Waterless Coolant??

[Gwylan]

Having just replaced the water pump and cleaned the heat exchanger on our fresh water cooled Volvo 2003 I was wondering.

The water that was left in the system was seriously rusty, despite using anti freeze and coolant inhibitor stuff.
So what about using some of this waterless coolant?

Is it a con?
Will it make a difference?
Is it good for marine diesel engines?

Anyone got any direct experience, good or bar, or informed opinion

It will cost about £100 to buy the necessary cleaning fluid and sufficient coolant to fill the system.

 

[Beyondhelp]

Yep used this in race engines, not in a marine environment. There is no reason why your current engine should be rusty if the coolant is doing its job properly. 20+ year old engines I see still look fine provided they have been looked after.
Waterless coolant will work, but you have to try and get rid of every trace of water for it to be successful. Its quite a strange thing too, since you can remove the rad cap of a hot engine and there will be next to no pressure at all, unlike a water cooled system! It is in my opinion however total over kill and just a good mix of 1:1 water coolant should see you just fine.

 

[MikeBz]

Some waterless coolants have a much lower specific heat capacity (like just over 50%) than water, so are much less effective at cooling. A friend of mine worked for an F1 engine builder for many years - he says they only ever used water as a coolant (with a bit of food dye added to make leak idenfication easy) because it has a much better specific heat capacity than anything else. This may have changed but it was certainly true ~8 years ago.

 

[Beyondhelp]

Just too add to my post above, my experience is first hand and on a 2.0l engine that produced 500hp. Had no problems cooling. But im still of the opinion normal coolant is fine.

 

[vyv_cox]

Use a decent flushing agent to prepare internal surfaces. Go to an automotive factor and ask them for the best stuff they have, rather than using your local car parts shop. Then use a good make antifreeze with inhibitor and all should be well. Change coolant every two years.

 

[David2452]

Change coolant every two years.

And that is probably why the current stuff is rusty, it hasn't been changed often enough, though the A/F properties last, the inhibitant doesnt, mo need for watewrless coolant, just a good flush out and future regular changes.

 

[Pye_End]

The water that was left in the system was seriously rusty, despite using anti freeze and coolant inhibitor stuff.
So what about using some of this waterless coolant?

As a matter of interest, was it an OAT antifreeze?

 

[ffiill]

You need to disconnect all piping to the engine and open the engine drains and hose fresh water through it both downwards and upwards if possible to flush out all the sludge/rust particles.Also do the same with the heat exchanger.
Then fill 50/50.
Because anti freeze is so cheap and I tend to top up with water I drain my system every autumn.