Factory 50/50 Pre MIX

[David1]

Hello.

For my Honda Accord and Most Hondas they tell you to use the HONDA BLUE Coolant and its pre mixed with 50/50

However I have Family in Michigan and it was on the News that if you car has 50/50 coolant to change your coolant b/c its getting so cold that 50/50 is below specs.

So the family I have up in Michigan are sorta confused....

Also as I have said my family owns a shop and I personally have seen people in the Summer add to much Water and then in Window the Freeze plugs would pop out if they were lucky and not crack the block.

However some engines today must have the FACTORY COOLANT and if its 50/50 premix and the dealer dont have 100% Coolant is there something you can add that make it so the coolant wont freeze or at least can get colder and not freeze?

Hope I worded this correctly.

Thanks.


Also of note when I lived in Michigan years ago I used to use 100% Antifeeze or perhaps 95% and just add a lil bit of Water.

 

[901Memphis]

Honda blue is good to at least -34F if you are truly 50/50. If you add water you raise the freezing point.

There shouldn't be much need to get a lower freezing point in Michigan, but if you wanted to you would need to flush the system and change coolants since Honda doesn't come full strength.

Even if it was -34F you still probably wouldn't pop the freeze plugs until it got colder.

You never want to run less than 30% water in the system or else you risk over heating due to the poorer thermal capacity and conductivity of the coolant compared to water. Most anti freezes will reach optimal cold performance approximately at 60-65% concentration. I can't imagine how many people are further off than this without issues though. 50/50 is ideal for most.

 

[Ethan1]

50%/50% mix is good for about -25°F, so pretty much the continental US.

100% coolant, or even your possibly 95% coolant, freezes around +10°F. Yes, higher than plain water.

 

[The_Jeff]

Uninformed idiot on the news, that's all.

Can't say if it's the reporter believing something to be right and mis-speaking, or interviewing a mechanic who sounded legit but again mis-spoke.

Even if your -34 rated coolant spends a few hours at a few degrees below that, it turns to slush and doesn't expand like ice, so it won't wreck your car. Though it might not pump all that happily.

 

[zrxkawboy]

Originally Posted By: Ethan1
freezes around +10°F. Yes, higher than plain water.


How is 10 higher than 32?

 

[kschachn]

This here is what you are supposed to add to Honda Type 2 if you live in a really cold area:

http://www.bernardiparts.com/Honda-Anti-...OL999-9020.aspx

It is undiluted Type 2 so it will raise the concentration of coolant above the pre-mix. I have also heard of people using it with a distilled water flush so you can make your own mix.

 

[kschachn]

Ethylene glycol freezes at about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Using it without water (or only a little water) gains you only a 22 degree lower freezing point. You have to mix it with water to obtain a significantly depressed freezing point:

http://www.veximchem.com/products M/ethylene glycol antifreeze coolant.JPG

You shouldn't have slept in chemistry class, this is a classic freshman lab

BTW, the freezing point depression is identical no matter what the solute is (on a molar basis).

Originally Posted By: David1
Also of note when I lived in Michigan years ago I used to use 100% Antifeeze or perhaps 95% and just add a lil bit of Water.

 

[Ethan1]

Originally Posted By: zrxkawboy
Originally Posted By: Ethan1
freezes around +10°F. Yes, higher than plain water.


How is 10 higher than 32?


Oops. I've taken just enough science classes to get confused when using Fahrenheit nowadays. Commie teachers have brainwashed the 'murican right outta me.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: kschachn
This here is what you are supposed to add to Honda Type 2 if you live in a really cold area:

http://www.bernardiparts.com/Honda-Anti-...OL999-9020.aspx

It is undiluted Type 2 so it will raise the concentration of coolant above the pre-mix. I have also heard of people using it with a distilled water flush so you can make your own mix.



Very nice link, thank you for sharing this, i wasn't aware of this product.

 

[kschachn]

I should ask my local dealer if they carry this in stock. What do you want to bet I get a deer in the headlights response

It says the regular pre-mix Type 2 is good down to -34, so I really don't need it here in Wisconsin even on very cold days. I've never seen it get below -25.

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: kschachn
This here is what you are supposed to add to Honda Type 2 if you live in a really cold area:

http://www.bernardiparts.com/Honda-Anti-...OL999-9020.aspx

It is undiluted Type 2 so it will raise the concentration of coolant above the pre-mix. I have also heard of people using it with a distilled water flush so you can make your own mix.

Very nice link, thank you for sharing this, i wasn't aware of this product.

 

[KenO]

If it's really a dire emergency - you can use nearly anything but DexCool. You'd probably want to flush it come spring, but for short term, a few months etc., it's not going to hurt anything, and there will be no compatibility issues. If you really want, you can use Zerex Asian (if you can find it).

 

[Gokhan]

Toyota sells 55/45 version of their 50/50 pink antifreeze in Canada. I don't know about Honda but if they live in Michigan, there may be a nearby dealer across the border.