Water/anti-freeze ratio make this big of a difference?

281pony

Active Member

Aug 31, 2003

2,681

2

46

Oly, WA

May 26, 2005

#1

• May 26, 2005

• #1

ive been having a problem with my car running hotter then usual and i think i figured it out by accident.

i had probably 85/15 anti-freeze to water ratio in my radiator and the car ran hotter afterwards. now today i added water to it, so it was probably 65/35 now.

the car ran a little warmer, like 3-4 degree's, but it had more consistant temps and didnt heat up as much once it was shut off. ran at 195-200 in 90+ degree stop and go weather, and went to 209-211 once it was shut off. yesterday it went to 222 once shut off via autometer gauge.

so im wondering does the mixture of them make that much of a difference? i always heard 50/50, 60/40, ect. is the ideal mixture, but i never thought it was such a big deal.

ran good enough to play around with a camero entering the freeway even

 

stang22

Active Member

Jan 29, 2003

1,318

7

38

Washington, D.C.

May 26, 2005

#2

• May 26, 2005

• #2

You still run a fan clutch or electric fan?

Coolant takes longer to heat up and longer to cool down. Water heats up faster and cools down quicker. I have always used a 50/50 ratio, which I believe is just about everyones recommendation on a daily driver.

What thermostat are you running? I use a 180 and when I am sitting in traffic my cars temp gauge goes up a little bit, but nothing to worry about. As soon as the thermostat opens, it goes back to normal.

Tim

 

M

mikeflys1

Founding Member

Aug 27, 2002

217

1

0

CT

May 26, 2005

#3

• May 26, 2005

• #3

Antifreeze by itself doesnt carry much heat so it definately makes a difference when you have too much.

 

88_GT_5_oh

Sportin' a turbo 5.0 in Canadistan

Jul 4, 2004

1

0

1

WPG/MB/CA

May 26, 2005

#4

• May 26, 2005

• #4

i run 50/50 give or take.


it doesn't really get so hot that i have to worry about it that much, but in the winter if you don't enough antifreeze (like at least 60%) it will FREEZE up on you, but thats why we have block heater i guess

 

281pony

Active Member

Aug 31, 2003

2,681

2

46

Oly, WA

May 26, 2005

#5

• May 26, 2005

• #5

stock fan, stock radiator, unknown thermostat really. im going to replace it soon with a 180 so i know for sure.

thats interesting though, i never read or thought about the coolant much. ill have to mix it next time i drain the radiator. maybe sooner rather then later, it is finally getting hot outside here.

 

88_GT_5_oh

Sportin' a turbo 5.0 in Canadistan

Jul 4, 2004

1

0

1

WPG/MB/CA

May 26, 2005

#6

• May 26, 2005

• #6

if its an unknow t-stat replace it with a 180, around here i change my t-stat every fall and every spring cause in the winter i like to run a 192 so it heats up nicely, and really doesn't get a chance to get much hotter than 190 anyway, and i 180 in the sumemr so it cools off better. this is in my tempo BTW i did this when i winter drove the stang as well for that one winter

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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129

May 26, 2005

#7

• May 26, 2005

• #7

water transfers heat 2.6 times better than E/G antifreeze.

 

89MustangGX

I have nothing productive to add!

Jul 3, 2001

10,262

1

0

Mill Creek, WA

May 28, 2005

#8

• May 28, 2005

• #8

HISSIN50 said:

water transfers heat 2.6 times better than E/G antifreeze.

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Thank you! I have always known it was better, but never knew exactly how much.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

34

129

May 28, 2005

#9

• May 28, 2005

• #9

89MustangGX said:

Thank you! I have always known it was better, but never knew exactly how much.

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