Best Coolant?

MOTO120
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MOTO120
Edited Date/Time 5/4/2020 6:04am
So what's everyone's opinions on what's the best coolant out there? I've used both Engine Ice and ZipTy stuff in the past without any issues....just curious if there's something even better out there I'm not aware of.

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BobPA
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BobPA 4/9/2017 9:00pm
4/9/2017 9:00pm
I just use regular 50/50 anti-freeze. No sense is wasting money on "Engine Ice" or other brands. Plain water works the best for cooling, but you need to add water wetter or an equivalent to lubricate the seals. Also, if it gets cold where you live make sure to mix in anti freeze. I own both 2 strokes and 4 strokes and ride all kinds of conditions...never an issue.
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MotoTribology 4/10/2017 6:40am
4/10/2017 6:40am
As BobPA said, water is the best coolant. It has the best thermal conductivity and dissipates heat better than an antifreeze mixture. However, you need to have something in there like a water wetter type product to prevent corrosion and provide added lubrication for longevity.

If your bike is in IL and you aren't completely draining the fluids each winter before freezing temperatures set in, you'll need an antifreeze, so choose wisely.

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jeremy_smith
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jeremy_smith 4/10/2017 7:48am
4/10/2017 7:48am
MotoTribology wrote:
As BobPA said, water is the best coolant. It has the best thermal conductivity and dissipates heat better than an antifreeze mixture. However, you need to...
As BobPA said, water is the best coolant. It has the best thermal conductivity and dissipates heat better than an antifreeze mixture. However, you need to have something in there like a water wetter type product to prevent corrosion and provide added lubrication for longevity.

If your bike is in IL and you aren't completely draining the fluids each winter before freezing temperatures set in, you'll need an antifreeze, so choose wisely.
If you live in a place where it never freezes you could just run distilled water and watter wetter? It would cool better?
MotoTribology 4/10/2017 9:02am
4/10/2017 9:02am
jeremy_smith wrote:
If you live in a place where it never freezes you could just run distilled water and watter wetter? It would cool better?
It should as long as you don't actually overheat. Antifreeze does increase the boiling point a few degrees so it may stop a bike from boiling over. For normal operation, water conducts and releases heat better than glycol mixtures do though. You just need to be careful depending on your environment. Freezing water in the cooling system will do some serious damage.
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Mr Happy
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Mr Happy 4/10/2017 10:36am
4/10/2017 10:36am
jeremy_smith wrote:
If you live in a place where it never freezes you could just run distilled water and watter wetter? It would cool better?
Would run distilled water only in two stroke track bikes. They would come apart a couple of times a weekend to replace a ring, and would be drained when getting home so they would never be kept sitting with water in them. Anti freeze also has corrosion inhibitors in there which helps as once the coolant system is filled on a lightly used four stroke MX bike it could be left for a while.
Mx286
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Mx286 4/10/2017 1:02pm
4/10/2017 1:02pm
Engine Ice, it's worth it.
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Falcon
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Falcon 4/10/2017 5:29pm
4/10/2017 5:29pm
Coolant raises the boiling temperature of water, so it helps a little; however, water does translate heat into the metal of your radiators faster. It's kind of a 50/50 scenario, but the added anti-corrosion benefits of coolant tip the scales for me.

Also, a propylene glycol coolant like Engine Ice will work a little better at the extreme end of the liquid phase (it takes a little longer to boil) than ethylene glycol.
MxKing809
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MxKing809 4/11/2017 7:36pm
4/11/2017 7:36pm Edited Date/Time 4/11/2017 7:37pm
Markopolo400 wrote:
Engine Ice in my bike.
Tuzzo123 wrote:
Truth
100% antifreeze and I cut it to 50/50 with hose water.....

