Antifreeze Strength

Sean Feeney

Well-known Member
Just looking at ad from Azone and can't for the life of me know anyone who would buy the 50/50 predulited antifrezze for $12 a gallon vs $14 full strength it just amazes me? are they Dum or to lazy. I'm to cheap and poor i guess to spend my money that away.
 
Call me dumb...

I think if you read the 50/50 label it will say the water is distilled water. This is key. Ask GM about the vehicles they put the orange stuff in without distlled water. They had plenty of issues with the water with minerals reacting with the antifreeze and the metal in the engines, heater cores and radiators. Owned one of those vehicles myself and had plenty of those issues. We have heavy mineral water where I live so I buy the 50/50.
 
If you are cheap then you can find it at garage sales for 50 cents a gallon. I have a trunk full of anti-freeze. When I am buying alot of tools I will ask " hey will you throw in all the oil and anti- freeze in the garage" . Usually if it is a moving sale they are glad to get rid of it. I mention how toxic it is and what a good citizen I am for getting rid of it for you.
 
I sorta do the same thing with their "left-over" paint. Hard to get rid of those paint cans unless emptied and fried out. The garage is really not the best place to store latex paints. I am only interested in those OIL based primers, etc.

John,PA
 
I bought one for the grain truck. I wanted a sealed premixed jug that wouldn't leak when I laid it on its side under the seat. When I drove school bus I did the same thing. For everything else I have my own 50-50 jugs I have mixed up. That little foil cap is a little more insurance against leakage if it is going somewhere out of the ordinary.

When the water pump on my Tundra was leaking I added antifreeze to the tank. Theirs is pink. At my dealer you can only buy jugs of 50-50 in the service department. Now I'll have half a jug of that sitting on the shelf for the next 20 years.
 
You would be amazed by how meany people could not figure out the simple equation one gallon times price per gallon verses one gallon times X price divided by 2,, which is cheaper? You would also be amazed by the fact it is beyond many people to keep an empty antifreeze jug so when they buy another gallon they have a place to put half the new one so to make up two jugs of 50/50 PLUS keep track of which is mixed and which is not. We have a simple rule in the shop, if you break the seal on a jug you mix it all. Plus there is the convenience factor somebody mentioned.
 
I got tired of remembering if a gallon sitting there was mixed or not, so I just get premixed now.
 
That was my immediate reaction, unless there is a specification or a requirement for something particular, I think one is fine with full strength and mixing their own, with distilled water, I've done it with softened water on the tractor that leaked through a porous block from what I could tell. On the other end, its not worth mineralization or cavitation problems, so if something calls for a specific coolant, I'd use care, its money well spent.
 
What about the [b:28482079d2]pre-diluted herbicides and pesticides[/b:28482079d2], don't think they use "special water"??
When I by full strength anti-freeze, I simply mix it 50/50 when I open the jug and always mark the new jug "Mixed" and the old jug has already been marked.
Some people throw away money and don't realize it or don't care.
 
we run a dehumidifier in our basement in the summer time. Has pulled many gallons of water out of the air this summer.

When I dump the dehumidifier catch pan, I fill some clean jugs and save the water. Use it for antifreeze, batteries, and other uses.
 
(quoted from post at 23:43:54 09/24/14) we run a dehumidifier in our basement in the summer time. Has pulled many gallons of water out of the air this summer.

When I dump the dehumidifier catch pan, I fill some clean jugs and save the water. Use it for antifreeze, batteries, and other uses.

Been doing that for at least 20 years--never a problem.
 
I used to do that same thing. I would store the water in empty antifreeze jugs for later when I needed it. I found that in less than a year, that water has some sort of bacteria or algae in it. Didn't notice it until I got to the bottom of the jug and this big slimy mat came out. After that I quit using this water and went to store bought distilled. It's only $0.80/gallon at Wal-Mart. It's really not worth my time to mess with it.
 
I believe most of the problems came from GM Dex-cool coolant not the minerals in the water, use rain water then, you won't be paying Prestone $ 6 for thier gallon of water. I just like to save a few bucks because everyone in allways tring to get into my back pocket. A case of beverage saves alot over a 6 pack.
Dex Cool
 
(quoted from post at 01:39:11 09/25/14) I used to do that same thing. I would store the water in empty antifreeze jugs for later when I needed it. I found that in less than a year, that water has some sort of bacteria or algae in it. Didn't notice it until I got to the bottom of the jug and this big slimy mat came out. After that I quit using this water and went to store bought distilled. It's only $0.80/gallon at Wal-Mart. It's really not worth my time to mess with it.
I don't know what you had but, I put a date on virtually everything I save. I pour out all de-humidifier water as soon as I start collecting new.
I might add that this spring, I found a jug of water that was overlooked. It was THREE years old and it was clear.
 
Not antifreeze, but the same concept:

We are repaving the airport that is in my front yard. Prior to putting the new asphalt down, we are treating all existing cracks with Ortho Ground Clear. This has required a fairly large volume of this pre-emergent herbicide.

HD & Walmart sell a gallon of Ground Clear concentrate for $20. It is mixed at a quart of the concentrate to a gallon of water, thus resulting in 5 gallons of ready to apply material.

A couple of semi-local farm supply and hardware stores sell premixed, "Ready to Apply" Ground Clear for the same $20 / gallon. Thats five times the price of the concentrate!!

