What do you guys use, the premix 50/50 or 100% antifreeze and mix it yourself? And what is the right ratio for an 84 QV? Also what brand is good? Where I live, during summer average temp is around 85 to 90 deg. (F) Thank you. Mike
Well I don't know about QV guys specifically, but I live in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is HOT, and the elevation where I live is about 2400 feet. My engine works pretty hard up here. I flushed my system and used all distilled water with 4 bottles of Water wetter. Water wetter works best when it is used just with distilled water, and it is a great lubricant for the waterpump. No antifreeze. When it is 110 outside, it still is a little over the halfway mark, but that is WAY better than how it how it ran before with just antifreeze. If your area is hitting 85-90 degrees during the summer, I think you will be ok to use a good brand like Havoline antifreeze and mixing it yourself. More water than antifreeze is my opinion. Dave Helms said he uses Havoline extended life with good luck. That is the only reason why I quoted that particular brand. Good luck!
That is exactly what I do. Distilled water and water wetter only in the summer. The antifreeze just decreases the thermal capacity of water and the normal psi of the system raises the boiling point plenty. I have done this for about 8 or 9 years now down here in Alabama.
Up here in the arctic north where we actually have anti-freeze (not just coolant) in our cars, I use 50/50 Prestone ( the old school green stuff) and distilled water. Birdman
In central Texas I use 30% BMW coolant, 70% distilled water, and a bottle of watter wetter. That seems to work okay so far.
Nevada summers, Georgia summers, Alabama summers, man, it's hot everywhere these days with all that Global Warming, dont cha know (LOL)!!!! To me, nothing's changed from using classic ethylene (not propylene)glycol based anti freeze/coolant, except for the newer extended use variety. Mix at home with 50% DI water (distilled or Deionized, same thing). Never use tap water, as suggested above. Hey, I'm in global warming mecca Florida!!!!!! Send some of that Manitoba cooled jet stream down here to Tampa Bay(chuckle).
BMW tech's insist that the BMW coolant 50:50 with distilled water is absolutely necessary for BMW's. Curious why a typical coolant is acceptable in a Ferrari but not a BMW. I'm not sure of the differences between say BMW coolant and Prestone are. Can anyone enlighten me on that? sorry for hijack #2 but thought responses might be helpful. Jeff
Are saying it's better not to use antifreez or coolant for summer time? I thought coolant suppose to help decrease the watter temp?
Jeff, Find out what the trade name is for this BMW coolant, and I will get you the chemical components (do you have a bottle lying around?). i suspect it is a EG based product just marketed by them to rake in more $, as usually is the case. It is hard to beat the EG based products, and personally, am suspect of the market rampant with snake oil elixirs. Joe
Mike, You gotta have coolant in system, or you're dead.....as water is the most effective coolant, it does not lubricate or is resistive to corrosion or raises boiling point of coolant. IMO, redline water wetter falls in the elixir category of marketed products. There are studies which show that it just adds a little more "something" which is already present in commercial coolants.
At first I was a little worried about the lack of coolant lubrication myself. I am on the fence with the WW and lubrication but as I said it has been my summer cocktail for 8-9 years now. I may have been successful since I return to about a 30% mix in the winter months.
I've personally not changed the coolant as my last 5 BMW were all leased or owned less than 1 year. The tech columnist in Roundel and Bimmer mags, Mike Miller, states to always use the bimmer coolant. No nitrates or phosphates in it are the key. Mike wouldn't recommend using it if it weren't important, he's constantly pointing out BMW's ridiculous maintenance schedule and the other issues with the newer cars. He's there to help, not suck up to BMW. I'm sure it must be based on typical antifreeze, but I don't have a gallon to check the differences. There must be other products that have the same quality and ingredients, just wondering why it would be so specific with BMW's and not with our Ferrari's? Jeff
Yeah, I hear ya. But no nitrates/phosphates for what concerns?? I will find out and let you know, FWIW.....
I use Evans coolant and I have not had any bad experiences. What I like most is the fact that it doesn't need pressure in the system and I feel it is going to be kinder and gentler to the hoses. I do understand that it will not cool as efficently as plain distilled water but I use my car everyday and I have not had any ill effects. The coolant is expensive but it seems to be performing well. I do get stuck on Route 66 in Northern Virginia from time to time but the car doesn't over heat. 1981 GTSi
Allright, yank05, heres the scoop, as promised....... As far as BMW, their concern apparently is shared with most EUROPEAN Car manufacturers, in that they recommend coolants WITHOUT phosphates/nitrates. WHY? While it is controversial, phosphates, while specify it as an additive, because it inhibits ferrous corrosion (rusting). BUT, likewise, it does the opposite to Aluminum!!! So, by eliminating it, would you rather prevent rotting of your ferrous parts, or aluminum parts?? of course, for an alum alloy engine, there would be less iron to worry about. Now, for nitrates, there doesnt seem to be any disadvantages to including it. It prevents alum radiator pitting , and does not harm ferrous parts. So what is the worry about it beats me. Other stuff included that is beneficial is: Borates for buffering capacity, Molybdates which inhibit corrosion, esp in phos free formulas, and others which I wont ramble about. Hope this helps. Joe
Last winter the thermal coupler on my garage heater failed. That evening and for several day's later the temperature dropped well below 20 degrees below zero. It would have been a real bummer without antifreeze in the cars.
Thanks for your research. I still don't understand BMW insistance on their coolant then. I'll post the question to the BMW tech in Roundel and see what answers I get. Jeff
Yeah, talk about asking for it....Especially up nawth, 50/50 coolant is not only a must, but a no brainer.
Good. Find out, especially about the nitrates, what is the big deal they're nmaking abouit it...Hey, we eat nitrates every day in hot dogs, salamis, bacon, etc, and we invent myths and monsters about not wanting them in out radiators......LOL! Oh, and dont forget to report back to this threat on this if poss.
just an FYI, but deionised water has nothing at all to do with being free of minerals, chemicals, salts, or anything else found in tap water. Distilled water is exactly that, distilled. Its free of everything except water. Plain, pure clean water. Ive been unlucky enough to have owned a couple old cars I brought up from the sunny south. Cars that ran for years with nothing but water. Aluminum heads so corroded they spewed water out numerous pin holes, and nothing left of the head you could weld, just a big pile of aluminum oxide. Not having something in the cooling system to prevent corrosion will only make your motor into junk. Using Prestone or something simular in even a weak 20-30% solution with distilled water will go a long long ways towards preserving these cars for the forseeable future.
I use Zerex G-05 mixed 50/50 with distilled water. The G-05 is the exact same stuff that is sold to Mercedes-Benz, and is of neutral pH. Cheers, Aaron '82 GTSi '83 400iA
