Anyone else running a lean coolant mix?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by LAP1DOUG

I had always heard that ethylene glycol has a poor specific heat compared to water. Recently, I found this source confirming the reduced heat capacity of glycol solutions:

http://http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethylene-glycol-d_146.html

So, when I flushed my system out recently after changing to a low temp. thermostat, I mixed up my brew with only 25% Porsche OEM glycol + 12 oz. Red Line Water Wetter + Water.

My test on this mixture indicate a freeze point of about 7F, which should be more than adequate for garage storage in Georgia, and a 14 psig pressure boil point of 258 F, which is only sacrificing about 4 F from the 50% solution pressure boiling point.

I searched on here, but did not find where anyone else was doing this. As I recall, most racing rules require 100% water for ease of track clean-up, but where there are no sanctioning rules to meet, I believe a lean mix is the way to go if your cold weather and storage conditions will allow it.

What you have done is increase the freezing point of the mixture, reduce the level of corrosion protection, shorten the life of the coolant mix, and throw in a useless additive that may further shorten the life of the coolant. I’d also bet you did not use distilled water either, which further exacerbates the shortening of the coolant mix life.

I’m not really sure how any of this is a positive……………