Zan? coolant selection

Ventodue

Ventodue

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Location
France
(With apologies if you've also picked this up off the Yahoo! List ...)

Has anyone got any strong advice about what coolant to use?  Last time I changed it, I just went and bought some standard concentrate and diluted it as per the manual.  But now all I seem able to find off the shelf is 'Ready-to-Use' stuff, with no indication of  what level of concentrate it's at ...

Any thoughts appreciated.

TIA

Craig
 
I work on Honda cars for a liviing and can recommend the Honda genuine coolant.It is safe on aluminum stuff and seems to have good lubricant qualities too even if it is left in too long. It doesn't seem to turn to mud or dissolve the alloys like some coolants used to.That said,I would imagine most all of the modern coolants are about the same due to the common use of aluminum blocks and heads these days.
 
wdietz186 said:
I work on Honda cars for a liviing and can recommend the Honda genuine coolant.It is safe on aluminum stuff and seems to have good lubricant qualities too even if it is left in too long. It doesn't seem to turn to mud or dissolve the alloys like some coolants used to.That said,I would imagine most all of the modern coolants are about the same due to the common use of aluminum blocks and heads these days.
Click to expand...
Ta.  The lubricant and non-corrosive qualities are my main concern - very little chance of freezing down here.  Any idea what chemical it is?  And does it comes as a concentrate or ready for use?

Cheers

Craig
 
Hi Craig,

I can add a little to wdietz186's Honda suggestion. I worked in cooling system design at Longbridge during the Honda marriage years and Honda would not let us use our 'normal' coolant for the V6 Honda engine fill (Rover Sterling!). The reasons were down to reaction/corrosion with the alu alloy Honda use(d) in their motors. I cant remember the specific chemical concerns though, sorry, it's now a long time ago. Paul.
 
Craig, It comes pre-mixed and the listed contents are Ethylene Glycol,Diethelene Glycol and water as listed on the jug. I'm sure there are additional things in it but it is probably a trade secret. The water might be distilled or something to assure purity and lack of dissolved minerals/acids etc. Back when I worked on Fiats and Alfas they would come in with holes eaten through the cyl. head water passages due to reaction with some of the coolants used back in the early 80's. 
 
for the alfa market sacrificial magnesium anodes were/are available to fit into the block
whatever eats the aluminum goes for the magnesium and leaves the alloi alone...
at least until the magnesium is gone

i think the salt water boaters use a zinc anode for the same purpose

GM went to a red coolant with similar properties of the Honda stuff
 
Thanks guys.  I hadn't expected it to be so complicated - altho', to be honest, I feared it might!  The Zan? Workshop Manual gives no specification for the coolant, saying just 'Antifreeze' (it doesn't matter which version you read - it's the same word in Italian, English and French  ;)) + distilled water.

From what I read on Tinternet, ethylene glycol is the traditional antifreeze - the sweet-tasting stuff, like what the Austrians used to put in their wine  :D.  But it being poisonous, propylene glycol is what's used if you're trying to be 'green'. Or simply not poison people/dogs/cats/rats etc.

Which is all jolly interesting, but doesn't really resolve the question: is pre-mix really so much different from diluted concentrate?  (I rather suspect not; but me, I know nuttin' ...)

Ciao

Craig
 
Craig,

The higher the water content, the better the cooling properties.... will freeze earlier when temps drop, though.

Race bikes are rquired to use water only, slippery enough if it's spilled on the track, anti-freeze is VERY slippery.

So, it's up to you really to determine how much corrosion/anti-freeze protection you want/need and what cooling properties you expect.  VW specifies G12 or G12++ coolant for their alloy motors, undiluted good for freeze protection down to -40?C, a far cry from what you would expect in the Provence.... :D

piet
 
Most all of the pre mixed coolants seem to be good to at least -20F and if you are out in colder weather than that I'd think solid coolant will be the least of your worries.If you use distilled water using any of the alu. safe coolants will be OK,as tap water quality varies as to dissolved minerals and stuff depending on how processed it is.
 
Craig - based on a misspent youth with Hillman Imp (aluminium) engines....I was told by a factory engineer that a 50/50 antifreeze/purified water mix was optimum. Higher or lower concentrations would result in increased corrosion.  Have followed that advice with other w/c engines ever since with no adverse effect.
 
brad
a man after my own heart,the hillman imp engine(coventry climax)what a wonderful engine and little car,far better than the mini
neale
 
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