DexCool coolant

May 14, 2005 44 Replies

I do not change coolant regularly, it has not been changed in 19 years in my JD tractor (it is around 70 or 80% anitfreeze) and never been change in my 2000 or my wifes 2000 and all is bright and clear and overflow tanks are spotless too (they are bewtween 65 and 70% consentration) My burb has not been changed for 8 years and overflow is clean and pull cap it is clean too. I must be just making all of this up huh and all of the extra aluminum in engien assembly has not extra issues either huh.

Again you confirm your TOTAL lack of understanding of coolant mixture ratios and the reactivity of water in solution and how its consentration level relative to glycol and its additives in suspension. (water is consider one of the most power solvents out there in that given enough time it will dissolve just about anything) I remember when cars used to come with but about 40/60 (40% antifreeze to protect to about 18 to 20 below) and those babies rusted bad in but a few years. The only reason one would not use pure antifreeze is because in a solution with 30% water it has its lowest freezing point and freezes at about 9 degrees (slushes actually as it never freezes solid) in pure state. Yes water can absorb more heat than glycol per pound but in a closed loop cooling system it is not really a issue because you will still get the same BTU dump thru radiator because the coolant will cool a bit more with high glycol content before it leaves radiator and be able to absorb the same amount of total BTUs because a lower starting temp. Some have claimed that water system run a bit cooler but I have never had that problem or seen it but possibly in a very marginal system in "might help" a little.

Hello Bob,

In fact, he makes valid points.

Using higher concentrations of ethylene glycol (over 60%) with the proper chemical corrosion-inhibitors, and high water quality:

  1. allows for much higher boiling points
  2. allows for much lower freezing points
  3. prevents sludge, scale and deposit formation (brown sludge commonly associated with Dexcool can often be traced to poor water quality)
  4. has less heat capacity which is a trade off for #1

Higher boiling points allow for operation at higher temperatures BUT this property cannot be applied to a significant level to the majority of today's IC engines in use for transportation, farm, or industrial applications because of the heat range they are "tuned" to operate in. To offset the lower heat capacity/transfer properties of higher concentrations of ethylene glycol, a larger capacity or an additional heat exchanger (radiator) must be installed.

In both theory and practice, running a closed-loop cooling system with pure ethylene glycol with the proper chemical corrosion-inhibitors and adjusted heat exchanger capacity will result in "cleaner" cooling system.

Why isn't it done as a matter of practice?

-- cost of using more ethylene glycol

-- cost of installing larger radiator (and probably redesigning the front engine compartment to accomodate it, notwithstanding a higher volume water pump) or additional heat exchanger unit(s)

Just my 2 cents' worth...

Regards, Franko

I forgot to add...

High water quality can be easily acquired. 'Tis the chemical corrosion-inhibitors that's the name of the game...

Regards, Franko

THis is a factor but also the less of a reactive agent there is (water) the more effective the inhibitors will be. Instead of spending time attacking this concept, spend a extra 10 bucks and try it and you will not be disapointed. It blows my mind that people with spend 30 to

40 K for a truck and still try to buy the cheaps gas they can find and use as little antifreeze as possible and cry about the coolant failing in there system with dissimulair metals in it and blaming the coolant completely for not working properly in this reative environment with a large amount of water present..

I'm too chicken to go over the 60% mark...

That is, with this "heat wave" we're experiencing in the Northeast before it's even summer, I'm concerned about my truck overheating unless I make one or more of the following mods:

-- install a med-large cowl induction with a couple of small (9" - 10") pusher fans to help vent the heat from under the hood (that turbo sure throws off so much heat the outer layer of the under-hood insulation has peeled off over the unit) which will surely help during city driving

-- install an auxiliary heat exchanger with a puller fan under the vehicle tapped off the upper/lower radiator hoses with a small volume electric water pump

-- install water mist nozzles in front of the condenser and radiator for more efficient cooling when in traffic or during heavy towing

-- install fender side vents (just behind the wheel well)

-- install an extra heavy duty radiator

With the tranny and engine coolers already in front of the a/c condenser, the efficiency of the radiator drops significantly with the a/c on and the engine at operating temp. The last thing I want is one or two leaking head gaskets to test higher concentrations of Dexcool. But, sure is fun to play, eh?

Regards, Franko

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