[Rover75]

I've heard just pure water is the best thing you can put in your radiator. Is there any truth in this? Where I live I would never have to worry about freezing. I'm getting ready to change out all hoses and flush radiator a bit. Thanx

 

[disco biscuit]

Its a debatable subject I can tell you that much. To say its better to run straight water first requires distilled water. Prolly knew that. Anti-freeze is the proper term for what most people incorrectly refer to as coolant. Anti freeze actually disperses heat much less efficiently than water this is true. It also has a higher boiling point and lower freeze point. The higher boiling point, in some newer cars, is used to run higher temps with less worry. It works without it but just say it gets close to the 212 boiling point. The thermo in my powerstroke is 204. I dont recall the stock for my disco cause I got the 180° thermo, so i dont care. Point is it is accounted for some in engineering.

Also the mix of chemicals is much less subject to cavitation within the system and also rides on this system much slicker for lack of better explanation. It has more lubricity...lets say.

All that being said. Yes water does cool your engine much more efficently than straight water. Is it better...eehhhh idk. I try to stay close to 20% antifreeze 80% water in TX. But really dont pay much mind to it, I just dump a lil in and mostly add water. It might seem thoughtless but whatever. Beats doin a bunch of math for something that exact science isnt really that important as long as you dont use more than 50% anti freeze. It feels like a waste to have looked all that info up I just rambled when really, now, I could give a **** less. It shouldnt matter with a healthy coolant system.

 

[Disco Mike]

Your engine will run hotter and in the case of our Disco's, the longer the engine stays hotter the greater chance you have of having the glue that holds your sleeves in fail and then you are into some big repairs.

 

[Rover75]

Good info, so I guess I'll drop some antifreeze in there then, I'll just stick with the 50/50 or so. Thanx guys, that was good info. I'm with you disco biscuit, it seems like everything concerning fluids in general in these trucks is highly debatable, backed with a bunch of engineering specs and blah blah

 

[rockinryan96]

I just flushed mine out a few weeks ago when I replaced the water pump. I drained and filled it 4 times each time with the hose filling it to the top of the radiator then running the engine with the Heater full blast until the temp Guage started to climb, the last flush I did i used Prestone Antifreeze/Coolant - Choose your region | Prestone® radiator flush along with water, same process with running the vehicle, then emptied the cooling system the best i could of any cleaner or water left in the system and poured 1 gallon of premixed Dexcool, then I added a bottle of Lucas Super Coolant, then finished filling the radiator with premixed Dexcool until full. My trucks running noticeably cooler. I also removed the two auxiliary fans from the front of my radiator as they were fried and just blocking air flow. Bottom line I highly recommend adding Lucas Super Coolant It Does what it says.:clap:

Super Coolant : Lucas Oil

 

[disco biscuit]

I highly recommend dumping the dexcool out and using a more stable old school anti-freeze. That stuff turns into a terracotta mud sculpture the minute it makes any contact with air or combustion gases. Sometimes with no explainable cause.