Recommended coolant additive?
- Thread starter Joe Mason
- Start date
Are you boosted?
If not, flush your coolant with new coolant and you're good. Any additive on a stock motor is a waste of money... If your motor runs TOO cold, it can actually do more harm than good...
If you're boost, now that's a different story...
If not, flush your coolant with new coolant and you're good. Any additive on a stock motor is a waste of money... If your motor runs TOO cold, it can actually do more harm than good...
If you're boost, now that's a different story...
Can you elaborate on the whole good/bad thing.. and the boosted thing..
Not boosted here, but I can still see a long term benefit to the motor running 10-20 degrees cooler.
Your ECU and sensors alter the way the car runs based on operating temperatures. Running too cold could affect gas mileage, idle and overall performance. If you have issues with cooling on a stock application, coolant additives should NOT be your first choice in fixing it. You more than likely have other things going on to look for.
On boosted applications, heat is the enemy and it should be watched for. I've personally used and liked the Mishimoto radiator chill additive. It dropped rad temps down by about 4-8 degrees.
On boosted applications, heat is the enemy and it should be watched for. I've personally used and liked the Mishimoto radiator chill additive. It dropped rad temps down by about 4-8 degrees.
You're misconstruing that a bit. Heat is the enemy on boosted applications because the vehicles are tuned and run within much more sensitive parameters. Some builds walk the line of precision timing changes for specific fuel types, and heat could cause detonation where it would be extremely unforgiving. Stock engines with stock ecu's are more tolerant to heat (to an extent). Being under normal operating temperatures causes sensors and the ECU to think something is wrong and they will compensate for it. Be it erratic idle, gas mileage or unwanted performance changes.
Sure, I understand what you're saying about tuned motors, etc. I guess I just fail to see the potential harm. Going through my head I can only think of benefits even on a stock motor. I was just curious so thanks for your opinion. I may do test for myself and who knows what I'll find?
@A]]Th!ngSound hit it right on the head. 
To better answer your question in your OP, I'd say the better things to do to help with heat in the summer are:Sure, I understand what you're saying about tuned motors, etc. I guess I just fail to see the potential harm. Going through my head I can only think of benefits even on a stock motor. I was just curious so thanks for your opinion. I may do test for myself and who knows what I'll find?
- Hood risers (cheap and easy thing, BWR makes good sets that I recommend)
- Getting a lower temp thermostat from Mishimoto/Toda etc.
- Upgrading your factory radiator to a bigger core ( I don't recommend going cheap here. Cheap cores from cheap companies can break welds and have pinhole leaks)
- Upgrade your factory fan to a high to extreme performance Spal fan. 1700 cfm fans can cool most anything including high-temp turbo application problems.
- Flush and clean your coolant system. Use good coolant and a measured split of water/coolant.
- Keep your engine bay clean. (Like taking a shower keeps your body feeling cooler in the summer because you don't have a film of dirt and oil on covering your pores. Your engine feels the same way!)
Whole lot of mis-information here
By all means... share in the discussion.
Theres way too much to type to educate all of you.
Your views on boost is completely wrong.
And what happens in cold climate where the Tstat is closed and your getting engine coolant temps at 2 digit temps?
Cars are designed to run in these colder climates from factory and yes, even when boosted.
Joe Mason, in reality, just keep the coolant clean, 180-190*F is the normal operating temp. you dont want to go over 210-215*F
The lower temp switch mentioned just lets the fan kick on earlier then the OEM switch thus bringing down temps.
But if your on the hwy, the fan stays off as cool air does the cooling.. So in reality, for a street car, its not worth the $$ theyre asking.
Your views on boost is completely wrong.
And what happens in cold climate where the Tstat is closed and your getting engine coolant temps at 2 digit temps?
Cars are designed to run in these colder climates from factory and yes, even when boosted.
Joe Mason, in reality, just keep the coolant clean, 180-190*F is the normal operating temp. you dont want to go over 210-215*F
The lower temp switch mentioned just lets the fan kick on earlier then the OEM switch thus bringing down temps.
But if your on the hwy, the fan stays off as cool air does the cooling.. So in reality, for a street car, its not worth the $$ theyre asking.
If it's too much to type, could you provide a link to where this information is discussed that explains otherwise? I'm genuinely curious now.
What do you want to know?
Ok, since I covered normal cars under NA, might as well hit you with some knowledge with the boost.
