ALUMINUM HEAD ANTIFREEZE

[bobt]

Does anyone use Dexcool antifreeze with a aluminum cylinder head? I'm using green Prestone 50/50 distilled water.

[TXGOAT2]

I had a 1998 Chevrolet 2500 with a 454 engine. It had an aluminum radiator and some aluminum cooling system parts, and most likely an aluminum heater core. I changed the factory Dexcool at 89,000 miles and about 6 years, and the cooling system was perfectly, I mean perfectly clean. I put 190,000 miles on the vehicle and never had any problem with the cooling system. It ran well when I sold it. Block and heads were cast iron, but all the parts were clean and corrosion-free, including the aluminum water outlet.

[TRDxB2]

Product Information
Prestone DEX-COOL antifreeze+coolant - Ready To Use (50/50 Prediluted) is specially designed to work with All GM vehicles 1995 and newer (GM approved), most Ford vehicles 2011 - 2018 and most Chrysler vehicles 2013 and newer. Prestone's Antifreeze+Coolants are designed to the highest standards using state of the art technology. These fluids are designed to not only manage the engine temp and protect from freezing up, they also protect the engine from rust and corrosion.

Specially formulated to work with vehicles using orange colored fluid; OAT. 5 Yr., 150,000 mile Extended life formula
All GM® vehicles 1995 & newer /GM approved (GMC, Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, Pontiac, Saturn, Oldsmobile, Hummer), most Ford® vehicles 2011- 2018 (Ford, Lincoln, Mercury) and most Chrysler® vehicles 2013 & newer (Ram, Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler)
Includes protection against scale, rust and corrosion of all cooling system metals, including aluminum.
Ready to Use formula - Prediluted 50/50. Perfect for small volume top-off or complete drain and refill of the cooling system

This statement "Specially formulated to work with vehicles using orange colored fluid" doesn't mean you can add it existing "green". Many cautions about mixing "orange" with "green" antifreeze turning to gel. So flush well

[SurfCityGene]

Tech says use Green Conventional antifreeze for our old cars. Distilled water is not good. Don't mix or use extended life types.

[bobt]

50/50 Mixture of the green stuff and distilled water. Distilled water is not good?

[TXGOAT2]

I'd use 50/50 mix of name-brand green stuff. As for distilled water, it is not a necessity in most areas, but it will do no harm. Pre-mixed antifreeze is also good choice. Using pre-mix will maintain the correct mix without the need to keep track of make-up water added or antifreeze testing. Antifreeze is not custom blended to suit the available water in every locality, and water quality varies widely across the country, from almost pure to highly mineralized. I'd use distilled water. It's cheap, non-toxic, stores well, and any leftovers can be used for cleaning your windshield. There is no need for exotic coolants in a Model T, but clean water is important, whether you use plain water or any mix of antifreeze and water. Distilled water is clean water. Anti-freeze is chemically balanced to prevent corrosion and scaling in a properly functioning cooling system. Using distilled water in the coolant mix preverves that balance. A good head gasket seal is very important to maintaining coolant quality and preventing overheating. If your car overheats under ordinary use, it has a problem that should be corrected. An overheating car makes it difficult to maintain coolant quality.

[SurfCityGene]

Pat and others, This has been posted before in many threads by some guys a Lot smarted than me. I did check to confirm years ago when I had the same questions about my alum head on my T.

Here's a short description why Distilled water should be avoided in auto cooling systems.

The problem is that when water is distilled, or “stripped,” of its minerals and impurities, the resulting solution is composed of chemically imbalanced “ions.” This leaves distilled water “ionically hungry,” so it will actually strip electrons from the metals in a cooling system as it attempts to chemically re-balance itself. As it chemically removes electrons from the metals of cooling system components, distilled water eventually does extreme damage that could lead to cooling system failure.

Also I've heard many guys tell about the sludge buildup after using those anodes sold by the vendors. I never used any with my Z head which has been in place for many years with no evidence of any corrosion. Most of the time when I refill I mix a 50/50 with purified water or simply filtered tap water with no problems.
For those that are concerned you could buy the PreDeluted/mixed antifreeze. I prefer to mix my own cause it's cheaper!

YMMV

[DanTreace]

Really not rocket science

The solution of water and anti-freeze is dependent on your weather needs, read the back of each container and it will give specs of what % of anti-freeze and water for your T's needs.

Typical is 50/50. Since I'm in FL, my preference is mix of more water than anti-freeze, and never cooling issues. Also, I flush and refill every two years. Each time a bit of rust comes out, just happens as our T blocks and heads are decades old and will just deteriorate over time. The only way to stop the decay of time is to put the T in a museum, drain it, and fill the cooling system with oil! That will stop rust inside.

Same with aluminum high compression heads, just use anti-freeze, the formulations prevent alum. damage.

A self destructive anode, added to the cooling system, will just decay in the closed system of the T, and clog the radiator.

As for distilled water, that is the best to use. Tap water will contain stuff added, like chorine and fluoride, and other drinking water stuff. We are on a well, and that water is good but has iron. Distilled is clean, and pure. Not the same as 'deionized' water that is negative. But regardless, we don't run 100% water in the T system, if you care about keeping rust down. Add anti-freeze for corrosion protection, and freeze, or add soluble oil for corrosion protection.


BTW, if you purchase "Premix 50/50" in the container for ease of use.......that "premix" is mixed with distilled water!


Prestone: Click on image to enlarge to read detail.

[TXGOAT2]

...and as for electrolysis, distilled water is a non-conductor. It's just water. That's all it is. Distilled water and little soluble oil would probably be a good coolant for a Model T that is never exposed to freezing weather. The oil would prevent corrosion if the system was drained seasonally, and the oil might help prevent dissolved oxygen in the water. But I'd use the green stuff. It works and works well, and has no real down side. Almost without exception, the more mineralized water is, the more corrosive it is. The purer water is, the less corrosive it is.

[Hudson29]

Many folks back in the day used rain water. Would that be considered "distilled?"

Paul

[TRDxB2]

Many folks back in the day used rain water. Would that be considered "distilled?"

Paul

All depends on how and where it was collected. Through smog - no/. Acid rains of the 50's 60's 70's etc no. Near airports no
Would you drink the rain water collected off your roof? Hope not

[TXGOAT2]

I've read that fresh rainwater can be slightly acidic due to dissolved CO2. I'd expect it to also contain oxygen. (Aeration) Allowing it to sit for a few days in an open container would probably allow any unusual amount of dissolved gases to escape. Heating the water to about 150 F would also drive off gases. It's easiest just to buy distilled water. It's not like you need 100 barrels of it. All that said, I wouldn't hesitate to use clear water from a rain barrel, unless I lived next door to a Chinese sulphur coal fired power plant, and I doubt that would be a problem. If in doubt, test pH and add a pinch of bicarbonate or a squirt of vinegar. The main thing to avoid is dissolved minerals and suspended solids.

[schwabd1]

I've always wondered if water from a dehumidifier would be good for use??? Seems like I've heard something negative because the water condenses on metal.