Re: Sierra Antifreeze

[LCSCHADT@aol.com]

Scott,

I appreciate this discussion is a bit nit-picky, I know of more cats/dogs
that have been hit by cars, than killed by anti-freeze.

I'll be interested to read about the performance information on Sierra
Antifreeze, because that is important.  Especially under more extreme
conditions than those I have to deal with here in the Seattle area.

In a message dated 95-11-02 08:36:10 EST, you write:

Bottom line is that PG/EG are TOXIC, the presence, not the volume is the
problem.....>>
>>>>>>
RELATIVE toxicities CAN be important..., because if they aren't, I guess we
all better give up Beer, because its active ingrediant (ethyl alcohol) is
slightly more toxic than PG...  (a cup of Bicardi 151 is about as toxic as a
cup of PG - literally.  Hopefully the Bicardi tastes better).

Your comments regarding SPILLS I agree with completely, if you spill ANY you
should clean it up immediately, and keeping the pets locked up while you work
with your coolant system is a great idea.

As regards LEAKS I can't agree with you entirely...

I have experienced 3 different LEAK conditions that dropped only small
amounts (less than 2 or 3 ounces in a few hours I'm sure), which could easily
have been over-looked if dropped on the street at the curb in front of
someone's house - or for that matter, in the garage (I usually look out the
back, not the front of the car as I back out, and so may not notice a puddle
until I pull in that evening).  Additionally, one of them was not
particularly note-worthy because it dropped the coolant in the same place
that the drain for the ventillation system drops WATER on the floor (from the
Air Conditioner condensation).

Certainly, once it is recognized that a leak is occurring it should be
addressed (all 3 were promptly contained and then repaired) - but not until
the cats had had an un-chaparoned night in there with each of the them (1
with the Audi, 2 with the Jeep Cherokee Selectrac).

It is the unrecognized leak that is my concern, I'm sure they do occur, and
my experience with 3 of 4 was that they were small amounts that would not
have been toxic IF IT HAD BEEN PG even if they been licked up in their
entirety by someones pet .... they were however large enough to be LETHAL
with EG.

Additionally, even with a larger spill, it would be more difficult for a 22
lb (10 kg) dog (or cat?, there are some 10 kg cats out there aren't there
duane@zk3.dec.com?) to consume the 10 (undiluted) - 20 (diluted) oz necessary
for PG, while the 2-3 (undiluted) to 4-6 (diluted) oz. for EG would be more
"do-able".

For me, I'm willing to pay the ~$1.00 extra/gal for the "extra [real] margin
of safety" (after all, isn't extra margin of safety what many or our
discussion about - our recent brake pad discussion for instance?).

I would hate to see Sierra's claims "environmentally safe", and "essentially
non-toxic" to be taken too literally, and used as an excuse to dump the stuff
down the nearest storm drain.

Didn't have to worry about this stuff with my '69 Bug....

Larry