Ideal coolant/water ratio for 20-90F weather, draining and cleaning?
#11
My cooling system maintenance
Flush: drain, fill with distilled water, vent, drive around the block.
Repeat that three times.
Add coolant: drain, add half the specified amount (from manual) concentrate. Add distilled water until full (now you have 50/50 solution again), vent. Next morning, when cold, vent again, add distilled water if necessary.
The mixture ratio determines the temperature range: Here is a nice table for ethyl glycol: https://www.vapcocompany.com/glycol-calculator/
Since the system is pressurized by about 14psi, the boiling point increases to about 260F (50/50 coolant).
For your temperature range, you could use a mixture with a higher water content, but I wonder if there is an advantage at all. The more water the less corrosion protection you get.
I use Dex-Cool BTW.
Flush: drain, fill with distilled water, vent, drive around the block.
Repeat that three times.
Add coolant: drain, add half the specified amount (from manual) concentrate. Add distilled water until full (now you have 50/50 solution again), vent. Next morning, when cold, vent again, add distilled water if necessary.
The mixture ratio determines the temperature range: Here is a nice table for ethyl glycol: https://www.vapcocompany.com/glycol-calculator/
Since the system is pressurized by about 14psi, the boiling point increases to about 260F (50/50 coolant).
For your temperature range, you could use a mixture with a higher water content, but I wonder if there is an advantage at all. The more water the less corrosion protection you get.
I use Dex-Cool BTW.
#12
The important point is to not mix Dexcool and green ethylene glycol-based coolant. That causes problems, and that's why you want to be sure to fully flush the system if you're switching from Dexcool to anything else.
The procedure I described above is how I flush the system (drain and refill the system 2-3 times with plain water (tap or distillied)). It's a little time consuming, but it's worked well for me. Drive the truck 10 miles or so after each drain/refill cycle. Let the truck cool down between each drain/refill cycle. I usually do it over a weekend, starting Saturday morning and wrapping up Sunday afternoon. Repeat the process every two years.
Last edited by mln01; 08-10-2020 at 04:29 PM.
#13
No.
When you drain the system by removing the lower radiator hose about half of the fluid in the system remains in the system, mostly in the engine.
That means that after 2-3 cycles of draining and refilling with plain water, when you drain the final time you'll have all water in the system; about half the volume of the system capacity. Refilling the system with antifreeze concentrate therefore gets the system to 50/50. Does that make sense?
And then, follow the RAVE instructions to bleed the system of air. Bleeding the system is another topic that has generated an enormous number of threads and posts on this and other forums. Following the RAVE instructions EXACTLY has never failed me.
Good luck.
#14
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