coolant ratio

Hey guys just did a coolant flush...just drained the radiator and did this three times using distilled water. I then refilled with 50-50 but it seems very thin, so I'm gonna get some concentrate! So how much water is left in the system when the radiator has been drained?? Im trying to get my coolant to water ratio correct.

 

Just use the 50/50. There is no specific consistency, it just needs to cool the engine and not freeze in the winter.

 

yep, it actually cools better when 50/50 because water cools better then straight antifreeze so all the antifreeze is there for is anticorrosion and freeze protection.

you need to mix it 50/50 weather you mix it yourself or buy it that way but if you sleep better at night then add some straight antifreeze to it to get more color. you will have a little more anticorrosion but less cooling but we are talking amounts you would never notice without a temperature gage so its just numbers on a chart somewhere showing the differences.

I used to use straight antifreeze all the time until I was finally "educated" about it and then my engine temps dropped 5 degrees when I went to 50/50. that might not sound like a lot but in the middle of summer it is a big difference.

I am like you, I think it looks anemic too but you just have to trust that it is the right mixture.

 

Make sure you take a close look at the antifreez bottle. They are also saleing that stuff premixed these days. It seems like a good price untill you notice that it's half water!

 

Yeah I did use a 50-50 pre mix but it seemed there was a lot of straight water left in the block and the heater. So when I filled with 50-50 and checked after running it, it was like straight water darn near, couldn't hardly tell there was any color to it! I just don't want that shit to freeze ya know? In my first post when I stated it looks pretty thin I meant the coolant in the system after adding 50-50... not the pre mix its self.

 

its always best if you just don't know if you got all the water out, is to run the engine with the heater on (because people forget it needs to circulate out the water as well), and use a whole gallon of straight antifreeze to refill it from being empty then add water from there if you need to top it off. this takes care of any water pockets trapped anywhere and you are sure to have a stronger mix then a weaker mix. that said its best to be sure its close to a 50/50 for summer so I would drain the radiator (with engine off) and refill with straight 50/50 then.

if im just refilling after changing thermostat or something like that I just use the premix 50/50 stuff.

 

Yep just put some straight antifreeze in. I would get a gallon jug, drain it into that so you know that's how much you drained, and put a gallon of pure antifreeze in. Done. That should just about even it out by the sound of it. Then save that stuff you drained for future 'topping off' since its still useable. No point in tossing that. Unless it's turns out to be reaaly dark in color then just use straight distilled water when topping off. But it would be better to have a little more antifreeze than water if anything since you're in Oregon.