Coolant

[Craig J.]

Re: Coolant

I went for the easy route...bought the Zerex G-05 today. Thanks again guys, I appreciate your help!

[Craig J.]

Re: Coolant

Green is fine, IF you monitor the PH and nitrites and adjust accordingly. Penray (Wix, NAPA, Carquest, Cummins, Ford) offer cooling system additive that does just this. They also offer test strips to monitor the PH and nitrites. I have used this method since the late '60's and had vehicles for over ten years without changing the coolant with absolutely no problems. Have torn down engines that had the chemicals used and the cooling passages looked as good as the day the block and heads were cast.

Pick yer own poison, conventional or G-05, both are very good properly maintained

Very good info! I didn't realize there were test strips to monitor the PH and nitrates.

[Dick W.]

Re: Coolant

Very good info! I didn't realize there were test strips to monitor the PH and nitrates.

In another life I was maintenance director for a local fleet. We were treating cooling systems in the 1960's for problems, the antifreeze was not what it is today. I could talk for hours on the cooling system problems I have seen over the years.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Coolant

Craig,

Don't forget to remove the block drain plugs and let the system empty.

[Craig J.]

Re: Coolant

Craig,

Don't forget to remove the block drain plugs and let the system empty.

Good point. Are the block plugs easily accessible on the small block? Thank you.

[Dale M.]

Re: Coolant

I recently installed a Dewitt radiator in my '64 and I noticed that they have some recommendations that seem to agree with this thread.
Here is their link: http://www.dewitts.com/pages/recommended-coolants

[Joe L.]

Re: Coolant

Good point. Are the block plugs easily accessible on the small block? Thank you.

Craig------


They're easily accessible but not necessarily easily removed. Most of the time they're corrosion-seized so badly they won't budge.

[Duke W.]

Re: Coolant

Green is fine, IF you monitor the PH and nitrites and adjust accordingly. Penray (Wix, NAPA, Carquest, Cummins, Ford) offer cooling system additive that does just this. They also offer test strips to monitor the PH and nitrites. I have used this method since the late '60's and had vehicles for over ten years without changing the coolant with absolutely no problems. Have torn down engines that had the chemicals used and the cooling passages looked as good as the day the block and heads were cast.

Pick yer own poison, conventional or G-05, both are very good properly maintained

My understanding is that nitrites are only required for diesels to prevent wet liner cavitation erosion. That's why diesel coolants are blended different than coolants for spark ignition engines.

Nitrite level in diesels are periodically checked and can be refreshed, if necessary, between coolant changes.

pH level is a way to check obsolete IAT antifreezes (green). They're worthless on OAT blends (like DexCool), and I'm not sure if they have any validity with HOAT blends like Zerex G-05.

Duke