While I was in one of these places picking up some sprayer spare parts, a man was picking up several gallons of the ready to use. I mentioned that he could get concentrate for a lot less. His reply was that he wouldn't know how to mix it!
 
I always heard the ole timers used spring water because it wouldn't freeze ??? LOL

I fear with all this premix stuff out there people will dilute it 50/50 and start a rash of cracked engines. Like the days of spring water !
 
If everything that's wrong with today's education system was "right" 40-50-60 years ago, then explain why 50, 60, 70 year old people can't figure out how to mix antifreeze 50/50.

Of course, there is a HUGE convenience factor in the premix especially if you don't live on a farm with "infinite" storage space...

Typical consumers recycle empty plastic jugs or at least toss them. They take up precious garage space. So, typical consumers won't have a second jug to mix with.

If you only need a pint or a quart to top something off, you don't end up with 2 gallons of the stuff that you may or may not ever use.
 
Probably the same folks who get the Blue whatever pre-filled propane tanks for 24.99, when you can refill yours for 8 bucks.

When we had "the fleet" (me, wife and 3 kids all with cars), I was mixing antifreeze all the time- 2 kids in college in eastern Washington got 50/50, the rest on west side got 1/3 af to 2/3 water (good to 0°). Had the jugs marked, everybody had old cars that leaked a little, so carried the appropriate premixed jug in their cars. I checked their rigs when they were home, replenished as needed.
 
I prefer mixing mine at a 60 percent antifreeze to 'water' rate.

That way, the boiling point is higher. Plus if you are low on antifreeze just add a little water to it. When you have access to a tester verify you are still OK.
 
(quoted from post at 21:03:24 09/24/14)
(quoted from post at 23:43:54 09/24/14) we run a dehumidifier in our basement in the summer time. Has pulled many gallons of water out of the air this summer.

When I dump the dehumidifier catch pan, I fill some clean jugs and save the water. Use it for antifreeze, batteries, and other uses.

Been doing that for at least 20 years--never a problem.

Been adding tap water to antifreeze for years--never a problem.
 
(quoted from post at 00:22:50 09/27/14)
(quoted from post at 21:03:24 09/24/14)
(quoted from post at 23:43:54 09/24/14) we run a dehumidifier in our basement in the summer time. Has pulled many gallons of water out of the air this summer.

When I dump the dehumidifier catch pan, I fill some clean jugs and save the water. Use it for antifreeze, batteries, and other uses.

Been doing that for at least 20 years--never a problem.

Been adding tap water to antifreeze for years--never a problem.

If I didn't have a de-humidifier I would use tap water also. Just like I had for years.
 
(quoted from post at 15:20:07 09/25/14) Probably the same folks who get the Blue whatever pre-filled propane tanks for 24.99, when you can refill yours for 8 bucks.

And that 20lb. $24.99 LP bottle only has 17lb. in it.

Dusty
 
Here in north East NY I buy undiluted and mix my own as needed.
How hard is mixing 1 beer can of antifreeze to 1 beer can of water...other than having to drink 12 qts worth of beer first so have enough cans!!!

Distilled water is only for batteries. My radiator gets water from where I drink it.
 
Caution do not listen and follow the advice of those advocating the use of tap water in your vehicle. They did not pay for your machines nor are they paying for potential future repairs.
Bubba may have gotten away with his tap water for a few hours in his machine , in the working environment it's used in.
Try high iron, like and calcium well water in a newer hard working machine in the south. vs spring cistern water in a 1950's vintage machine.
Compare the HP , system composition and rad size.
 
A battery costs a plus or minus hundred bucks and people use distilled water. An engine and radiator cost thousands and you put in water with unknown mineral content. Think about it . On a diesel engine with cavitation worries it just makes sense to buy premix with the proper additives for that machine. Before pre mix hit the market we always used distilled water and the recommended amount of DCA additives and then came water filters which help even more. On gasoline engines, a full strength anti freeze and distilled water works fine but, pre mix is even better. Took off lot of radiators on one or two year old tractors for cleaning before IH started using the filters. Lot of 06 & 56 radiators came off. I even saved samples of the crud drained out of them to show our service rep from IH.
 
keep in mind if you use 50-50 in the far North,
it's good for new builds, topping off an existing system, or to get you home with a leak when it's cold outside.
After a good flushing of an old system...not so much. There will be a lot of straight flush water trapped even with all drains open.
Fill with 50-50 then and you will lose some freeze protection numbers.

related question:
Is modern straight anti-freeze getting weaker?
seems to take more, in blending, to get that -40 to -50 below
that I like to see on the tester.
It doesn't look like green syrup anymore, thinner.
Sometimes so light, I stop and look at the jug to make sure I didn't grab a 50-50 by mistake.
 
You can take this for what it's worth, and a lot of people are going to disagree, and think it is made up.
Years ago, I was having a build up problem in all my radiators to the extent that they had to be cleaned about every two or three years.
My late brother was a chemical engineer and he stated that the problem was mainly caused by PRESTONE AF!
I stopped using Prestone and with no other changes, the problem went away.
That was years ago and my brother is gone, but he was right and I have no idea why he blamed Prestone?
Today, If it's prestone, I don't need it!!
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top