This is just a broad generalization relating to ANY automobile...

Has anyone used "waterless" coolant in any vehicle in which they own? It's stated that when waterless coolant is used, you don't need to replace the coolant...EVER! It increases the freezing and heating temperatures of the coolant since it's not water-based. Being in Minnesota, I would be very interested in efficient cooling of any vehicle I drive in negative 35 below weather!

And because there's no water, your radiator isn't under any pressure, and you can remove you filler cap while the engine is still hot.

Granted a gallon of this coolant is pretty highly priced, but taking into consideration that you don't have to replace the coolant... it may offset the potential of that high price.

Just wondering what people's experience in this is and any other thoughts or concerns with trying this... I'm interested in this being a good option for some of those "high performance" vehicles that some of us own.

 

Jay Leno has been using Evans waterless coolant for years, if that matters.

 

Not water based? As in 100% ethylene glycol? If that's the case, don't do that. Pure ethylene glycol freezes at about +10*F. You need a mixture with water: it is the mixture that raises the freezing point (basically it causes hydrogen disruption, making it harder to freeze). In addition, water transfers heat about twice as well as ethylene glycol.

Use a 50/50 mix, if not, 70/30 at the most.

**Edit- just watched that video... Not sure if I buy into it. What's it made of? My biggest concern is the freezing temps and heat transfer capabilities. Sure, it may be fine for seasonal vehicles, but what about cold temps? I would like to see a gallon of that after it has sat outside my house in -5* weather over night...?

 

My experience is that nothing lasts forever in an automobile. However, when selling a product that is expensive it is good marketing to claim it will last forever.

 

According to their web page its boiling point is 375*f @0psi ad freezing point is -40*f and contains 65% ethylene glycol.

 

OK, the fact that some celebrety who is getting paid to endorse a product, + has his own team of mechanics to maintain his cars daily, and a nearly unlimited budget to fix things when they go wrong....... well let's just say it's not much of an endorsement.

Now the rest of the story... RX-7 guys have been arguing and debating on this stuff for years. Here's the debates:

Doesn't boil.... No, but it still expands... which can **** it out of your overflow tank.
Runs your engine overall hotter... but doesn't have the localized hot spots within the engine due to localized boiling.
"lasts forever"... but water is a contaminant, if you get any in your system, it's the worst of all worlds.


Personally, juice isn't worth the squeeze. If I see my temperatures climbing because a fan breaks or something, causing my coolant to **** out of my radiator, I don't want to top off my tank at the local gas station in bum-frack, Iowa with water knowing I just wasted the coolant in my tank. What do the waterless collant masses say to that? "just keep a spare gallon in your trunk"

All it is, is a mixture of ethlyene glycol and propolene glycol. It's as one person says "not magic pixy dust" I use a good quality 60/40 distilled water to coolant ratio with a bottle of water wetter thrown in for good measure, and I am a happy camper.

 

"Evans" was the first company I saw that offered this "waterless" coolant. It was kind of a "yeah, right" or "too good to be true" kind of scenario.

I know quite a few times when I'm listening to classic muscle car stories of overheating issues... a gentleman stops by the closest gas station, let's his engine cool a bit and top off the radiator with a bottle of water he purchased at the gas station... problem solved.

And I know myself, I could never put ANY kind of fluid into any of my cars, and just NOT change it... EVER!! That's something I wouldn't recommend for anyone. I'm sure you could run this fluid longer than some, but I still wouldn't be comfortable using it "forever"... I don't think I would use something like this in my car, but wouldn't mind finding out some of the long term effects of it's usage on our high horsepower imports, as apposed to some of the muscle and classic cars that Jay Leno is accustomed to having in his collection (I know he has a few imports, like a very nice GT-R R35).

 

y'all yungsters don't remember the days when a service station... (that's what we old codgers used to call "gas stations") used to top off your oil and your coolant as a "service" (yeah, that's where the name came from), when you purchased your gas. When I was a kid, the only "gentlemen" who purchased bottles of water, were frenchies or guys wearing pink shirts from san francisco.

You can tell if a highway is old, because they will have water wells that will say "for radiators only, not for drinking" as it's reclaimed water. As it was quite common to need to top off your radiator on a long trip.

Automotive engineering has come a long way...


stupid sidebar... only 201 of his 589 cars are domestic. all the rest are european, japanese or custom one off cars...

the Mother Fer has two LFAs including the ONLY LFA spyder ever to be produced...

also. he has ZERO, None, Nunca, Nil.... Mitsubishis.

 

Ahh, this stuff again. I remember discussions about this stuff on forums back in the late 90s, I guess that shows my age. One issue is that the rest of the system isn't necessarily designed to handle the increased heat so lifespan of stuff for the dd is another consideration. In theory its a great idea, but if it aint broke, don't fix it. If your racing the evo and regularly seeing temps above 220 then maybe you can think about how to improve its efficiency, I don't think that's most people on here anyways.

I wouldn't even know how one can completely flush out ALL of the old water unless you completely replace the engine and hvac. Im rebuilding the head and block but I think I still have coolant in my heater core so even then I still have water in my system. Also, doesn't through the process of heating and cooling cause condensation and water to form in the system anyhow? Usually coolant needs to get flushed because it also lubricates and picks up contaminants in the system, whether its rust its picking up or debris. Eventually it will get dirty unless this stuff doesn't lubricate and clean the system which I assume it will. I also never believe in lifetime fluids, Im old school like that I guess.

 

if there were something in it, a competition would build up instantly.
it's on the market for like 10 years or more and noone took on it.
don't use, it's a marketing gimmick.

 

Our shop drag Camaro has a 350 stroked out to 408, yes 408 on a 350 block... Its over heats on any type of long drive, i Even went as far as buying the best raidator out there, Getting a inline electric pump and a high end belt driven pump... Then i tried every different type of coolant u can buy even this stuff... and guess what non of the coolants made any difference in temps At ALL... I ended up going with a external Trans coolers, a huge oil cooler an 2 huge Fans for the radiator and Duct work to bring better airflow in and that finally work @190Degrees now.
Even that high end "blue coolant" didnt do anything. This stuff just didnt help at all....

 

Waterless coolant is a gimmick, it never caught on in the performance scene for a reason.. It's been over 10 years since its release. The old guys at the track still swear by good ole global Peak concetrate mixed heavily with water, and quality aluminum radiators with good fans. They've been using this combo successfully probably longer than how old I am.. Just like TommiM said, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" lol....

50$ coolant will never solve overheating problems.

 

Meh, They have been punching out 350SBs out to 427 for years...

First I heard was the 95 lingenfelter C4 corvette.

Wow, even found an article about the build :-)

 

stupid sidebar... only 201 of his 589 cars are domestic. all the rest are european, japanese or custom one off cars...

the Mother Fer has two LFAs including the ONLY LFA spyder ever to be produced...

also. he has ZERO, None, Nunca, Nil.... Mitsubishis.[/QUOTE]

I know of Jay's massive infatuation with steam powered cars... and his amazing 1000hp Tornado that was a one off deal... Very cool car. I haven't been on his website that has access to some of his garage...


"Gimmick" I think is the proper way to put this item... I assumed if it worked, It would have been used a lot more and promoted a lot more... I'm sure it's of many fads, just like so many other items...