Engine Ice Coolant

[PNW FRS]

I've run Engine Ice in my water-cooled big-displacement motorcycle and had great results.

Anyone have experience -- or insights -- on using it as a replacement for the OEM coolant?

http://www.engineice.com/f-a-q.html

[bimmer635csi]

I wouldn't use it, but it is worth noting that there are other propylene glycol coolants in the world. For example: http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...tifreeze-1-gal

Engine Ice's website isn't 100% factual. The most glaring falsity on there is that OEM's manufacture ethylene glycol. No OEM in North America manufactures coolant (they purchase it) and none are using glycol-based coolants anymore. They've all switched to OAT based coolants.

Hope that helps.

[PNW FRS]

Originally Posted by bimmer635csi

I wouldn't use it, but it is worth noting that there are other propylene glycol coolants in the world. For example: http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...tifreeze-1-gal

Engine Ice's website isn't 100% factual. The most glaring falsity on there is that OEM's manufacture ethylene glycol. No OEM in North America manufactures coolant (they purchase it) and none are using glycol-based coolants anymore. They've all switched to OAT based coolants.

Hope that helps.

Thanks. Quite a large price differential ($8/gal.) compared to "Ice."

[Black Tire]

Here is another propylene glycol antifreeze:

AMSOIL Antifreeze and Engine Coolant

[J_kennington]

Haven't used it in a car. But it made a world of a difference on my yz250r.

[rx3]

The most effective coolant would be pure water without any antifreeze (assuming temperatures don't fall below 0 C). As water has a higher heat capacity and a lower viscosity than propylene glycol or ethylene glycol: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pr...col-d_363.html

[bimmer635csi]

Originally Posted by rx3

The most effective coolant would be pure water without any antifreeze (assuming temperatures don't fall below 0 C). As water has a higher heat capacity and a lower viscosity than propylene glycol or ethylene glycol: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/pr...col-d_363.html

What does viscosity have to do with coolant properties? Water vapor has extremely low viscosity, but it is a horrible coolant.

Also, did you notice how the boiling point goes up as you have an increase in the percent propylene glycol in solution? This is a good point for a coolant system. It is known as a colligative property. Water vapor has an extremely poor heat capacity compared to a 50% solution of liquid water and glycol.

You may be thinking "race cars run water, so it must be better". This is because the tracks don't want to clean up the environment every time a car pops a radiator. If there is only water in the cooling system, there is no clean up required.

[rx3]

I don't know what race cars run on - I'm just an engineer who presented a fact.

A lower viscosity cooling liquid will reduce pressure loss and less pressure loss leads to a higher flow rate = faster exchange of heat. And a lower viscosity cooling liquid has a more turbulent flow profile = faster exchange of heat.

Undoubtedly water is only a superior coolant in its liquid form (not as vapor). At least thanks to the fact that the cooling system is pressurized the boiling temperature is increased.