Your describing IAT's and fuel ^^ up there which has no merit on engine temp.
first off, boosted cars nowadays aren't like the inferior versions of 10-15 yrs ago.
The ECU and tuning software dictates when the fan should be turned on. it can be programmed at stock setting or lower or higher.. its whatever you want it to be.
Your theory on boost is wrong because of this and mostly this: AFR
The AFR in OEM trim tries to stay around 14.7. As well know, higher than 14.7 creates a lean effect. Burning leaner also generates more heat.
Boosted cars run on the rich side. 11.5-11.9 some even in the 12's. As we just learned, lean burns hotter and rich burns cooler. So theres no added heat from the cylinder walls. In fact, its greater than NA cars as the intercooler probably lowers the IAT's lower than what NA cars are reading.
Sometimes kids who like to rest their downpipe on the radiator experience higher temps. Guess why!?
But having an engine at lower temps has nothing to do with how it operates. Ever hear the term temp winter time is boosting weather?
Most street boost set ups are closed loop with wideband telling the ECU to adjust the parameters for IAT's. Not too many open loop tunes out there unless theyre full blown race cars (or kids who just buy the ebay kit with no gauges, crappy tunes, and dont research how things should really be done). Thx to pioneers like NepTune and Hondata for adding all the goodies for the street people.
Your describing IAT's and fuel ^^ up there which has no merit on engine temp.
first off, boosted cars nowadays aren't like the inferior versions of 10-15 yrs ago.
The ECU and tuning software dictates when the fan should be turned on. it can be programmed at stock setting or lower or higher.. its whatever you want it to be.
Your theory on boost is wrong because of this and mostly this: AFR
The AFR in OEM trim tries to stay around 14.7. As well know, higher than 14.7 creates a lean effect. Burning leaner also generates more heat.
Boosted cars run on the rich side. 11.5-11.9 some even in the 12's. As we just learned, lean burns hotter and rich burns cooler. So theres no added heat from the cylinder walls. In fact, its greater than NA cars as the intercooler probably lowers the IAT's lower than what NA cars are reading.
Sometimes kids who like to rest their downpipe on the radiator experience higher temps. Guess why!?
But having an engine at lower temps has nothing to do with how it operates. Ever hear the term temp winter time is boosting weather?
Most street boost set ups are closed loop with wideband telling the ECU to adjust the parameters for IAT's. Not too many open loop tunes out there unless theyre full blown race cars (or kids who just buy the ebay kit with no gauges, crappy tunes, and dont research how things should really be done). Thx to pioneers like NepTune and Hondata for adding all the goodies for the street people.
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So are you saying that detonation is not affected by engine coolant temps? I just want to make sure that's what you're telling us.
Detonation is reletive to the type of fuel, timing, and fuel map and IAT's .. Its pre-ignition. How would coolant temps (even lower coolant temps is what your saying) even factor into it?
So what your saying.. If an engine is at 190* and tuned for 190*, If its cold outside (or using some magic-s**t-in-a-bottle) and engine temps are 140*, this will induce detonation?
Doesnt make sense.
And BTW, The engine is cooled from the inside. a little dirt on the block isnt going to factor into any added cooling benefit.
EDIT:
Joe Mason, Going back to your 1st post, since I'm in Florida,I dont need anti-freeze. I used distilled water with Redline Water-Wetter as it has anti-corrosive properties. Water absorbs heat better than ant-freeze/coolant but distilled is the best to use. I didnt see any reduction as my fan kicks on at a specified temp (I think I set it for 160*)
But if you in freezing conditions, use the proper antifreeze.
Doesnt make sense.
And BTW, The engine is cooled from the inside. a little dirt on the block isnt going to factor into any added cooling benefit.
EDIT:
Joe Mason, Going back to your 1st post, since I'm in Florida,I dont need anti-freeze. I used distilled water with Redline Water-Wetter as it has anti-corrosive properties. Water absorbs heat better than ant-freeze/coolant but distilled is the best to use. I didnt see any reduction as my fan kicks on at a specified temp (I think I set it for 160*)
But if you in freezing conditions, use the proper antifreeze.
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https://www.tricktuners.com/detonation_explained.htm
3rd paragraph.
Now you're trying to say that dirt and oil covering a surface doesn't trap heat in? This is fairly basic common sense. Dust building up on a heatsink for a CPU degrades its ability to dissipate heat for example. Dirt/grime/oil all over an engine is proven to increase temperatures because it reduces the metal's ability to release it to the air easily.