What percentages/amounts of water, coolant, and water wetter do you guys suggest for a car that stays in northern Alabama. Summer highs are 90-100 degrees, winter lows are around 20-30, rarely in teens. Changing fluids as soon as I can get this d**n coolant crossover plug out. Thanks
Water/Coolant/Water Wetter %
- Thread starter jblood37
- Start date
Chisel and hammer, or a big set of channel locks for the plug. I run 80/20 water/ antifreeze with a splash of ww, but I'm much further south. Your car sit outside or inside in the winter?
If your car stays outside in the winter i would just leave the coolant in there, unless your cool with doing two complete bleed/services a year. Your not going to see much if any kind of gain in "cooling performance" running a mix in a street car. Even though you think its a badass idea and your car is going to run "hella cooler" once you run a mix, just stick with straight coolant.
Theres a formula were you need to input total coolant capacity to determine how much actual coolant you need to run to prevent corrosion and freezing blah blah blah.... If I wasa set on running a mix the most I would run on a street car is 70/30 coolant/water
Get a 170 degree T-stat, properly service your coolant, box in your radiator and be happy. IF your talking about road racing your ca, talk to Race Bronco, he has to have done the most intensive testing on these cars when it comes to cooling.
Theres a formula were you need to input total coolant capacity to determine how much actual coolant you need to run to prevent corrosion and freezing blah blah blah.... If I wasa set on running a mix the most I would run on a street car is 70/30 coolant/water
Get a 170 degree T-stat, properly service your coolant, box in your radiator and be happy. IF your talking about road racing your ca, talk to Race Bronco, he has to have done the most intensive testing on these cars when it comes to cooling.
If by "straight coolant" you mean straight antifreeze, I can't say I'd advise that. Running straight antifreeze costs you heat capacity and raises your freezing point over a 50/50 mix (the typically recommended ratio). Straight antifreeze only protects to 10*F and offers ~50% of the specific heat capacity of water.
OP, a 30% antifreeze/70% water mix will protect you to 5*F, and will offer ~85% of the specific heat capacity of straight water. For your climate, I'd recommend running anything between a 30/70 and a 50/50 antifreeze/water ratio.
Last edited:
By coolant I mean manufacture recommended antifreeze or equilvilant. Most antifreeze now comes pre-mixed. If not then you would have to mix it 70/30 antifreeze/water.
The OP mentioned W/W, coolant and water, I was simply saying to not waste the money on that stuff and time trying to get the mixture right. Water wetter recommends distilled water, amsoil coolant boost recommends tap water and so on. Sticking with plain "coolant" on a street car is usually the best route.
I'm with SVTTroy on this one. With the 170 T-Stat and 40% Coolant 60% water, while I'm crusing on the highway I never see above 180. Even in 95 degree heat. Most of the time it's 172-176 on the highway, With the A/C and all.
City driving it never see's over 200 even in stop and go traffic. I'd have to say the the 170 T-Stat is one of the best investments for my car I've had so far.
City driving it never see's over 200 even in stop and go traffic. I'd have to say the the 170 T-Stat is one of the best investments for my car I've had so far.
Thankyou for clarifying. I can't understand why anyone would pay full gallon price for half a gallon of antifreeze (50/50 mix), but it's true that it is available in that fashion. Mix it yourself and save half the cost.
As far as the ratio goes, 70/30 antifreeze/water is overkill in regards to protection against freezing (freezing point of -60*F) and leaves a great deal of specific heat capacity on the table (~65% of the specific heat capacity of water). The typical 50/50 ratio, or an even weaker concentration, would be far better suited here.
Thanks everybody for the responses. My car stays in a detached garage, but I'm sure it will be cold in the winter as there is no a/c or heater out there now. I will not be road racing the car. It is more of a weekend toy. I've got the Reische thermostat and will be installing when I change the fluid. I buy the coolant unmixed and add water myself to save a little money.
Water Wetter is only needed when there is zero anti-freeze in the system. If your running any anti-freeze save your money and skip the WW.
Run it 50/50. Your tstat will determine how cool the car runs. Of corse there are extremes both ways but you wont see them where you live. I lived in alaska and had to mix 30/70 w/c because of extreme cold (-50 and colder). Live in tx now and its 50/50. I run the 160* tstat and never have a issue. Hyper tech sells a 160* tstat. Summit has them.
Run Water Wetter with coolant and get ready for foaming. I run 80/20 coolant/water ratio with a Reische stat. and in S. Fla. my coolant temps. stay below 188*
Your further enough south to lessen your coolant mixture.. I use 80/20:beer:
Users who are viewing this thread
