Need help in radiator fluid choice

repost from American Muscle section:

I have a 1971 Barracuda that dumps its radiator fluid on the ground whenever it gets too hot. This is not surprising since it does not have the overflow tank that current cars have. The problem is that the overflow ends up in my company's storm water system and the local enviros have done a test and told the company to eliminate the source. So my question is:

Is there such a thing as eco-friendly radiator fluid? Does it work well in these old cars?
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Can you add an overflow bottle to catch what overflows? Once the radiator settles down and gets the level correct, i.e., overflows to leave enough expansion space in the radiator, the overflow problem should go away.

If you add an expansion catch bottle and run the overflow tube down into the bottom of the bottle, the radiator fluid would be sucked back into the radiator when the car cools.

To answer your question: No, not really. The standard stuff is ethylene glycol, and the more environmentally friendly stuff is propylene glycol; however, propylene glycol still has an environmantal hazard associated with it. So, the better way to address the issue may be to stop the overflow spillage.

 

how much does it leak for anyone to notice?

 

Maybe your overfilling. I have an old ford and the fill line is about 2 inches below the cap. which allows plenty of room for expansion. Another possibility is the car running too hot?

 

Why not ditch the glycol and just use straight water with Redline Water Wetter? It will help with the contamination issues (I think) and you don't need the anti-freeze protection in Florida.

BT

 

Actually a 50% glycol increases the boiling point of water to about 225° F. At sea level, a 15 psig cap raises the boiling point of 50% glycol and 50% water blend from 225° F to 263° F. So if there is radiator fluid boiling out of the system, it is either overfilled or overheating or both.

 

I will check again on the fill levels an operating temps.

The enviros noticed by testing our storm water system at the office and found everything in the water sample.

I forgot to mention that this problem is more problematic because it's parked on a slanted parking place with the engine on the low side. I know, rare in FL, but that's what I get.