Propylene Glycol Antifreeze and Engine Coolant

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Propylene Glycol Coolant...

anybody using it?

Kinda Pricey...

while surficing the NEO page looking into gear oils
http://www.neosyntheticoil.com/coolant.htm

I came across this product and remembered, oh yeah, amsoil sell this too, SO SOMEBODY HAS TO BE USING IT.

Well?

Anyone running it in their ISB?

Reactions?

Thx in advance

Mad Max

 

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I use the Cummins/Fleet guard Premix with DC4 anti-cavitation additive. Its blue in color, My Buddy asked me if i was useing "Tide-de Bowl"LOL!
Its seems to work well.
Doug.

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1998. 5,2500,ISB,Auto,CC,4x4,4. 10's,Suregrip,White Sport,Isspro Boost & Pyro,275hp Injectors,VA,PS Boost Module,DTT Valve Body,BD Pressure Lock,16x8 Eagles,285/75/16 Bridgestone MT's,2. 5" Skyjacker Lift,Stockland Seibring Shell.

[This message has been edited by DieselRam (edited 09-26-2000). ]

 

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I still have the factory coolant (ethylene glycol) in my truck, and only have about 2,000 miles on truck at this time. The owner's manual says to use ethylene glycol (plus other specs) but other posts here have indicated that Cummins and Dodge have OK'd the propylene glycol for use in our trucks.

The only reason for using the propylene glycol coolants are safety related. Ethylene glycol is toxic, but also cheaper and has slightly better performance than the propylene glycol. Have pets or small children? Any ethylene glycol on the driveway can be licked-up by those without common sense (dogs, kids etc) as it has a very sweet smell and taste, and it can kill. Saw this on Animal Planet (TV show) and it was sickening. Vet said he got about a dog a week poisoned this way and basically they all die a terrible death, his only cure is to put them down.

In my work it has become pretty common to use propylene glycol solutions for heat transfer systems just because of employer liability issues, and most of these systems are much less likely to ever leak than a vehicle's cooling system. If you have pets or kids I would recommend using apropylene glycol coolant for some piece of mind.


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Just got my 2001 2500 QC, SB, 4x4, ETH 6-sp, 3. 54 LSD, SLT++ (everything but those lights on top of the roof), White over Silver, Tan leather. Picked it up 8/31/00.

 

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Speaking of which - Zerox has there Anti-Freeze on sale this time of year and on one flavor it states in the ad that it is "Pre Charged" - Does this mean it has the DC4 additive or similar additive for cavitation #ad


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4-sale with less than 19,000 miles. '99, 3/4, QC, SLT, 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 3. 5xlsd, tow pac, HD tcase, tow mirrors, camper pac, White over driftwood, Mist gray interior.

 

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I have purchased the Amsoil propylene glycol antifreeze/coolant although, I haven't flushed the system and added it yet (never enough time... soon though). In addition to being less toxic to children and animals etc. , Amsoil claims their formula also "improves liner pitting protection" (ya, I realize we don't have cylinder liners), "improves solder and cast iron corrosion protection", and contributes "less aluminum hot surface corrosion".

Cummins Compleat is formulated in four different versions: ethylene glycol pre-mixed (50%/50%), or concentrate, and propylene glycol pre-mixed (also 50%/50%), and concentrate. A DC TSB states that propylene glycol based antifreeze/coolant can be used in place of the ethylene glycol counterpart.

 

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NALCOOL 2000 is a widely used treatment. It protects against rust, galvanic corrosion and foaming. The anti foam inhibitor is a must. Engine vibration causes foam and bubbles, which leads to cavitation. Cavitation is nothing more than the bubbles in the water coming in contact with the metal in the engine and water pump and blowing up (imploding) causing pitting, which in time can eat a water pump up.

Cummins has a dry type chemical additive (DCA) for our engines. They will also sell you a kit to read the coolant like a chemist and decide how much more DCA to add.

Ethylene glycol based antifreeze has a boiling point of 223 deg, which is 11 deg higher than water. This means you don't have to worry much about ethylene glycol based antifreeze evaporating away. Ethylene glycol is good to go for any engine. It can be "beat" by the dry type additives that can be analyzed down to perfection.

The important thing to remember is, no matter what you use, you need to replace it every year. It will loose its anti rust/foaming and lubricating properties. It will still keep the water from freezing, but it wont treat the water any more.


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Always ready to help!
2000 2500 Red Sport quad cab, 4x4, K&N, DDI's, straight piped, boost, pyro and fuel pressure gages, Power Edge, mean looking set of 33. 5" tires, Snap On diamond tool box, Marine Corps window sticker, Semper Fi!

1972 340 Cuda'. Original tripple Black, 340 car w/air. Good clean car, super stock springs, Weld Prostars, shaker hood, strong 340 with a 727/4000 stahl, 4. 56... . Bombs away!
NRA Life Member. http://www.geocities.com/chadsheets

 

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This looks like one I need to jump in on.

The Propylene glycol products are definately less toxic. Ethylene glycol causes acute renal failure if even small volumes are ingested. I don't remember the numbers exactly, but I saw a paper (professional journal) a few years ago that estimated about a thousand kidney transplants per year in children.

Unfortunately in pets kidney transplants are rarely feasible. Way too expensive for most places and not many hospitals do them, plus you have to adopt the kidney doner. If they get a lethal dose all we can do is either watch them suffer, or preferable humanely euthanize them.

Propylene glycol is much less toxic. It is generally safe for children and dogs (unless they drink a bunch); however, it is still toxic in cats (though less so than ethylene glycol. )



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2000 Cummins ("courtesy" of Dodge) Ram 2500 QC. White,4x4, SLT with 3. 54 rear and 5 spd transmission.
Linex, and otherwise stock. Waiting for the next big Texas Hailstorm so I can afford an Air Bulldog.