Well, there's propylene glycol out there too. One of my buddies ran it in his Suoer Street Outlaw drag car. I understand you put it in straight and it's boiling point is higher and freeze point is lower than ethylene glycol and it doesn't promote electrolysis, but in not sure if it lacks inhibitors or not. By the way, antifreeze doesn't break down and lose its cooling or anti freezing properties, the inhibitors break down.
From a flathead website, thanks to Rumble Seat:
DISTILLED WATER: Use only distilled water in a cooling system whether using straight water or mixing it with anti-freeze. All tap water contains impurities which attack cooling system metals.... especially aluminum because it’s so soft, but it will also attack brass/copper. When running water without anti-freeze, be sure to add a good rust inhibitor.
CHECKING COOLANT FOR RUST INHIBITORS AND THEIR CONDITION: As we all know, anti-freeze never loses its anti-freezing ability. It may get dirty, but it still has the same anti-freeze characteristics as when it was new. BUT the inhibitors last only a couple of years. The most common solution, and what the manufacturers want us to do, is to replace the anti-freeze. Why not just replenish the wore out inhibitors? Problem is how can to determine the inhibitors are gone? Remembering our old high school physics..... Whenever dissimilar metals are immersed in a liquid in motion, D-C voltage will result.... or something along these lines. This will cause softer metals (like aluminum, zinc, brass, and copper) to transfer to harder metals by electrolysis. Inhibitors prevent this by reducing or eliminating electrolysis. Determining the condition of inhibitors is done easily with a Volt-Ohm-Meter (VOM). A digital VOM is easier to use than an analog (has scales and a needle) for this test. Turn the function selector to D-C volts. You’ll be measuring voltages of less than 2 Volts so select a voltage of 5V or less. Hold one of the probes (either one) suspended in the coolant in the top radiator tank. Don’t let it contact any metal. Now ground the remaining probe on the metal of the radiator tank. Read the voltage on the VOM. When voltage exceeds 0.5 Volts DC, the inhibitors are no longer active. Adding a can of rust inhibitor is all that’s required. A voltage reading of 0.5 Volts DC and less show the inhibitors are still active and don’t need replenishing. Remember, anti-freeze never loses its anti-freeze capabilities...... it only looses its inhibitors.
RUST INHIBITORS: There are many brands and types of inhibitors on the market. The one I use is called “No Rosion” and is used by most of the serious collectors of rare and exotic cars (our flathead Fords are exotic?). Price in the year 2002 is in the $25 range for a half gallon (4 pints), but it is available in smaller sizes. One pint treats a 22 quart system and one treatment lasts 3 to 5 years. It’s red in color and is not sold over the counter to my knowledge, but is available from both Eastwood and Applied Chemical Specialties Inc.
Applied Chemical’s address is:
Applied Chemical Specialties Inc.,
PO Box 241597
Omaha, NE 68124 phone
708)-797-1699
