This may be a dumb question, but if distilled water is "hungry" water, wouldn't it eat away at the metal in the engine?

 

The water will not eat anything. The reason for using distilled or dionized water is that there are no metals/minerals in them that will collect on the surface of metals that causes rusting, gumming, and eventually logging the coolant system.

 

The reason the manual says to only add a 50:50 mix is there is no real reason to do this on a clean system. What you did is way over kill and I guess is reasonable if you have all day with nothing to do but it is not necessary unless the system is dirty.

 

You are not supposed to add anything to HOAT.

Somewhere in the 45/55 to 50/50 range. You will get better heat transfer with 45% coolant and 55% water, but a higher freeze point (approx -20*F vs -34*F).. and they do cool very well at 50/50, so it just depends on your weather and your use.

The min coolant per Dodge is 44%.


So only changing ~60% of the coolant is reasonable? It was only a couple hour process, not too bad at all actually.


"If ANY of these apply to you then change your
coolant every 102,000 miles (163 000 km) or 60 months,
whichever comes first"

"Flush and replace engine coolant."


Thats telling you to do more than drain and fill. Drain and fill only changes ~60% of the coolant.

The best reason I can figure it says 50/50 is that the service manual assumes you are draining the coolant for other repairs, not for a coolant service or flush.

 

I'm surprised I haven't heard any mention of coolant filters in this debate.

 

I have one at home that is going on this spring.

 

So considering what you saw/did on your coolant maintenance, would you do anything differently next time after running a filter, or certain type of filter?

What is your plan or strategy for the coolant filter as far as coolant maintenance is concerned?

 

I will do an annual filter change, and keep to the Z-05 service interval (60 months or 150K miles).

The filter is just preventitve, I am not trying to get any more out of the coolant.

Also there are filters with additives, but they are not HOAT additives, so the filter I have is just a filter no chem additive.

 

The supplemental coolant additives found in various coolant filters bear little relationship to the formulations in various ASTM spec D-3306 automotive anti-freeze products on the market, of which Zerex G-05 is just one of many low-silicate HOAT derivitives.

 

Never heard of it, anyone else?

 

It is suppose to increase heat transfer and lower pump load. Probably works as well as magnets on the fuel lines.

 

I guess so but there are many systems on the truck that you do no more then drain and then fill. Basic procedure for the engine and transmissions are just drain and re-fill and there is no way to get out all the contaminates. Do you think it improves the life of the engine, coolant or cooling system using your procedure?

 

Filters are and always have been the best way to get the contaminants out of vehicular fluids - in a real-time, ongoing basis.

 

You don't have to do it this way, it's up to the person, (how **** he is I guess) but I'll be doing like AH when the time comes and you can't compare this to just draining your oil, when you do that you get all the oil, cracking the rad drain and letting it flow you'll only get half the coolant.

Just draining and refilling would be like draining only half your oil and not the filter when doing an oil change.

 

Ace....I just wanted to say it's good to see you back! You were gone for a long time. Even if I don't always agree with everything you say, you have some good insight and advice to offer. Very mechanically inclined! Anyway, welcome back.

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