1950s what antifreeze do you run

[Daffer]

Im making this just to see what kind of antifreeze some of you guys run in your cars, I'm at a point where I can now add antifreeze to my radiator and I want to know im putting the best stuff in after I've gotten done cleaning out the heads block and radiator. Ive done some looking myself and it seems that "green concentrate" antifreeze is best for classic cars then just add 50/50 mix of distilled water. what do you think?

-Joshua

[Lexi]

Yes, that is what I use and apparently this is the go to product, and mix ratio for our vintage Caddies. You can use distilled water or a better choice is deionized water. Below is an excerpt of mine from a previous, coolant related post:

"The "Green Stuff", in my opinion, (is the choice coolant for our cars). Best to buy full strength then cut by mixing with deionized water, or distilled water as a second choice, (only if deionized water not available). Mixing proportions vary depending on the lowest possible extreme temperature that your car may potentially be exposed to. That said, you also want this anti-freeze in your cooling system to mitigate against rust and corrosion, (and lube your water pump). As it also raises the boiling point of the coolant it offers more protection in hot weather. A higher boiling point means that it will remain more efficient than pure water to carry off the heat, and not be as quick to have gaseous bubbles form which can impair cooling efficiency. I think a lot of the new different coloured coolants are designed to work with new cars and their materials which cool more efficiently with other coolant blends. Best to change and flush out every 2 years or so."

Clay/Lexi

[J. Gomez]

Ditto as Clay statement above.   

[Daffer]

Thank you for the info! I will definitely use this

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

Just one point I think is important to address.  Never use
DISTILLED water to refill your cooling system.  Using DEIONIZED water is the way to go.  In layman's terms, distilled water is stripped of the usual chemical ions in the distillation process such that the resulting fluid seeks to replace the missing ionic content and guess what -- it will strip the copper and other metals (cause corrosion) in your system.

If you wish to read the complete story:
https://rislone.com/blog/cooling/why-you-should-never-use-distilled-water-in-your-cooling-system/

Actually, in working on cars for over 60+ years I never
bothered to use anything but tap water and a 50/50 mix
of the proper antifreeze (that would be the "green" type
for our old cars.) I never had any issues.

Mike

[TJ Hopland]

Just curious where does the average person get deionized water?   Its not something I ever recall seeing on a shelf anywhere I shop, not that I have ever been looking for it so maybe I just miss it?  Quick search it exists but there seems to be quite the price range and possibly different variants and nothing local that I can tell? 

Also is that what comes in the pre mix stuff you get from the parts store?  Or are 'they' using the wrong stuff?

[35-709]

As a general rule, I use rainwater for the water portion of my 50/50 mix here in Florida, do not think acid rain is a problem here.   Tap water might be fine in some areas but our drinking water has a fair amount of minerals.

[dn010]

These days I just go and buy whatever 50/50 pre-mix they have on the shelf that is labeled "safe for all vehicles" and dump that in. I don't bother with buying concentrate and mixing water anymore, it's just easier for me personally to get it already mixed and be done with it.

I know there are all sorts of articles and research and whatever else regarding the science behind all sorts of brands and types of coolant and all that, but for decades I used to use straight antifreeze with hose water to get the ~50% mix.  In the dozens or so of engines I ever had, not one experienced any cooling problems, rust, scales, head gasket problems, core plug problems or anything else. So there may be all the warnings in the world, but I've never experienced anything negative by not using special water in those days gone by.

[LaSalle5019]

Let's talk coolant.
Some of my cars I just run RO water and NoRosion (for corrosion protection). Why you may ask? Because I pick up a 25% better heat transfer coefficient over 50/50 glycol. Water is the absolute best heat transfer fluid and also has the lowest viscosity. The downside is there is no freeze protection. Two of my cars I run about 80% RO water and 20% glycol (and NoRosion). This gives me freeze protection down to about 15 degrees but I only lose a small amount of heat transfer coefficient. Then a couple of my cars (and my modern cars) I run 50/50 RO water and glycol.

I live in Michigan and have heated winter storage. Some cars I only run in the summer, some I run late in the year and need some freeze protection, others need protection down to -20 deg F. It all depends on your climate and how you use your cars. If it never freezes, I would always run water and NoRosion as the cooling system is much more efficient using water.

Regarding glycol, color isn't the only factor as that is just dye. I use the old school IAT (Inorganic Additive Technology) glycol which needs changed every couple of years. It is typically green but sometimes is blue. By adding NoRosion I can extend that a couple of years.

The OAT (Organic Acid Technology) glycol is much longer lasting (6-8 years) but the system needs to be sealed and designed around the coolant, have correct polymers, no lead solder, etc. This coolant is usually orange but can also be red, yellow, blue, dark green, pink, or purple. You don't want this in your vintage car.

Then there is HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid Technology) glycol which lasts about 4-5 years and has both OAT and IAT technology. It is typically typically yellow or orange, but can also be pink, purple, blue, or turquoise. Again, not good for your vintage car.

[TJ Hopland]

RO water?   Like as in what you would get out of one of those under sink RO drinking water systems?  Or are you talking about something a little more industrial?

[Jim Miller]

Reverse Osmosis (had to look it up)

[LaSalle5019]

RO water?   Like as in what you would get out of one of those under sink RO drinking water systems?  Or are you talking about something a little more industrial?

I have a large Reverse Osmosis system for my house. The other option is to just buy it at the store. Most of the regular drinking water sold at the grocery stores (gallon size) is run through a Reverse Osmosis system.

Don't use distilled water as the distillation process tends to concentrate some volatile organic compounds trapped in water. Also, after distillation the water is totally stripped of any minerals and is ion imbalanced causing it to strip electrons from the metals in your cooling system.

