[DarkEraser]

Hi,

I read on the coolent bottle that we need to add 2 parts of water. A quick question came into my mind - What if I didn't added water or added less water say, 25% water and 75% coolent?

What will be the effect of no water or less water added to coolent?

Thanks in advance

[GTO]

Simply because most coolants work best that way; Water is best at heat transfer. Also, I am not sure if the thicker coolant would flow as efficiently as water.

[Thad E Ginathom]

The stuff in the bottle is not really coolant (does it say that on the label? Odd if it does) it is an additive. The water is the coolant.

It's prime purpose in colder climates is as anti-freeze (it isn't fun to get up on a frosty morning to find your engine block has broken!) but it also functions to help prevent rusting.

[amitk26]

Raditor coolent is actually a glycol ( may be mix of various glycols) which lowers the freezing point of liquid ( not vary relevent to India ) and increases the boiling point of water , So by adding coolant you make sure that water does not convert to steam with engine heat and remains in liquid form to carry away heat.
Glycols may not be very efficient in heat transmission so 100% raditor coolant is not recommended.

Originally Posted by DarkEraser

Hi,

I read on the coolent bottle that we need to add 2 parts of water. A quick question came into my mind - What if I didn't added water or added less water say, 25% water and 75% coolent?

What will be the effect of no water or less water added to coolent?

Thanks in advance

[HappyWheels]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The stuff in the bottle is not really coolant (does it say that on the label? Odd if it does) it is an additive. The water is the coolant...

The coolant is an additive. You need to dilute it for its effective working.

[DarkEraser]

Thank you for your input. I will add water to it. Thanks

The stuff in the bottle is not really coolant (does it say that on the label? Odd if it does)

Yep, it says that it's coolent.

[gpa]

Originally Posted by DarkEraser

What will be the effect of no water or less water added to coolent?

Hi DarkEraser,

You're car's cooling system is designed to work best when the coolant is mixed with water in the proportion given. A car's cooling systems are not designed to take in only coolant.

Cheers,

gpa

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by amitk26

Raditor coolent is actually a glycol ( may be mix of various glycols) which lowers the freezing point of liquid ( not vary relevent to India ) and increases the boiling point of water , So by adding coolant you make sure that water does not convert to steam with engine heat and remains in liquid form to carry away heat.
Glycols may not be very efficient in heat transmission so 100% raditor coolant is not recommended.

Glycol mentioned in the statement is Monoethylen glycol which is used as anti freezing agent in coolant[ water etc]. It does not meant that it increases boiling point of water. Both issues are totally different.

[ajith]

On racing tracks, you run pure water. No "coolant" additive. Does that explain which is the active component?

[amitk26]

Boiling point of Ethylene Glycol is 197.60 deg Celcius , Ethylene Glycol is a colligative agent meaning it simultaneously increases the boiling point and reduces the freezing point of the mixture that is why it is relevent to add it in warm climates where temperature never falls to freezing point.

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Glycol mentioned in the statement is Monoethylen glycol which is used as anti freezing agent in coolant[ water etc]. It does not meant that it increases boiling point of water. Both issues are totally different.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Ethylene glycol can begin to breakdown at 230° – 250°F (110° – 121°C). Note that breakdown can occur when the system bulk (average) temperature is below these limits because surface temperatures in heat exchangers and boilers can be locally well above these temperatures.
The major use of ethylene glycol is as an antifreeze in, for example, automobiles and personal computers. Due to its low freezing point, it is also used as a deicing fluid for windshields and aircraft. Ethylene glycol is also commonly used in chilled water air conditioning systems that place either the chiller or air handlers outside, or systems that must cool below the freezing temperature of water.
An ethylene glycol–water mixture can be ignited and burns in an atmosphere of pure low pressure oxygen

The above para indicates that meg is used as antifreeze agent rather than increasing boiling point of water. Normally, meg added in water as antifreeze agent not more than 10%. Meg [ mono ethylene glycol] is toxic to human body and stringent rules are there to handle this material.

In case of car coolant, water is mixed in proportionate to coolant.

[alpha1]

simple thing is that water has got one of the best specific heat capacity.

That means it can absord more heat than other fluids per degree celcius raise in temp per kilogram.
Your cooling system has been designed to use water based on its specific heat capacity.

You put somethign that has probably less than half the water's specific heat. That means to remove same heat, you would require more than double amount of water you used to put.


Hence, don't do it.
Infact running on pure water is pretty acceptable under certain emergecny conditions.

[DarkEraser]

Thank you all for your inputs.

Just FYI:

I am using ZipCool Radiator Coolant. Here is the text written on the bottle:

Mfg by:
Dynamic Engineering Company
India's First ISO 9001 Certified Coolant Company


Product:
Ethandiol based synthetic Long life Engine coolant - antifreeze for water cooled petrol & diesel engines used in cars, LCV's trucks, tractors, earthmoving, gen-sets, marines, industrial engines.

Direction:
Add 2 parts of water

Specification:
ASTM D 3306 read with JIS K 2234

Features:
Anti-corrosive for cast aluminium, cast iron, mild steel, brass, copper and solder.
Hard water stable upto 800ppm hardness as Caco3

[amitk26]

So as per your logic there is no use of adding Ethylene -Glycol in radiator mix in Indian Climate as barring hign altitude in Himalayas temp never drops to freezing point any where , and as pure distilled water is cheaper it will just work fine in radiator.

I see you have quoted from a search result thrown up by Google may be you can search for effect on boiling point.

Breakdown of Ethylene Glycol do happen and that is why life of radiator fluid is about 2 years.

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

The above para indicates that meg is used as antifreeze agent rather than increasing boiling point of water. Normally, meg added in water as antifreeze agent not more than 10%. Meg [ mono ethylene glycol] is toxic to human body and stringent rules are there to handle this material.

In case of car coolant, water is mixed in proportionate to coolant.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by amitk26

So as per your logic there is no use of adding Ethylene -Glycol in radiator mix in Indian Climate as barring hign altitude in Himalayas temp never drops to freezing point any where , and as pure distilled water is cheaper it will just work fine in radiator.
.

I never said that there is no use of ethylene glycol in radiator mix if added at all as coolant.
What i am pointing is if meg added in coolant, then it is added in coolant as antifreeze agent rather than as agent to increase boiling point of water.

Raditor coolent is actually a glycol ( may be mix of various glycols)

but right now, you and me, both don't know whether meg is present in coolant.