Do i really need engine coolant???

[mickyyyy]

Hi All,

I replaced my radiator a few months ago and my EF XR6 now runs super cool where i wanted it to be and been thinking do i really need coolant???

My radiator joint said only to use Techtaloy products as there great and they do alot R & D with there products which makes them superior to other brands.

Ive used Nulon long life coolant and apparently over time if does damage to the radiator cores so this is the main reason i dont want to run coolant.

Ive also been recommended to use a corrosion inhibitor as alloy head engines like mine with corrode/rust if i only have plain water.

Some questions i have;

Does coolant really keep the engine cool? if so by how much eg 10% better???

What brand have you used and whats ur feedback???

Any other product used in conjunction with coolant which helps with cooling and protecting cooling system???

[Michael (HYPOEB)]

i dont use it but i realy dont give a rats ass about my peace of junk.
i would recommend you do use coolant tho..

[private9]

Fark you put alot of thought into 10+ year old Falcons.

I personally don't run coolant, find it weighs my car down too much

[Steady]

Does coolant really keep the engine cool? if so by how much eg 10% better???

Straight water is better as a coolant then 'coolant'.
Glycol has a lower boiling point then water.
So no it does not make the engine run cooler, it's main benefits are corrosion inhibitors and anti-freeze properties.
It sounds like your 'radiator joint' stocks tectaloy.

the main reason to run any coolant here in australia is for the corrosion inhibition, so if you run just a straight distilled water+corrosion inhibitor mix it will make no difference to engine running temperature, just don't leave it parked in sub zero temperatures for a long time.
there are those 'water wetters' that supposedly help improve efficiency of the engine coolant if you really are desperate to have as good a cooling system as possible.

now for offtopic, fukk me dead, you start some utterly inane and anal threads, are you OCD by any chance?

[Kyle the ED4LTR]

For coolant, best coolant i have used has Been Motorcraft (Ford standard) and ACDelco.

[private9]

For coolant, best coolant i have used has Been Motorcraft (Ford standard) and ACDelco.

What is it about these 2 particular coolants that makes them the best that you've used?

[mickyyyy]

Steady

No i dont have OCD but thanks for asking

I just like to keep my cars in top working order and find the better/best products before i buy it.

I like to learn as much as i can in things that im interested in hence the thread and im sure this thread is benefically to people as im sure it has been asked before. At least then i can give advice and first hand experience to others if they ask me which i have done many times before.

Thanks for feedback everyone

[Steady]

i challenge anyone to document the differences between 2 brands of coolant.

also realised i fucked up in original post, glycol does have a higher boilting point then straight water, but water has a higher thermal conductivity, so more glycol = less efficient cooling.

[Commando]

Whatever you use, be it coolant or water, just change it/flush regularly.

[FordFairmont]

water has a higher thermal conductivity, so more glycol = less efficient cooling.

hmm, thats why the bottle says not to add to much lol

so tectaly gold say it treats 15 litres...... how much water is in a 6cyl falcon?

[Kyle the ED4LTR]

For coolant, best coolant i have used has Been Motorcraft (Ford standard) and ACDelco.

What is it about these 2 particular coolants that makes them the best that you've used?

Had some cheap shit and busted a radiator, most likely wear plus my driving style . I just havnt had any cooling system issues with the ones ive mentioned, other people may have had different experiences though, just my 2c.

[Dezza]

I always use coolant for rust prevention. I just buy the straight coolant, and mix it with water, and all the metal parts of the cooling system still look to be in great condition because of it. The old waterpump that I replaced when I did the serpentine conversion looked mint!

[Commando]

i challenge anyone to document the differences between 2 brands of coolant.

You can get red coolant of green coolant

Although I guess the proportions and qualities of the inhibitors and other additives may change from brand to brand. As for how this would make a real difference to an E-Series Falcon, well if there was a sand inhibitor I'd buy 10 years' worth ASAP.

[Commando]

Had some cheap shit and busted a radiator

I doubt the coolant was the factor. Both my cars have almost always had cheap coolant (or water at times). The EB's radiator was only replaced after we broke the outlet for the top hose.

[Godzilla]

The main reason for running coolant is its corrosion inhibitor qualities.

Our tap water is high in minerals, run it long enough and watch rust form, block radiator passages and eat away at aluminum.

The other reason is to raise the boiling point of the water, helps on ultra hot days.

One thing ive noticed is if you run a heavy concentrate of coolant the temp gauge generally runs a little hotter compared to straight water.

Dont forget to run the correct double acting thermostat with the little bleed valve on it.

[mickyyyy]

now we have some good info

I hope we have a radiator specialist as a member on here to shead some light on this topic.

[wicksy]

meh just use water and harden the **** up haha, does the same, just add water and green food dye for the coolant look to impress your mates

[Malakai]

Water only is for temporary use, you must use coolant in our cars. Apart from raising the boiling temperature and lowering the freezing temperature it is to combat a little thing called Galvanic Corrosion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion

When two or more different sorts of metal come into contact in the presence of an electrolyte a galvanic couple is set up as different metals have different electrode potentials. The electrolyte provides a means for ion migration whereby metallic ions can move from the anode to the cathode. This leads to the anodic metal corroding more quickly than it otherwise would; the corrosion of the cathodic metal is retarded even to the point of stopping. The presence of electrolyte and a conducting path between the metals may cause corrosion where otherwise neither metal alone would have corroded.

Alloy head + iron block + electrolyte (water) = Galvanic Corrosion

If you use coolant it reduces this problem.

So use it...

[Jake]

I always use coolant for rust prevention. I just buy the straight coolant, and mix it with water, and all the metal parts of the cooling system still look to be in great condition because of it. The old waterpump that I replaced when I did the serpentine conversion looked mint!

Agreed, the pump I pulled off a falcon at the wreckers that still had green coolant in it looked new.

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think if I don't use the coolant... my water level drops below the sensor in my over flow tank, causing the dash light to come on. Once I started using more coolant, the dash light stopped coming on weekly.. hasn't come on after a month now.
I kept noticing water disappearing, so after a long drive one day I popped the bonnet and noticed all my water (no coolant added) was leaking out the over flow hose as steam... brand new cap so it was holding its pressure like it should of.

[Dansedgli]

now we have some good info

Yeah this common knowledge stuff is amazing.

Have you seen the website http://www.howstuffworks.com it is full of similar awesomeness.

[TUFED6]

Coolant is shit.

I only use the tears from 13yo western suburbs virgins. They are extremely rare but the cooling properties are superior.

[Rollin]

How do you tell if they are virgins? Are they the ones that can run faster than their brothers?


I used to use RCI100 in my EB, when I smashed it (at 221,000km) I pulled the engine apart and there was no corrosion at all on the head - usually I6 falcons corrode at the coolant passages at the back of the head behind number 6. I was very impressed.

You can't buy it any more so I've had to use Tectaloy 100 or somesuch on the ED, the engine is a bit over 2 years old so we'll see what it looks like when it comes apart tomorrow.

I think so long as you use the correct concentration of coolant that is designed for use in engines that have alloy heads you can't go wrong though.

[FordFairmont]

so tectaly gold say it treats 15 litres...... how much water is in a 6cyl falcon?

anyone?

[Jake]

Pretty sure its about 15-20 liters.

Cant remember why I think that though..

[OED666]

Its 15L for our cars, but thats a dry fill... And when your changing it, you never get all of it out.

I've always used the long life coolant, but change it every 12 months. When the head was removed from my car last year there was no corrosion at all. The guy who did my headwork was surprised how good it was.