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winter antifreeze question

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sammi

Regular Contributor
I have always used prestone antifreeze for winter layup in my fresh water cooled Crusaders(454). I try to reclaim as much as I can in the spring but you still can't get it all so I am switching to proply glycol this year. My problem is the pink stuff is only good to +12-14 degress. But has a burst temp of -50. Even the purple stuff is only good to +9. It gets to zero plenty often where I live. What's the story with burst temp and freeze temp? Good old Prestone was good to -34.
 
The yards around here 'banned' any EG products for winterizing ages ago; you must be out well beyond 'civilization'.

Must understanding came from a CAMCO (sp?) flyer they made years ago. the -50 product will start to solidify ~ +12 F and will be pretty solid ~ -10 F. The thing that makes it acceptable is the physical properties of the PG. Unlike water, it doesn't expand when it freezes. The temp where expansion occurs (or has exceeded the acceptable amount) is termed the burst point.

The trick to making it all work is to NOT dilute the pink stuff. Adding water to it alters the properties discussed above. I've never checked on how much is too much but can say in the 20+ years of using the pink stuff, never had any problems when draining the system and then filling it with the pink fluid.

If you are still leary of the -50 products, many vendors offer a -100 product - usually with a hefty premuim.
 
sammi said:
I have always used prestone antifreeze for winter layup in my fresh water cooled Crusaders(454).
Click to expand...
Would you define Fresh Water cooling?
I ask because there seems to be some general confusion across the country, as to the term "Fresh Water Cooling" being used to describe both "Raw Water" cooling and "Closed System" cooling!

In some parts of the world, Fresh Water cooling = Closed System cooling!
I have not quite understood how there is anything FRESH about Ethylene Glycol and H2O. :rolleyes:

So if put into perspective..... is your engine Raw Water cooled, or Closed System cooled?

If Closed System Cooled, then aren't you using a correct mixture now?
 
Sorry, I don't know what I was thinking. I meant raw water cooled. Lake water goes through the whole engine.
 
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