Coolant for aluminum radiators

[cmayna]

Do I need to use a special coolant for the aluminum radiator?

 

[Mach1Rider]

Most coolant today is Alum safe, But I would check the label to make sure.
Some of the older coolant types would have chemicals that corrode the Alum.

 

[AzPete]

A lot of reading I found says the Zerex G-05 works good with both the aluminum radiator and the heater core if it is not aluminum. And as stated, most all are good but just read the jug before consuming.

 

[johnpro]

I've never used anything special in any of the aluminum radiators I've run ... just a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water. I've never had a corrosion problem, at all.

 

[gotstang]

I've never used anything special in any of the aluminum radiators I've run ... just a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water. I've never had a corrosion problem, at all.

+1. We use whatever conventional coolant is on sale and never a problem.

 

[Tims65]

Why don't you Arizona and California guys just use water? Coolant is really anti-freeze, and I'm thinking you don't really need freeze protection do you? Anti-freeze actually lowers the boiling point of water.

Tim

 

[AzPete]

Coolant raises the boiling point.

 

[johnpro]

Coolant raises the boiling point.

:wstup

It raises the boiling point, and lowers the freezing point. It also adds vital lubricants and anti-corrosion stuff to keep water pumps from failing and radiators from corroding. Running straight water is a very bad idea.

You can use Water Wetter and water, but a bottle of Water Wetter is harder to find, and just about the same price or more as a gallon of anti-freeze. I have tried the Water Wetter in the past, and never notice one iota of difference in operating temperature.

 

[camachinist]

I just put a new Northern aluminum radiator into the D-coder and am using 75/25 distilled water to propylene glycol and water wetter. Thing runs like an iceberg, right at t-stat rating. Can't imagine why I suffered through all those years of messing with cooling system stuff.

I did notice it took a couple good hard high speed trips into town to settle out the operating temp. Perhaps it was burping the air out. Now, even heat soaking coming off the freeway on a hot CenCal day doesn't get the OEM temp gauge to halfway, where before it would be way over to the first hot line.

 

[65coupei6]

Distilled water and 40 Below. Thats all I have ever used. Reno heat, no problems. Bay area weather, no problems. Cheap. Two gallons of distilled water from Walgreens $1.00 on sale! 40 Below is mail order. Don't remember the price. Autozone used to carry it. Maybe Vic Hubbards or Gotelli's Speed shop.

 

[buening]

Nothing special in my aluminum radiator either, just plain ol 50/50 mix of water and the green antifreeze.

 

[guruatbol]

My daughter's truck has the red crap. Most of our buses have the red crap. All my cars have the green crap 50/50 with distilled water. Well maybe a bit stronger, I just eye ball it.

The 65 has an aluminum radiator and I run the 50/50 green crap.

I have been known to feed it to the local wild cats too.... But that is a whole different thread.


Mel

PS. Oh, yea, I like the antifreeze instead of water because the chemicals in it will inhibit the electrolysis between the different metals, I think. MH