Doesn't hurt to do a test. I found out the hard way, and probably in time, of what electrolysis can do in your engine.

I couldn't find any pH strips, bought a digital one instead. Checked it out on my Charger...pH @ 7.2 (Highly corrosive)...I checked it on my buddy's Roadrunner... pH @ 8.4 (nominal)

Now I need to flush my entire system...Apparently we need a pH @ 10 in the cooling system as I have read.

pH of 7 is neutral. pH of 8.2 is slightly alkaline, caustic or basic. pH of 10 is in the range of higher levels of being basic or caustic. Engine coolant should be in the upper range of the 9's to 10 and stay on the basic side of 7 to compensate for the acid being created by dissimilar metals. the pH scale goes from very acidic 1 (eg. sulfuric acid) to 7 neutral (eg. water) to 14 very basic (eg.sodium hydroxide).

You can use a digital voltmeter to check your coolant for both unwanted electrolysis and worn out or contaminated corrosion protection.

This is from Automotive Engineer Ray T. Bohacz's book "Engine Cooling Systems".

Step 1 is to make sure no electrical unit is routing current through the coolant in search of a ground.

Connect the voltmeter negative lead to the car battery positive and submerge the voltmeter positive lead in the coolant without it touching anything. Set the voltage scale to a low reading. Look for a voltage increase when each electrical component is turned on: starter motor, ignition switch, lights, brake lights, blower motor, etc. Defective grounds are most commonly found in the starter motor and electric cooling fans mounted in plastic frames. Correct any faulty grounds.

If no faulty ground of any electrical device is detected, then Step 2 is to look for worn out or contaminated coolant. With the voltmeter connected as mentioned above, there should be a reading of not more than 0.10 volt (1/10th volt) in cars with aluminum blocks or heads. Cars with cast iron blocks and cylinder heads and copper/brass radiators should read not more than 0.2 volts.

If readings are near or greater than above, reconnect the voltmeter as follows. Disconnect both battery cables. Connect the negative lead of the voltmeter to battery negative. Submerge the voltmeter positive lead in the coolant and not touching anything. With the battery disconnected, the voltmeter reading should be zero. If any voltage is detected, the coolant is worn out or contaminated and should be flushed.

According to Bohacz, 50/50 green ethylene glycol should last 3 years in a light duty, low mileage application, less in a heavy duty application like towing. Most glycol comes from either Dow or DuPont, and the price difference among antifreeze brands is mainly from the cost of the important additives.

Commonly accepted voltage in the automotive repair industry is .3 volts. You'll even see that number required for warranty in boxes of replacement radiators and heater cores. Also published in trade magazines consistantly.

If you go check a bunch of daily drivers with aluminum heads or block you'll find a bunch with over .1 volts that are in fine shape. And some of those won't get there after flushing. That number seems a little too lofty and unrealistic.

That said. I have less than .1 volt in my Barracuda (.076 volts). I run distilled water, one bottle of Justice Brothes Super Radiator Cooler, one bottle of Justice Brothers Cooling System Protector. They contain SCA's, wetting agents, acid neutralizers, lubrication. No Anti-Freeze.

I don't believe Ray T Bohacz is an engineer of any sort. He is a tech writer and farmer. He is very good at digesting information and producing lucid, readable copy. Having read this and other bulletin boards over the years, and with the egregious lack of quality writing in some of the car mags, Ray T Bohacz's writing abilities are well appreciated.

Where I get off the bandwagon is the quality of the information. It seems to me that there is no level of discernment in what he writes. Most of it is neatly packaged information from whichever manufacturer is being discussed, or more than one manufacturer if a product category is being discussed.

Just my .

R.

The picture I posted above was taken 6/9/2012. I had to remove the raditor to make a fan shroud on 7/22/2012 (Making Shroud Pic by Pic) So I drained and refilled the distilled water and Justice Brothers additive.

Just went out and did an electrolysis test on the Barracuda. About 2 years since last drain and refill....

This is distilled water, one bottle of Justice Brothers Super Radiator Cooler, one bottle of Justice Brothers Cooling System Protector. They contain SCA's, wetting agents, acid neutralizers, lubrication. No Anti-Freeze.

So just 1/2 hour ago it measured 35.6 mV. Or .036 volts.

I may have to buy two bottles of each when I am stateside in a few weeks and ship it here by boat. Summit won't ship either of those to me.

Running those three fluids together. How hot does your temp gauge read? do you run your car hard? I remember assembling this engine 14 yrs ago....all the time in Southern Cali I was always at 160ºF on my gauge.....I have seen 240ºF over here...so something funky is happening.

I did manage to find pure Ethylene Glycol here, waiting to hear back on a price.

The mixture of Protectant, Super Radiator Cooler, and Distilled water...Do you still change it out every two years despite your mileage? Should I drain the block every winter since I don't usually drive her for those 4 months of heavy cold?

I use Fleetguard DCA4 in my N14 Cummins if the test strips say the coolant needs attention over and above what my precharged filter provides. Usually needs it after a complete flush of the system depending on the water used. I have used distilled water and had to dose it heavily to get it in spec and I have used tap water and it tested fine as is.

If it can keep a diesel cooling system happy, it should be effective in a gas engine. IIRC about $10 a bottle at my Navistar dealer but it has been years since I had to buy any.

http://www.cumminsfiltration.ca/html/en/products/cooling/coolant/supp_add.html

I think it is has similar properties as Water Wetter as the anti cavitation additive (liner pitting)changes the surface tension of water to prevent pitting.

Kevin

Good stuff

This is good info. Thanks internet!

I agree, good info, and I will share it (in distilled fashion) in my club newsletter.

Just to repost this cause the attachments from the old board are hard to see.....

Here is a part of an extensive technical article in the April 2014 issue of Motor Age (top 2 automotive repair trade magazine) that says .3 volts max.

Anti Freeze mix itself ONLY raises the boiling point 13 degrees at a 50/50 mix. And ONLY 8 degrees at 30% mix.

If you radiator cap looses just 2 lbs of pressure, you lose 14 degrees of boiling point and more than you get total from 50/50 Anti Freeze. Your radiator pressure cap raises you cooling system's boiling point 48 degrees with a 16 lbs radiator cap.

Check your radiator cap performance and system for pressure leaks! It's MUCH more important in regards to overheating than anti freeze.

The heat capacity is basically how much heat energy the coolant can carry out of the engine and to the radiator.

As far as carrying heat goes, water does a really good job. It's actually one of the most effective coolants that could possibly be used.

The specific heat capacity of ethylene glycol is only about 65% of water at the temperatures seen in a cooling system.

If you choose to run staight water to get a little extra help in cooling. Use water without the minerals. Like Reverse Osmosis or Distilled.

Then run a cooling system addtive that reduces electrolysis, anti corrosion, reduces surface tension, neutualizes pH, and lubricates the water pump.

All additive will reduce the boiling point some too as they car chemical solutes in the waters (8th grade chemistry)

Here's a very throrough performance test of cooling system additives:

http://www.turbomagazine.com/features/0703_turp_cooling_system_additives/viewall.html

Table of results:

This how-to article also says .3volts max:

http://www.ve-labs.net/electrolysis-101/how-to-test