Overheat?
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,535
From: VA
Originally Posted by krazy13' post='902988' date='Jun 28 2008, 04:13 PM
I was told by a guy at napa that I was recommended to use a coolant with dexcool.
People are actually recommending Deathcool? That's rich. You might want to read this:
http://www.dexcoolsettlement.com/
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,502
From: Canada
Coolant:
Never run 100% coolant. Coolant is intended to be mixed with water to raise the boiling point and lower the freeze point. Coolant also helps protect engine parts, since water (especially tap water) has lots of crap in it. Coolant can NOT cool your car off as fast as plain water. Especially, if the coolant is concentrated, and has no water in it. Phins hit that one on the head, so did Mike.
For the summer, try running 75% Distilled store bought water (which will have no tap crud in it), and 25% typical coolant. Don't worry about the brand, just make sure it's typical coolant, not ELC (the red, extended life coolant). Dexcool is ELC coolant, and strangely enough I was told for some reason, I can't mix dexcool ELC with any other type of ELC (highway truck ELC). Apparently the dexcool ELC is formulated for GM's V8 pickup trucks or something. I don't know much about the dexcool ELC.
In general, to run ELC you have to do cooling system modifications anyways. So forget it for now.
Oh, and make sure both your water temp sensors are properly connected (1 under the oil filter, 2 under the t-stat), I noticed with the OEM ECU that if one was unplugged and the other was still plugged in, the OEM gauge would tell you the car was borderline overheating at operating temperature.
Never run 100% coolant. Coolant is intended to be mixed with water to raise the boiling point and lower the freeze point. Coolant also helps protect engine parts, since water (especially tap water) has lots of crap in it. Coolant can NOT cool your car off as fast as plain water. Especially, if the coolant is concentrated, and has no water in it. Phins hit that one on the head, so did Mike.
For the summer, try running 75% Distilled store bought water (which will have no tap crud in it), and 25% typical coolant. Don't worry about the brand, just make sure it's typical coolant, not ELC (the red, extended life coolant). Dexcool is ELC coolant, and strangely enough I was told for some reason, I can't mix dexcool ELC with any other type of ELC (highway truck ELC). Apparently the dexcool ELC is formulated for GM's V8 pickup trucks or something. I don't know much about the dexcool ELC.
In general, to run ELC you have to do cooling system modifications anyways. So forget it for now.
Oh, and make sure both your water temp sensors are properly connected (1 under the oil filter, 2 under the t-stat), I noticed with the OEM ECU that if one was unplugged and the other was still plugged in, the OEM gauge would tell you the car was borderline overheating at operating temperature.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 50
From: Lompoc, Ca
Ah... makes sense... its just strange that when I mix coolant and water I get white smoke from the hood. Too weird... (I am so glad that I haven't put dexcool in there...) and yes I replaced the thermostat.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 50
From: Lompoc, Ca
OH HUGE NOTE!!! THE GUY AT NAPA SAID THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER (DID I SAY EVER???) MIX DEXCOOL AND ANY OTHER COOLANT BECAUSE IT WILL ACTUALLY CAUSE ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT... or in short... it will electrocute the block... bad...
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,502
From: Canada
Here's something you may not know about coolant:
It can eat the cooling system if left unchanged for a long period of time. The pH balance becomes upset from usage, and it begins to stop protecting the inside surfaces of the block, routing, and hoses, and starts to rot it away. And sometimes, will produce it's own voltage actually. If you find your coolant produces voltage, that's probably the clearest indicator I can think of that it's time to change your coolant. LOL. Just save yourself future hassles and change the coolant regularly like the manufacturer says!
I'm sure the electrostatic discharge this guy was talking about is associated with different pH balances (acidic or basic).
Remember what a battery is? Two dissimilar metals and electrolyte? What's in a battery cell typically? Metals, water and acid?
It can eat the cooling system if left unchanged for a long period of time. The pH balance becomes upset from usage, and it begins to stop protecting the inside surfaces of the block, routing, and hoses, and starts to rot it away. And sometimes, will produce it's own voltage actually. If you find your coolant produces voltage, that's probably the clearest indicator I can think of that it's time to change your coolant. LOL. Just save yourself future hassles and change the coolant regularly like the manufacturer says!
I'm sure the electrostatic discharge this guy was talking about is associated with different pH balances (acidic or basic).
Remember what a battery is? Two dissimilar metals and electrolyte? What's in a battery cell typically? Metals, water and acid?
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