[TJ Hopland]

I have an undersink RO drinking water system so its good to know that that may be a reasonable alternative to buying the 50/50 stuff which is what I usually do.  With all the different flavors now there have been times where I don't have time to search for the right stuff in 50/50 so knowing I can just get the concentrate is good information.

For those that are curious this is the system I have now. Its designed to fit under your kitchen sink.  Previously I had what I think was a GE branded system that was a bit more of a messy hassle to change the cartridges plus it was getting harder to find the cartridges and some were just raw elements that cost as much as this nifty quick change system.  I got it at a lowesdept sort of place and I think the whole kit with the water tank and such was about $300.  Not cheap but compared to buying, hauling, storing, then recycling bottled water its super cheap and convenient. 

https://www.watts.com/products/water-quality-rainwater-harvesting-solutions/filtration-solutions/drinking-water-systems/wqc4ro 

[dn010]

I have heard of people using Dexcool, developing an air leak and ending up with a cooling system a total mess, but I can say I honestly don't know anyone who destroyed their engine or cooling system by using the wrong kind of water mixed with coolant.

[TJ Hopland]

Interesting point about the wrong water....  Is that just one of those things 'they' say?  I guess I don't know that I have ever had a problem.  Yes I have had cooling systems that were a disaster but I generally didn't know much if any history on them before they came to me.  In the olden days well before you could buy premix I don't ever remember anyone using anything other than general tap water.  Does anyone remember say in the 1970's going to get special, distilled? water?  When it did come up in later years I always remember it being distilled.  I'm also thinking by the time I was aware of that you should use distilled that was about the time you could buy the pre mix stuff.
   

I used to know a guy that had 50-100 cars and at least when I knew him and his mechanic he was using dexcool in everything.  Packard was about half his collection.  He didn't seem like the kind of person that would just come up with something on his own so I assume there were others doing it.  Personally I don't think I'm gonna convert anything over to it but when I get a car that still has it I have been keeping it and haven't really seemed to have any issues with it.

[LaSalle5019]

Interesting point about the wrong water....  Is that just one of those things 'they' say?  I guess I don't know that I have ever had a problem.  Yes I have had cooling systems that were a disaster but I generally didn't know much if any history on them before they came to me.  In the olden days well before you could buy premix I don't ever remember anyone using anything other than general tap water.  Does anyone remember say in the 1970's going to get special, distilled? water?  When it did come up in later years I always remember it being distilled.  I'm also thinking by the time I was aware of that you should use distilled that was about the time you could buy the pre mix stuff.
   

I used to know a guy that had 50-100 cars and at least when I knew him and his mechanic he was using dexcool in everything.  Packard was about half his collection.  He didn't seem like the kind of person that would just come up with something on his own so I assume there were others doing it.  Personally I don't think I'm gonna convert anything over to it but when I get a car that still has it I have been keeping it and haven't really seemed to have any issues with it.

You're right. Any water will work. The dissolved minerals in tap water will just precipitate out so you'll get some added deposits in your system. Not devastating but if you repetitively change coolant over the years it will build up. You may never have a problem but why knowingly add solids to your system if there are better options? Distilled water will eat away a little metal until it is ion neutral. Again, no big deal. It isn't going to keep eating away your system after the initial ion exchange. Each time you change the coolant you'll get the same results. It may never show up as a problem but why would you knowingly want to use something that takes away a little metal when you have a better option?

Regarding DexCool, the manufacturer states that it should only be used in a closed system so any early cars with an open system are susceptible to damage as it will form acids as it gradually oxidizes. You don't get that continued oxidation in a closed system as it will oxidize a bit when first installed but once the oxygen is gone, no problem.

Additionally, DexCool does not protect lead which was a major component in earlier copper/brass radiator and heater cores that are soldered together. Lead is also used to alloy brass so brass components are less protected by DexCool. So again, why use something that the manufacturer doesn't recommend for older vehicles?

[TJ Hopland]

Dexcool started what in the early 90's?  That's also the time frame when plastic aluminum radiators started and I think both were standard by the mid 90's so makes sense that lead wasn't a concern. 

The deionized water people have not yet said where the average person would get the stuff.

Is anyone saying that there is a downside to buying the premix stuff other than possibly cost?

[LaSalle5019]

Dexcool started what in the early 90's?  That's also the time frame when plastic aluminum radiators started and I think both were standard by the mid 90's so makes sense that lead wasn't a concern. 

The deionized water people have not yet said where the average person would get the stuff.

Is anyone saying that there is a downside to buying the premix stuff other than possibly cost?

You can just by the drinking water at the grocery store which is almost always run through an RO system. Maybe it says on the label?

Premix is great unless you want something other than 50/50 (like me).

[Daffer]

You can just by the drinking water at the grocery store which is almost always run through an RO system. Maybe it says on the label?

Premix is great unless you want something other than 50/50 (like me).

see thats what I was just thinking to myself reading the responses couldn't store bought drinking water be used? instead of distilled water since the general info shows it will eat away a little metal until it is ion neutral. 

[Gene Beaird]

Has anyone used Evan's waterless coolant?  My curiosity has been peeked that it's a no water solution (see what I did there?    ).  It's not cheap, but if you don't have to mess with water, and it provides an extended change cycle, might be worth it. 

We have a 1986 SVO in our 'collection', and it has several different metals in touch with water in the cooling/heating system, iron, steel, aluminum, brass and stainless.  That, and some parts are now NLA, I'm seriously-considering putting it in the car to help reduce corrosion. 

If it did well there, I'd consider putting it in some of our other garage queens, and especially our Cadillacs. 

Just curious if anyone here has used it.