Useful tech info (you ust have to search for it)

[36 Ply]

During the winter, my '36 sits in an unheated garage in north central Illinois. It occasionally gets down to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter.

So I would want to put enough antifreeze in the engine to protect it to about minus 25 when the cold weather rolls around.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor

[12905]

Thanks 46!

[plym_46]

I read it in several printed sources as well as several sources on the web.  emember this green stuff hadn't even been though of till after WWII or so.  But here is a start.

http://www.google.com/search?q=Water%20vs%20Antifreeze

Specific heat. Specific heat is the amount of heat that it takes to raise the temperature of a standard amount of fluid a standard degree of temperature. For example, one BTU is the amount of heat needed to raise one pound of water one degree F. To raise the temperature of a pound of water ten degrees, we need ten BTUs. This is true any place between the freezing point and boiling point of water. A fluid with a higher specific heat has greater capacity to absorb heat, which is a desirable property for a coolant. Here are the specific heats of the three principal coolants:
Substance Specific Heat
Ethylene Glycol .57
Propylene Glycol .59
Water 1.00

[12905]

Can you provide hard information concerning the heat transfer properties of water and ethylene glycol? It's not that I doubt your word. I would just like to get more information. Also, we should be careful about running engines at too low a temperature. In a non-pressurised system, the engine operating temperature should be as close to the boiling point of the coolant as possible. Hotter engines run more efficiently, and boil off the combustion product that contaminate the oil more readily. There's a reason why manufacturers went to pressurised systems - and that's it - better efficiency and longer engine life. Personally, I would not like an engine to run below about 190 F. That's why I use 180 thermostats in unpressurised systems. If an engine's coolant boils with a 180 thermostat, the system needs attention, not a lower temp. thermostat.

[plym_46]

I have been recommending adjusting the coolant water mix for years, but it seems I as takling in a foreign language.

Fact;  Water is a better thremal exchange media then ethelyn glycol
Fact; the 50/50 mix extolled by manufactures, distributors, owner's manuals etc is a conservative compromise for mean atmospheric conditions in lattitudes conducive to the USA and Canada.  It also assumes full calendar year vehicle usage.
Fact; very few of our hobby cars are driven year around or in below freezing weather.

As such they do not need to be protected to -20 degrees, and we should be more concerend with heat transfer than freeze protection.  Current permanent antifreeze does have some water pump lube and anti rust additives in it.  If your car is in the garage where the temp never goes below freezing, a mix of 75% water, and 25 % antifreeze/coolant will give the system protection needed, while also allowing the thermal transfer to be enhanced leading to cooler running engines.  I have been running this mix with a 160 degree thermostat in my Flat 6 Plymouth for Three years.  The fluid is rust free, and the car never runs much over 170 degrees.  Even climbing the mountains in Vermont 2 summers ago, it never exceeded 190, then came right back down to 170 after the climb.

[36 Ply]

Hi all,

If you type in "Ol' Skool Rodz" in your search engine, then click on "forums", then click on "tech talk", there are 354 pages of tech info. Much of it is about modifying cars & trucks, but if you wade through these topics, there is also advice on rebuilding a '57 Olds generator, etc.

Some of the topics cover rebulding or repairing stock parts. I've only read about 10 pages so far, and I haven't discovered any apparent animosity toward restorers from this group, although they do lean toward hot rods.

I'm willing to learn from any and all sources; I've been working on cars since I was 16, and I still learn things every day.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!

I went for a 62 mile ride yesterday in the '36, with no problems; no vapor lock, no stalling, just a great ride on a beautiful day. I recently drained the antifreeze (must remember to replace it soon) and replaced it with distilled water and water pump lube/anti corrosion stuff. Instead of running 190-200 degrees, it now runs at 180-190.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor