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Best Antifreeze??

  • Thread starter Thread starter latham83
  • Start date Start date Mar 15, 2004
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latham83

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Jul 24, 2003
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Mar 15, 2004
#1
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #1
Hey can somebody tell me whats the best antifreeze to run in their 5.0? what do u guys use???
 

TwinTurbo93

Founding Member
Jan 19, 2002
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Orlando
Mar 15, 2004
#2
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #2
I just use straight water, I live in Florida and the car is an occasional driver. There is also nothing harder to clean off the dragstrip than antifreeze so I know if anything ever happens and I spill some water on the track everyone won't have to wait for hours to get it cleaned up. I don't think it really matters what you use though, I would imagine that one is just as good as another.
 
N

noslow5_0

New Member
Nov 7, 2003
422
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dallas tx.
Mar 15, 2004
#3
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #3
TwinTurbo93 said:
I just use straight water, I live in Florida and the car is an occasional driver. There is also nothing harder to clean off the dragstrip than antifreeze so I know if anything ever happens and I spill some water on the track everyone won't have to wait for hours to get it cleaned up. I don't think it really matters what you use though, I would imagine that one is just as good as another.
Click to expand...

ummm... depends on where you live, and the climate conditions.... They call it antifreeze for a reason, but basically for the winter....i believe water has the fastest heat transfer, but also tends to rust cast iron alot faster!!!! I just use the prestone green antifreeze.... I know others that have used the environmentaly safe kind, and have had mixed feelings about it.....
 

The Communist

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Mar 3, 2004
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The graveyard of tomorrow
Mar 15, 2004
#4
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #4
Isn't antifreeze all the same?
 

IndyBlk5.0

New Member
Nov 24, 2003
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New Whiteland, IN
Mar 15, 2004
#5
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #5
if you use straight water, used distilled.
run about a 50/50 mix
make sure the antifreeze you use is safe for aluminum and other metals
 

408stroker5.0

The world would be a better place if all males jus
Mar 10, 2004
639
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Bonnyville, Alberta, CANADA
Mar 15, 2004
#6
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #6
Most Antifreeze's are the same. When it comes to there cooling efficiency there is pretty much no difference in any brand. The only difference you may find is the life span and freezing points. If your car isn't a full time drag strip car, it's good to use a 50/50 mix of distilled water and A/F, and throw in a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter. The A/F is especially good for blocks, as it will prevent rust and corrosion of the block. I highly recomend using a bottle of Red Line Watter Wetter. This stuff actually works when it comes to lowering your engine temp. It's not a big difference, but every little bit helps. I use this combination in my 87' Stang/ 408 Stroker with a Be Cool Rad and Dual fan Assy. with an Edelbrock Water Pump and it works quite well. It's all you need.
As for car's that see a majority of track time, it's best to throw 100% Distilled Water and a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter in. It's a huge pain when A/F is spilled on a drag strip and is actually quite dangerous to your self and fellow competitiors.
 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master
Apr 10, 2002
9,039
6
79
Charlotte, NC
Mar 15, 2004
#7
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #7
Actually you have to be quite careful out there now. GM promoted a brand called Dex (something like that) that is orange in color as a long life product especially good with aluminum components. People have a mixed reaction to the product, however, when combined with even a small amount of the typical 'green' antifreezes, many owners have problems with sludge deposits fouling their cooling system. If your car came with Dex, there are many who recommend switching it for the green stuff -- but it takes a very careful flushing with lots of water to get rid of all the orange stuff before you put the green stuff in.

I'd use the green stuff if I were you. Antifreeze not only lowers the freeze point, it raises the boiling point of the mixture. If you're gonna run pure water (many racing bodies require it) - it should at least have a water pump lubricant added to it.
 

YELLOWLXCOUPE

Founding Member
Jun 3, 2001
236
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Binghamton, NY
Mar 15, 2004
#8
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #8
i use dexcool ... .the orange stuff ... i havent had a problem yet .... 50/50 ... but ill tell ya what i dont like it in the newer gm cars ... seams to break down and turn colors and creates brown crap in the over flow tank.... just my 2cents
 

cardudeusa

Founding Member
Oct 22, 2002
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Home of the Florida Gators!
Mar 15, 2004
#9
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #9
Definatley use the green. The Dex Cool that Gm started using, Ive also seen in newer Jeeps, and Honda actually takes a pink one. Gm started using the Dex Cool because of the high energy ignition. When you put the green coolant in some of the newer Gm's I have heard of it eating headgaskets.

I live in FL and I use about a 50/50 mix. You can buy a gallon of pre mixed coolant w/ water for about $4. Otherwise straight coolant is like $6.50. Also like IndyBlk5.0 said use distilled water!!!

Oh, and if you cant use antifreeze Watter Wetter works great, and wont get slippery out there on the track. The cicrle trackers around here keep that company in buisness.
 

BlackFox5.0

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Aug 7, 2000
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Massachusetts
Mar 15, 2004
#10
  • Mar 15, 2004
  • #10
cardudeusa said:
Gm started using the Dex Cool because of the high energy ignition.
Click to expand...

I thought that they use it because it lasts longer. I read a sticker on the overflow bottle on some GM, and it said it should be changed after 5 years, or 150,000 miles. It aslo said something about it lasting longer than conventional antifreeze
 

cardudeusa

Founding Member
Oct 22, 2002
1,744
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Home of the Florida Gators!
Mar 16, 2004
#11
  • Mar 16, 2004
  • #11
BlackFox5.0 said:
I thought that they use it because it lasts longer. I read a sticker on the overflow bottle on some GM, and it said it should be changed after 5 years, or 150,000 miles. It aslo said something about it lasting longer than conventional antifreeze
Click to expand...

Yeah, but I'm pretty sure thats not the only reason. One of the guys I used to work with worked for Gm, he's the one that told me about brand new cars eating head gaskets, when the owner changed the coolant to the green.
 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master
Apr 10, 2002
9,039
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Charlotte, NC
Mar 16, 2004
#12
  • Mar 16, 2004
  • #12
If you want to read about Dexcool, check out the links below. Typical problems are not head gasket related, but related to "brown sludge" that forms in the system. This renders the cooling system ineffective, which frequently leads to overheating and blown head gaskets. The issue isn't a direct interaction between any of the antifreezes and the head gasket.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/gm_dexcool.html
http://www.injuryboard.com/view.cfm/Topic=1095
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/news/7oys/072503_7oys_dexcool.html
http://www.cwcd.com/CM/MassTorts/MassTorts5.asp

Whenever class action suits are considered, it's safe to assume there is some problem with a product. In this case the problem is well documented, although I hadn't heard about any of this when I chose Dexcool for my car. I only had it in my car for a very short period of time before I heard about the problems, and I then flushed it completely out and replaced with traditional Prestone/distilled water. If you're using Dex, I'd switch as soon as you can - and be very careful with the flush. If it's been in your system for more than a year or two, I'd take a close look inside any parts of the system you can for the 'brown sludge'.
 

ninety15.0

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Mar 10, 2004
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0
Mar 16, 2004
#13
  • Mar 16, 2004
  • #13
I think i am actually running a touch over 50% green prestone antifreeze in my car right now....right before i put it away for the winter i got one of the flush kits and i was amazing at the amount of crap, and nasty colored A/F that came out of my radiator. I like that Micheal Yount mentioned that A/F actually rasies the boiling point of the solution and lowers the freezing point, and i also think that the green A/F helps to coat and protect the inside of your cooling system from rusting and corroding. Thats why im running a little more A/F in my solution. But to each his own
 

Bone Racing

New Member
Sep 7, 2003
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Long Island, NY
Mar 16, 2004
#14
  • Mar 16, 2004
  • #14
i use some water, some of the "GM stuff", and some water wetter

the %'s change season to season
 
L

lucas neil

New Member
Feb 17, 2017
2
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1
Mar 31, 2017
#15
  • Mar 31, 2017
  • #15
I am using PRESTONE AF2000 EXTENDED LIFE ANTIFREEZE . You would be hard pressed to find any better antifreeze products in the industry than those made by Prestone. The company name is so strong when it comes to coolant for your vehicle that the name itself is almost synonymous with antifreeze. This is a great product that will do a nice job cooling your engine even under the most extreme conditions . One of the best things about this product is how well it protects your cooling system from corrosion. With its built-in “cor-guard” technology it actually puts a protective layer of coating over you somewhat sensitive cooling system metals to keep them from breaking down under use.
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,281
17,972
224
Massachusetts
Mar 31, 2017
#16
  • Mar 31, 2017
  • #16
Hmm...that almost sounded like a commercial.
 
Reactions: DSB88GT
D

DSB88GT

Active Member
Nov 6, 2016
175
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38
Mar 31, 2017
#17
  • Mar 31, 2017
  • #17
almost???
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,281
17,972
224
Massachusetts
Mar 31, 2017
#18
  • Mar 31, 2017
  • #18
Wonder how much they got paid for that
 
Reactions: DSB88GT

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair
Mod Dude
Aug 25, 2016
27,994
10,621
213
polk county florida
Mar 31, 2017
#19
  • Mar 31, 2017
  • #19
I'm sure the people in this thread appreciate his response, after all they've waited a long enough.
Did they have 'cor-guard' technology back in 2004?
 
Reactions: DSB88GT

mikestang63

SN Certified Technician
Aug 27, 2012
11,606
8,859
214
In the garage
Mar 31, 2017
#20
  • Mar 31, 2017
  • #20
lucas neil said:
I am using PRESTONE AF2000 EXTENDED LIFE ANTIFREEZE . You would be hard pressed to find any better antifreeze products in the industry than those made by Prestone. The company name is so strong when it comes to coolant for your vehicle that the name itself is almost synonymous with antifreeze. This is a great product that will do a nice job cooling your engine even under the most extreme conditions . One of the best things about this product is how well it protects your cooling system from corrosion. With its built-in “cor-guard” technology it actually puts a protective layer of coating over you somewhat sensitive cooling system metals to keep them from breaking down under use.
Click to expand...
 
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