Classic car coolant

[Fabulous50s]

I have a 59 Ford Galaxie which I have spent many hours restoring to a #7 driver.

I have had it on the road for 2 years and had a water pump weep last fall. It is a used aftermarket one. After the engine rebuild I simply used the house brand green coolant mixed with 50% distilled water as I have done in all the vehicles I've ever owned or worked on.

I noticed some white buildup on my 2 year old aluminum radiator. I'd like to use something other than. The IAT green stuff and have a better life cycle for this car which has a lead soldered brass heater core, and all iron engine.

I've been an Amsoil guy for 2 decades, and bought their coolant. Well upon further inspection it is a rebrand of Recochem (Canada) and is essentially Dexcool. Don't know if it even has 2-eha or not.

I emailed Peak and they recommend their 10x, which I have never used. I used the Global yellow stuff at work when I was a mechanic for years.

I am not a chemical engineer but want something better.

Thanks,
Long time reader, finally joined!


Pics for refrence

 

[JeffKeryk]

Wow, right down to the hub caps and gangster white walls!

 

[atikovi]

I would think any modern coolant would be better than the old green stuff. I'd use Motorcraft Yellow.

 

[skyactiv]

The hinges or what few the garage door appears to have looks small.

 

[Fabulous50s]

@atikovi how is the Ford gold with leaded brass? That is my worry/question.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Fabulous 50s, that is a great looking car.....great job you did restoring. 2 questions, what do you think that car cost new? Also do you know where final assembly took place, i.e. what Ford plant?

 

[Fabulous50s]

The hinges or what few the garage door appears to have looks small.

They are what came with the door.... it is a Richards-Wilcox that I installed when I built the house in 2009.

 

[Fabulous50s]

Fabulous 50s, that is a great looking car.....great job you did restoring. 2 questions, what do you think that car cost new? Also do you know where final assembly took place, i.e. what Ford plant?

Thank you. My only prerequisite was a car with fins and a wrap around windsheild. This fit the bill!

It cost something like $2300 as equipped I think.

It was assembled in Chester PA. Ford of Dearborn MI....River Rouge plant did the stamping and rail shipped parts to PA. Chester was closed in 1961 I think? The guy I bought it from was from PA and moved to Maine in 1985.

 

[Chris142]

I would think any modern coolant would be better than the old green stuff. I'd use Motorcraft Yellow.

The long life coolants will destroy copper parts like radiators and heaters.

 

[Chris142]

I have a 59 Ford Galaxie which I have spent many hours restoring to a #7 driver.

I have had it on the road for 2 years and had a water pump weep last fall. It is a used aftermarket one. After the engine rebuild I simply used the house brand green coolant mixed with 50% distilled water as I have done in all the vehicles I've ever owned or worked on.

I noticed some white buildup on my 2 year old aluminum radiator. I'd like to use something other than. The IAT green stuff and have a better life cycle for this car which has a lead soldered brass heater core, and all iron engine.

I've been an Amsoil guy for 2 decades, and bought their coolant. Well upon further inspection it is a rebrand of Recochem (Canada) and is essentially Dexcool. Don't know if it even has 2-eha or not.

I emailed Peak and they recommend their 10x, which I have never used. I used the Global yellow stuff at work when I was a mechanic for years.

I am not a chemical engineer but want something better.

Thanks,
Long time reader, finally joined!


Pics for refrence View attachment 93286View attachment 93287View attachment 93288

352 or did you up it to a 390?428?

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Thank you. My only prerequisite was a car with fins and a wrap around windsheild. This fit the bill!

It cost something like $2300 as equipped I think.

It was assembled in Chester PA. Ford of Dearborn MI....River Rouge plant did the stamping and rail shipped parts to PA. Chester was closed in 1961 I think? The guy I bought it from was from PA and moved to Maine in 1985.

Thanks. I just looked up the location. Sounds like the original building is going to be repurposed.

Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Fabulous50s]

It was a 332 3.3" stroke 4" bore. I put a 3.5" crank in it making it into a 352. The 390 rotating assembly was out of my price range for what this car is. This is just a cruiser. I replaced the 2 speed auto with a 3+overdrive Ford Toploader. Colum shifted of course!

This was before everything was cleaned up.

 

[y_p_w]

I remember a combination Ford/Subaru dealer where I asked at parts whether or not they had Subaru Long-Life. They said they didn't carry it and used the Ford yellow, low-silicate coolant for any coolant service, but recommended it be drained every year or so. Silicate isn't in and of itself that bad, but if it's not changed often it will come out of suspension and will tend to plug up narrow passages in smaller radiators. That's why Japanese automakers typically used phosphates, no silicates, and recommended low-mineral or deionized or distilled water be used to mix.

As for what might be suitable, I don't think it has to be anything terribly expensive. If Prestone still had its traditional yellow coolant, that would probably be ideal. They still sell something close under the "Prime" brand.

Prestone® Prime® Conventional Green Antifreeze + Coolant - Prestone® Total Protection

Prime Conventional Green antifreeze+coolant is the original coolant. This low silicate formula, when used as directed, will provide protection for a minimum of 1 year.

prestone.com

Or maybe Full Force conventional green.

Full Force Conventional Green Concentrate Antifreeze + Coolant - Old World Industries

www.owi.com

Napa still has a conventional green coolant. Not sure who makes it though.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NAF1GAL

 

[Fabulous50s]

Thanks. I just looked up the location. Sounds like the original building is going to be repurposed.

Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

That is not it.

Chester PA, not Pittsburgh

Chester Assembly - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[bullwinkle]

I’ve used Premium Gold/G-05 in old school green equipped vehicles, including ones with brass heater cores, with no failures. Either that, or old school IAT green (which is low silicate these days), Zerex original green is the best, if you can find it, rated 5 years/150K miles.

 

[Fabulous50s]

The NAPA green is what I originally used. I think it is made by OWI....Peak.

 

[Wolfshead]

I am not a Ford guy ,But yours is very nice !

 

[doitmyself]

This VERY old article suggests that the IAT formula protects copper/brass with high-lead solder better. https://www.motor.com/magazine-summ...-not-easy-being-green-or-yellow-or-orange-or/

I personally am leery of 2-EHA in unknown situations (no expertise about this whatsoever). I use the Zerek low silicate IAT green in my workplace 22 year old Kohler generator powered by an iron block, old school 4 cyl. Ford engine with copper/brass radiator. No problems yet, with 2 year changes.

FYI, the Zerek G05 has a similar amount of silicate as the IAT formula.

 

[Fabulous50s]

I've been curious about G05 and now Peak 10x.

It's a funny world, I was a mechanic for 15 years all through the GM DexCool debacle and I replaced so many intake and head Gaskets on GM products if I see red I dump it. While others actually put Dex in things. I just can't get those years of work out of my head.

I have a 2020 FCA Promaster 2500 that I work put of and that red Mopar coolant is already leaking at 34,000 miles.

 

[wings&wheels]

Beautiful car.

I use NAPA green in the fleet that doesn't specify something more modern.