Cold weather is coming

Antifreeze does more than stop freezing. It prevents rusting, it helps lubricate the water pump and raises the boiling point of the water.

In my opinion you should never run an engine with only water in the cooling system.

Something like 265 degrees with a 15 lb cap and a 70/30 max strength mixture sticks in my head. Who wants to run a tractor that hot anyway? If I think to look when I'm out in the shop I will read the back of an antifreeze jug to see the maximum boilover and freeze protection.

Actually I think I have read where a 30% antifreeze/70% water mixture provides adequate rust inhibitor/water pump lubrication and the best cooling, but the freeze point is 0F. A 50/50 mixture freeze point is -34F.

I don't think many older tractors run as much pressure in the cooling system as modern automobiles. I think my Fords and MF have 7 lb rad caps. My Case DC cooling systems are not pressurized at all.

I only use only distilled water in the coolant mixture in my engines and I try to add water pump lube/rust inhibitor at least once a season.

This all being said I think I will put in the 50/50 antfreeze mix and plug my block heater into a timer. LOL

Good comment and thanks for postin

Sid was just making a comment and we should recognize that, he wasn't saying taht is what we should do. But I agree with you that some guys read the manual and think it's god's own word. They seem to forget that it isn't 1948 any more and lubricants, antifreezes and fuels have changed and improved.

If the engineers of that day were around today they would most definetly rewrite the manual and change a lot of the fluid recommendations. I'm with you I run 10W-30 in my old gas tractors and use anti freeze all year long.

--->Paul