Block heater as preventive measure in extreme cold

[richard5933]

Excellent report!

Now, where's my glass?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

I'm about to pour some of the good stuff. Door's always open!

[lvmci]

What about the red waterless antifreeze, I was told not to add any water if it ran short, are there, do the testers work on that stuff? lvmci...

[chessie4905]

Take a sample of coolant. Put it in a small jar with a screw on lid. Check it on your coldest morning. If it is slushly, plug in your block heater. It has to drop lower for the mixture to freeze solid.

[richard5933]

What about the red waterless antifreeze, I was told not to add any water if it ran short, are there, do the testers work on that stuff? lvmci...

Not sure what you mean here. Are you talking about the red stuff sold in the farm stores for diesel engines which is premixed (no need to add additional water) or something else?

If the premix, then the tester or test strips should work just the same from what I can see.

Or are you talking about something else altogether?

[chessie4905]

Maybe he is talking about Evans waterless coolant. It doesn't use any water. Supposed to be better than sliced bread. (Expensive sliced bread).


https://www.evanscoolant.com

[lvmci]

Different, it's not water soluble, it's been out for a short while, better in hot climates, Clifford do you know the name brand? lvmci...

[richard5933]

At $50+ per gallon, I agree about the expensive part. Also agree that the protection is better suited to hot climates with freeze protection only down to -40 degrees. That would barely cover the coming week.

Never had heard of this. I wonder if it's going to become more and more common. If it does, I bet the price will come down quickly.

[chessie4905]

Its been around for at least 10 years. Hot climates? How about when a Detroit hits 210° and climbing on a long grade in the summer time? Not for me though. Too rich for my use.

[buswarrior]

Fancy coolants not going in my engine unless I have writing from the laboratories that it meets my engine manufacturers standards.

SCA package, corrosion inhibit, anti-freeze, boil over...

Cooling problems need hardware maintenance or upgrade, not a juice bandaid.

But, roll your own, that's what keeps us all...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[sledhead]

here's a tester that claims to go down to -60 f
look at the unit not there description

https://www.amazon.com/E-Z-Red-S102-Anti-Freeze-Hydrometer/dp/B000JFL7RG/ref=pd_day0_hl_263_4/144-4790431-0829230?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000JFL7RG&pd_rd_r=8c8a2b27-223f-11e9-b211-f3dfa78d1ad5&pd_rd_w=8QnaY&pd_rd_wg=pQHLb&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=391RCG3N8J2EH2P5TEJY&psc=1&refRID=391RCG3N8J2EH2P5TEJY

[Jim Blackwood]

I'd hesitate to use that Evans stuff in a bus. Aside from the cost, it is not as effective in transferring heat (not that they want to admit that) and it's main advantages are that it doesn't evaporate and it doesn't boil until it gets much hotter. (Note also, some engines are not happy running hotter whether they boil or not.) Mostly used in collector cars and museums where they can put it in and forget it's there for 50 years.

Jim

[dtcerrato]

We been running standard Prestone antifreeze in the bus since 79. If I changed to what 21st century literature tells us, wouldn't really know why after all those issue free years. Da early book really doesn't get into specifics. So leave well enough alone...

[richard5933]

here's a tester that claims to go down to -60 f
look at the unit not there description

https://www.amazon.com/E-Z-Red-S102-Anti-Freeze-Hydrometer/dp/B000JFL7RG/ref=pd_day0_hl_263_4/144-4790431-0829230?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000JFL7RG&pd_rd_r=8c8a2b27-223f-11e9-b211-f3dfa78d1ad5&pd_rd_w=8QnaY&pd_rd_wg=pQHLb&pf_rd_p=ad07871c-e646-4161-82c7-5ed0d4c85b07&pf_rd_r=391RCG3N8J2EH2P5TEJY&psc=1&refRID=391RCG3N8J2EH2P5TEJY

I splurged today and ordered a $20 refractometer. Supposed to be the gold standard for testing things like coolant. I was interested to see how it works and will report back.

[luvrbus]

We been running standard Prestone antifreeze in the bus since 79. If I changed to what 21st century literature tells us, wouldn't really know why after all those issue free years. Da early book really doesn't get into specifics. So leave well enough alone...
[/quote

When the book was written they were not many different types anitfreeze the Cummins engines used a specific anti freeze and was good stuff FWIW not being a huge fan of Prestone I used it in the Detroits,antifreeze,oils,fluids,grease and fuel all have changed lol I know you are not using No.1 fuel  8)Detroits prefered fuel