by rayofleamington
it would therefore seem to me to be cheap at the price.
Compared to the hassles caused by corrosion in the cooling system, yes it is cheap at the price! (I'm still grumpy about the person who had run my Veccy without antifreeze - I had to replace the radiator, thermostat and core plugs due to internal corrosion!)
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 8:30 am
by DaveC
I always use rainwater as well, not tap water. Less scale
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:37 pm
by Kevin
Antifreeze also has useful anti-corrosion properties I understand
Thats true Dom. look what happens to the thermostat housings when its not used
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:50 pm
by Dominic
Yeah... they get very cruddy, and weld themselves on very tightly!
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:21 pm
by Kevin
and weld themselves on very tightly!
To be honest thats why I also open the holes out slightly and use copper grease on the studs.