Ethylene, propylene, organic, inorganic, silicates, long life, distilled/demineralized, non-distilled, bolt in zinc/magnesium anodes andwhatnot.
All I found is a ton of conflicting answers.
Some say propylene based doesn't kill your bearings, when it gets into the oil, but it kills your seals on older engines (also silicone form-a-gasket stuff). Some say distilled/demineralized water is corrosive and eats your engine, others say tap water makes deposits and scaling, and that some instructions say to use distilled water.
Everybody says they did this or that for 150 years (pretty much every possible combination) and never had a problem at all, than the mechanics chime in and tell stories about leaking disasters with a certain type of antifreeze, they had to fix all the time etc.
The information you can find online is also all over the place, it's a mess and most of the time a sales pitch.
so... what antifreeze you guys recommend for a 261 with a water heated aluminum intake and original radiator (brass parts).
I try to run the green slimy glycol stuff as originally spec’d. Not because it’s the “best,” but that all the other coolant options and their specific applications/limitations….makes my head hurt.
Curious what others here might say. I’ve done a fair bit of geeking out on engine oils. Haven’t invested any mental energy into coolant.
34 Years. Now with a '61 261, 848 head, Rochester Monojet carb, SM420 4-speed, 4.10 rear, dual reservoir MC, Bendix up front, 235/85R16 tires, 12-volt w/alternator, electric wipers and a modern radio in the glove box.
Ethylene Glycol - the old standby - in every vehicle I own. I mix it 50/50 with distilled water. Brand name doesn't matter.
If you have hard water where you live, never mix it with tap water.
Last edited by Otto Skorzeny; 12/23/20222:52 AM.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
FWIW-my Dad had a '51 Chevy car with the 216. All he ever ran in that car was Prestone mixed with well water. When he shut it down in'61, it had well over 100,000 miles on it and had never had any problems with the cooling system. Having said that, my thinking is like the old cowboy at the dance hall---ya gotta dance with the one what brung ya!
Your owners' manual for your 1941 Chevrolet Sedan (see attached picture). Obviously the technology of antifreeze design has improved since then. Your country will have it's own laws about the composition of coolant allowed. Any recommendation you receive from this website (Stovebolt.com) may not apply for use in Germany. It is your responsibility to investigate for yourself. We at Stovebolt care but we can only give information on what is allowed in the USA.
I found this on a website. It has merit but it's also funny. A designer antifreeze:
Best Antifreeze for All Vehicles: Preston All Vehicles Antifreeze/Coolant Best for Asian Vehicles: Peak Original Equipment Technology Antifreeze Best for GM-Approved Vehicles: Prestone DEX-COOL Antifreeze/Coolant Best for BMW Owners: BMW Antifreeze Best Affordable Antifreeze: Super Tech 50/50 Antifreeze Pre-Mix Best Permanent Coolant Leak Repair: K-Seal ST5501 Multi-Purpose Antifreeze Best Winter Antifreeze for RV and Marine: Super Tech RV and Marine Antifreeze Best for Toyota Cooling System: Toyota Long Life Antifreeze Coolant Best for Honda Engines: Honda Genuine Coolant Best Organic Acid Corrosion Inhibitor: Zerex Original Green Low Silicate
Last edited by buoymaker; 12/24/20225:47 PM.
"Adding CFM to a truck will only help at engine speeds you don't want to use." "I found there was nothing to gain beyond 400 CFM."
34 Years. Now with a '61 261, 848 head, Rochester Monojet carb, SM420 4-speed, 4.10 rear, dual reservoir MC, Bendix up front, 235/85R16 tires, 12-volt w/alternator, electric wipers and a modern radio in the glove box.
Distilled. It removes all the minerals in the water which could cause scale or rust.
Here in Atlanta we have water that is on the soft side without a lot of mineral content so tap water is not too bad.
Distilled water costs about a dollar a gallon though, so I always buy it at the grocery store and mix it with the ethylene glycol concentrate at a 50/50 rate.
On old cars from the <20s - 30s, you're better off with pure water in the summer and water/alcohol mix in the winter. The cooling systems aren't pressurized and some don't have water pumps. The modern antifreeze is too viscous to flow properly so alcohol, is preferred as an antifreeze additive.
1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Any recommendation you receive from this website (Stovebolt.com) may not apply for use in Germany. We at Stovebolt care but we can only give information on what is allowed in the USA.
Actually - besides our local brands - I can buy the same Prestone/Dexcool/Valvoline etc. stuff over here. I don't think there are special/different rules for antifreeze.
Certain formulations of antifreeze are toxic. Some countries are strict about anything that can become an environmental hazard.
All ethylene glycol based antifreeze is toxic (makes a great mouse bait because it has a sweet smell and flavor.) Some places require a bittering agent. Propylene glycol based antifreeze is not toxic.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
