Trouble measuring anti freeze strength

M

mleder

Senior Member
Like to hear your experiences. Today at work we began to get ready for a Minnesota winter. We like to run a 50/50 mixture of anti freeze to get to somewhere near -35 protection. Decided for some reason to check the 5 different antifreeze testing gauges. One small Napa floating balls, one small Auto zone floating balls, 1 Prestone brand oval shaped gauge with a plumb (vertical) measure pointer and a protection pointer. A copy of the Prestone style purchased from Harbor Freight and one large floating tablet type syringe. The floaters were all kind of similar in reading, the Prestone style similar to each other but way different from the floaters , Example floaters on one truck measure -10 Prestone style -35+. In Minnesota 25 degrees is a big difference. Measurement were done in warmed up system and gauges were rinsed in warm clean water before and after testing. Took it one further and took 5oz. of clean water at around 100 degrees and mixed 6 oz. of new ethylene glycol (green stuff) took readings and still floating balls still like -15 and Prestone style was near -25. According to the manufacture of the antifreeze it should have been like greater than -34. So What gauge do you use?. What would you believe?. The floaters would have like 3 balls all the way floating and one laying on the bottom and one semi floating 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. I know the easy way is to start from zero and flush and fill from empty but these are industrial radiators that hold a lot of anti freeze $$
 
Have you tried a refractometer? These are expensive but supposed to be more accurate. These are the ones where you put a drop of coolant on the "business end" and look through an eyepiece. These is a definite light/dark line at the freezing point. They usually have two scales, one for ethylene glycol and one for propylene glycol.
They are also made for testing specific gravity of battery acid. Tool trucks, NAPA, Caterpillar dealers should have them.
 
my experience with the types with the balls has been very poor. They are very inconsistent.
I persoanlly feel the
"Prestone brand oval shaped gauge with a plumb (vertical) measure pointer and a protection pointer."
is the best. See what Mitch says.
Why did you mix 5 oz of water with 6 oz glycol? Why not make a true 50-50 mix?
Anyway, you have the right idea. If you take a known 50-50 mix you can test your tester. 50-50 is good for -34.
How low does it get in MN?
Tom W should be able to answer this. Y'all have way too much winter up there....
 
I would not worry about the gauge, just drain the system, follow the instruction on the bottle and be done with it. Cheap insurance
 
Minnesota can get very cold, and I like to go with a little extra antifreeze, like 55 to 60% antifreeze.

In the 70's I was a member of a snowmobile club and we spent the weekend up north at a place called "Ice Cracking Lodge". The temp dropped to -55* F. the first night, and we also had strong winds. The owner of the cabins had to keep pouring hot water on the propane tanks just so the gas would flow to the cabins. Several people got frostbite, and I NEVER want to feel that kind of cold again.

Anyway a bit of extra antifreeze gives you a safety margin. I've used the oval and the floating ball types, and trusted them both, and have never had a frozen solution yet.
 
Just don't go with 100% antifreeze! I forget the exact temperature, but it will 'freeze' well before -34*. It won't freeze hard and break anything, but it gets too thick to circulate. I remember in the 'late '50's in southern Minnesota someone thought 100% antifreeze would be good in a school bus. Well, it overheated and quit. The kids on that bus were late that day! So as a high school kid I learned that straight antifreeze doesn't work. It also doesn't cool as well because 100% antifreeze doesn't transfer heat very well. Actually, even 50/50 doesn't transfer as well as plain water.
 
Out of curiosity how low will you get with one gal. of concentrate with two gals of water?
Click to expand...

Here's a chart, courtesy of Detroit Diesel:
 

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The temperature in the radiator, prior to starting the motor, will be that same as the air temperature. Wind chill is the feeling a person gets at a temperature with a certain wind velocity. The moving air will just change the temperature of something more quickly, but not below the ambient temperature.
 
Quigley1930 said:
Out of curiosity how low will you get with one gal. of concentrate with two gals of water?

Sewall
Click to expand...

katy said:
Here's a chart, courtesy of Detroit Diesel:
Click to expand...

I read 'somewhere' (of course I can't find it now) at 1:2 ratio the freezing point is 0° F. That corresponds to the chart that katy posted. That's the ratio I run, 1 gal. Peak 'Green' to 2 gals. distilled water. But then again, it "never" freezes in SoCal. Lately it doesn't rain anymore either... :p:p
 
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If he is talking industrial his employer should beau willing to buy a reliable gauge instead of playing a Mickey Mouse game with five gauges. Time fir employer to start acting professional. Wayne
 
When I lived in Minnesota, the lowest temp was -40 F( or C) in Eden Prairie. The Ford F150 turned over very slow that day.

Now that I'm on the Cape... 0 F is a big deal.

Marc
 
Gold Digger said:
When it's -35 what is the temperature in the radiator in front of the fan.
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No colder than -35 no matter how hard the wind is blowing or how fast the fan is turning. After the engine has warmed up the radiator temperature in front of the fan will be at least a little warmer than -35.
 
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