Antifreeze - what % for summer

pushrod

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Some of us Brits are bringing our Tigers out for this years Tigers United, our route back to LA will take us through Mojave.

What percentage of antifreeze do most owners use for summer driving in California?

Anyone use Water Wetter.

I run 50/50 (water/antifreeze) here in the UK throughout the year.

Just looking for a bit more insurance as my car already has upgraded radiator, blocked off horn holes etc and an LAT hood.

Lou.
 

steven

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875
Not sure about western US but here in QLD Australia, the temp for the last few weeks has been over 35C. The spare parts shops just sell standard antifreeze, more for corrosion protection than freezing.
 

65beam

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anti freeze

Conventional ethylene glycol coolant that is pre blended to a 50/50 mix is your best bet. The rule of thumb for this blend with the use of a 15 lb cap will raise the boiling point to 265/270 F.
 

Hoghead

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Conventional ethylene glycol coolant that is pre blended to a 50/50 mix is your best bet. The rule of thumb for this blend with the use of a 15 lb cap will raise the boiling point to 265/270 F.

My understanding is that 50% is great for freezing but for summer cooling straight water is better. Corrosion is a problem with straight water so something else is required. That something else can be a minimal (20%) amount of antifreeze or a wonder additive

I normally use sufficient antifreeze so that I do not have to change winter and summer as the car lives in a 10C heated garage in Vancouver. I also cross my fingers at every light

See this:
cp.gif


I gave up trying to find Fairmont water pump pulleys and am now having a small run of billett aluminium reduced diameter water pump pulleys machined. This is a single sheave pulley with the Tiger centre hole.
You may well want to think about using one for that bit extra you will need.
 

Warren

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20 o/o

I agree on the 20 and sneak a little more antifreeze in South Torrance in the winter. Down in Latitude 34 I also block the radiator a bit just so the heater will work better, it's a really big Fluidyne.


I made it through the 115 San Fernando Valley on the return from United .

I would not advise more than a 13 lb cap as if you have old heater box that's what may blow it's sides out. I wonder where all that coolant will go, :O
 

pushrod

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Thanks guys, this seems to agree with the advice I've had.

Warren. Regarding the pressure limitations of the heater matrix, I've been looking at the feasibility of getting a modern aluminium version made so that you can run a higher pressure. Slightly narrower so it fits in the cavity better with similar efficiency and fluid content. Something like a saddle design with the heat exchanger in the middle and a reservoir each side.

Do you think there would be much call for these?

Lou.
 

Warren

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Hard to say

Lot's run with out a heater matrix, I mean core maybe their weakness is why. I use mine all the time and might buy one that was better at heat transfer.
 

66TigerMK1A

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Conventional ethylene glycol coolant that is pre blended to a 50/50 mix is your best bet. The rule of thumb for this blend with the use of a 15 lb cap will raise the boiling point to 265/270 F.

Stores around here sell the 50/50 pre-mix or about a dollar less that full on concentrate .I think that's a bit too much to pay for water :rolleyes: so I always have an empty jug around to make 2 gallons of 50/50 :D
 

65beam

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anti freeze

Stores around here sell the 50/50 pre-mix or about a dollar less that full on concentrate .I think that's a bit too much to pay for water :rolleyes: so I always have an empty jug around to make 2 gallons of 50/50 :D

FYI,
You're not paying for just water. A 50/50 blend also contains the other additives along with deionized water. The blenders do not use tap water. It's not that easy. I hope you agitate or mix the concentrate before you make your two gallons. Coolants can be just as complicated as lubes. Use the wrong blend of either and you shorten the life of the engine. My sales of premixed coolants is about 90% of my total coolant sales.
 

65beam

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anti freeze

Thanks guys, this seems to agree with the advice I've had.

Warren. Regarding the pressure limitations of the heater matrix, I've been looking at the feasibility of getting a modern aluminium version made so that you can run a higher pressure. Slightly narrower so it fits in the cavity better with similar efficiency and fluid content. Something like a saddle design with the heat exchanger in the middle and a reservoir each side.

Do you think there would be much call for these?

Lou.

Sunbeam Specialties does sell new heater cores with an improved end plate that will take higher pressure. I have them in two of our Beams and will be using one in our current restoration.
 

66TigerMK1A

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1,129
FYI,
You're not paying for just water. A 50/50 blend also contains the other additives along with deionized water. The blenders do not use tap water. It's not that easy. I hope you agitate or mix the concentrate before you make your two gallons. Coolants can be just as complicated as lubes. Use the wrong blend of either and you shorten the life of the engine. My sales of premixed coolants is about 90% of my total coolant sales.

I'll take my chances... rain ( tap ) water is pretty 'soft' here on the wet west coast
 

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Warren

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It's the water

Sounds like a beer ad.... Olympia

I use distilled water as most I have read suggest. Funny but every heater core I've had my hands on two Tiger and 3 or 4 Alpine had never been apart. I had one cleaned and it had not been out as evidenced by the old felt pads etc. Boy it gave up some cast iron according to the radiator guy.

I didn't get over 190 but I felt like I was also at least that hot. You won't catch me in Death Valley in a Tiger, or the SFV again.
 

HolyCat

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Accurate Temperature Gauge

Maybe it is a little off topic, but it is very important to make sure that your car's temp gauge is accurate in the critical zone (~200F). I would recommend that folks carry a hand held, no-touch temperature indicator. Most of these use a laser light to point at the object of which one is trying to measure the temperature. Keep in mind, though, that the temperature of the water is usually higher than the skin temperature of engine parts, hoses, etc., when at temperature.
 

65beam

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anti freeze

If you need to buy anti freeze , buy it now since we have received notification of price increases of $1.00 to $1.20 per gallon effective February 1.
 
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