Antifreeze

[ZR1OUS 94]

What brand are you using??? Going to change mine soon,any tip or tricks I should know about? :happy1:

[Z Factor]

What brand are you using??? Going to change mine soon,any tip or tricks I should know about? :happy1:

Well the first thing I would do is read articles like the one posted in this thread;

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994 (http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994)

Different people have their own preferences just like with motor oil. Regardless of what brand you use, you want to only use distilled water with it. This will help to keep the mineral deposits/scale etc., to a minimum. Depending how cold it gets in your part of Utah, you may also want to go the route that some do and only use distilled water along with Redline Water Wetter. It provides rust and corrosion protection along with lowering the temperature. However, it is not an anti-freeze, so if it gets cold where you live, you will also need some anti-freeze with it.

More on Water Wetter in this thread;

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4182#post4182 (http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4182#post4182)

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.

:cheers:

[cwmoss]

Texaco Dex-Cool. Change your thermostat also. You do not want to get these engines hot!:thumbsup:

[Aurora40]

I'm using that Prestone Extended-Life All Model stuff. It's basically Dex-Cool but yellow. I couldn't find silicated coolant locally. I think I will try G-05 or whatever the Zerex stuff is called, though.

I'm not a fan of flushing coolant systems unless there's crud in them. Pumping water through that isn't distilled seems like a good way to introduce crud into what was a clean system.

[ralph92ZR1]

What brand are you using??? Going to change mine soon,any tip or tricks I should know about? :happy1:
I have read in the service manual that the cooling system should be flushed annually and have also looked into doing so. There is a good procedure listed under "maintenance-cooling system" in the members only ZR-1 Registry. My ZR-1 has only 15000 miles; my only hesitation has been since reading an article [and I cannot remember where] that stated in about 30% of the time entrapped air becomes an issue and I do not recall a solution. Also, I agree about the distilled water and would guess filling and flushing as per the procedure mentioned should be with Di.
Good luck..maybe someone else can comment about the entrapped air??

[WB9MCW]

in the members newsletter Marc H. tells the whole story on the coolent debacle air entrapment...3 of ten have the air trap most will self bleed out and for the final 10%(one) he has devised a posi psi pusher thru and out the air bleeder spot device that is all detailed well in his article...pays to be a member (pun intended= am ex ad) lol.... My mech said he goes with the Prestone.

[tomtom72]

If one was to go look at CF/ZR-1 section there is another thread up on this subject. If I'm outta line by bringing up the reference to CF, I'm sorry.

Anyway, MrCrowley presents some evidence of the damage that DEX-Cool the red stuff did to gaskets in an LT5. I've tried to find "silicated" coolant where I live & most parts stores don't have it. I went to my local chevy store & asked for the stuff listed in my 90 owner's manual by GM spec #, 1825-M, they said NLA on that stuff. Further they said that the stuff in the C5/C6's is what replaces the 1825-M coolant.

The concensus over at CF by the Z owners is not to use the DEX Cool red coolant in an LT5. I don't know what to say as I'm not a chemist. A few owners that live in Canada have found the "silicated" stuff & are stocking up. I let the dealer do my flush & refill but now I'm on a search for the "silicated" coolant based upon what is being said over at CF/ZR-1 section.
Tom
:icon_scra

[zesstey1]

DEX COOL :thumbsdo:

[cwmoss]

I have seen the light!! I thought I had researched and found that Dex cool was the cats meoww. After reading the posts here nd at CF, I am getting this crap outta my Z. I'm going to put regular Prestone in for now. Tell me, What should I use. I have found on the Prestone site, a coolant that might be OK, but you guys are the experts. What should I use?

I found that Zerex G-05 has silicate. I will be using this until you all convince me of something better.

[Aurora40]

Prestone's All-Model extended life coolant is basically the same as their Dex-Cool approved coolant.

There is a coolant called G-05 that Zerex came out with, it's a hybrid OAT with a low amount of silicates. It seems interesting. Otherwise, just go with silicated green coolant.

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products/product_detail.asp?product=10

[RICHARD TILL]

wall-mart, the cheapest they have. tech brand and boiler feedwater .03 conductivity. i work at a powerhouse. been doing this on my z for 8 years now. it passed the test of +16 about a week ago.

[WB9MCW]

RT would the cheap walley town be the "silicated green coolant" type..do they really sell boiler feedwater there too!! is ur "brew" only "southern" states grade
temp f rated?

[tomtom72]

Hi Rich, That's what I'm talking about, info from a chief of the black gang!:thumbsup: Thanks!!

Funny how I remember that stuff from working in a boat yard. Mercruiser has a tolerance volt reading for their marine motors in a saltwater situation also to prevent electrolytic rot on the alum. parts...dissimilar metals immersed in water produce a current, add some heat & ya got an evil thing happening!

I'm gonna go check if I can find a Wal-Mart, not too many where I live. Does their coolant say "contains silicates"???

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse but Prestone's info line told me their stuff doesn't contain silicates. For all I know the person answering the phone was reading from a MSDS & don't know beans about silicates & LT5's!

Thanks for your insite!
Gingle bells!!
Tom

[Aurora40]

I'm gonna go check if I can find a Wal-Mart, not too many where I live. Does their coolant say "contains silicates"???

It's my understanding the Wal-Mart "Super Tech" line of coolant is made by Prestone and is the same as their long-life stuff (i.e. very similar/the same to DexCool).

If the coolant says long life or has a 5 year 100+k mile change recommendation, or anything like that, it's a pretty fair bet it isn't a silicated coolant.

[RICHARD TILL]

i`ve got the supertech jug in my hand. no mention at all about being silicated or change intervals either. says distributed by alsip packaging, inc. alsip, illinois 60656. the water i`m using is pure as pure can be. no minerals either suspended or dissolved. its even deoxygenated and rid of chlorine. silica and calcium is the big thing in boiler feedwater. silica will erode and calcium will scale the tubes under high pressure. no patent on this water. got about 30 gallons in reserve. anybody just drop by and i`ll fix you up. we`re making about 1100 gallons per minute.