Re: more heat!

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

Hi Huw;

    I've never seen Sierra antifreeze, so I don't know what it is. It kind
of sounds environmentally friendly, so it may be propylene glycol, which
certified as a food additive. It may have a lower heat capacity than
ethylene glycol.

Fred
-----Original Message-----
From: Huw Powell <human@nh.ultranet.com>
To: Fred Munro <munrof@isys.ca>; quattro group <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Sunday, January 03, 1999 4:12 PM
Subject: Re: more heat!


>
>
>Fred Munro wrote:
>>
>> Huw;
>>
>>     I've been following your quest for heat and thought I'd throw this
into
>> the pot in case it applies. If you have too much antifreeze in your
coolant
>> mix, the heat capacity of the coolant is reduced and you will get less
heat
>> out of your heater. The best heat transfer is obtained at a 50:50 mix.
You
>> can go up to 70 glycol:30 water in extreme cold areas, but this is
>> compromising the heat transfer capability of the coolant.
>
>I'm running Sierra (ethylene glycol?) at 50/50 (cold winters).  Think
>that might be it???
>
>>     I've known of a couple of cases where owners, wanting to do "the
best"
>> for their car, have tried running 100% glycol. Poor heat in winter and an
>> overheated engine in summer is the usual result. This situation can sneak
up
>> on you if you have a small coolant leak and keep topping up with pure
>> glycol. You should top up with the proper glycol mixture.
>>     You can test the coolant strength with one of the cheapo plastic
>> testers, but be aware these have an accuracy of +/- 25%.
>
>You test Sierra with a little thing like a litmus strip.  No leaks,
>system refilled w/fresh 50/50 when I swapped radiators a few months ago.
>
>--
>Huw Powell
>
>http://www.thebook.com/human-speakers
>
>82 Audi Coupe; 85 Coupe GT
>http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~human