Oh yeah, I run Rotella T too....
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526
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526 4/13/2017 5:17am
4/13/2017 5:17am
I buy the Honda stuff comes in a nice little bottle which doesn't take up much room in the trailer.
mxtech1
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mxtech1 4/13/2017 8:15am
4/13/2017 8:15am Edited Date/Time 4/13/2017 8:16am
For the serious rider/racer who rebuilds their engine by the book, you cannot beat de-ionized water. It gets expensive running Engine Ice, or similar, if you have to replace it every time you have to drain coolant.

If you live in an area with freezing winter temps, just be conscious of the weather and convert back to an anti-freeze coolant before wintering.

For the guy who just likes to play ride and maybe not by-the-book in terms of maintenance, just run Auto store coolant 50:50 that is safe for Alum. components.
526
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526 4/13/2017 8:31am
4/13/2017 8:31am
The book says to use De-ionized water?
MotoTribology 4/13/2017 1:08pm
4/13/2017 1:08pm
Lets be careful though everyone, de-ionized water contains more dihydrogen monoxide by volume than tap water and that stuff is dangerous so be careful.
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swatdoc
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swatdoc 4/13/2017 7:39pm
4/13/2017 7:39pm Edited Date/Time 4/13/2017 7:42pm
For the best cooling, distilled water has twice the thermal transfer ability compared to glycol. You only need glycol (antifreeze) if you're in a colder climate. For warm weather, just add Water Wetter to lubricate seals and inhibit corrosion. To go a step further, get a higher pressure radiator cap to increase the boiling temperature. Then for the best setup, add a Boyeson Supercooler impellor setup to move more water more quickly.

Good article: https://www.redlineoil.com/content/files/tech/WaterWetter%20Tech%20Info…

Another: https://www.thumpertalk.com/blogs/entry/210-three-easy-ways-to-improve-…
lumpy790
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lumpy790 4/14/2017 7:15am
4/14/2017 7:15am
"Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant is biodegradable, phosphate free & non-toxic; typically reducing operating race temperatures and effectively keeping boil over temperatures to 256°F or less and freeze-up protection to -26° F."

Water boils at 212 so raising the boiling temp 40 degrees is more than just a little difference

EI has been in the Moto Hose bikes since EI began.
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PFitzG38
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PFitzG38 4/17/2017 10:39am
4/17/2017 10:39am
I mix both the Maxima Coolanal and CoolAide 50/50. Somewhere i read thats the best protection and i bought it.
PFitzG38
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PFitzG38 4/17/2017 10:47am
4/17/2017 10:47am Edited Date/Time 4/17/2017 10:49am
The more i think about it and read this thread. I rarely have a problem with overheating. I'm sure I could get away with just bout anything, but I'm not about to use straight water and guess on how much additive to add, just to save a few cents.

Why not support those that support the sport....or at least the Vital message board.

EI just went on my parts list for the week. Your welcome Dave - sorry it took so long.
swatdoc
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swatdoc 4/17/2017 8:25pm
4/17/2017 8:25pm
Fitz - that was from an article in MXA a few years back. I have ran that ever since. Don't recal if they compared it to EI or not?? I just picked up a new FC350 - I might try the EI just for peace of mind
Falcon
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Falcon 4/18/2017 4:45pm
4/18/2017 4:45pm
MotoTribology wrote:
Lets be careful though everyone, de-ionized water contains more dihydrogen monoxide by volume than tap water and that stuff is dangerous so be careful. [img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/42/b8/55/42b8555a17b36ce8c9c6acae9db511e7.jpg[/img]
Lets be careful though everyone, de-ionized water contains more dihydrogen monoxide by volume than tap water and that stuff is dangerous so be careful.
LMAO.

Did you see the Penn & Teller video where they were getting college students to sign a petition to ban Dihydrogen Oxide?
"It's in our lakes & streams already!!!"
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MotoTribology 4/18/2017 5:19pm
4/18/2017 5:19pm
Just typing in dihydrogen monoxide into google images results in a plethora of entertainment as well as dhmo.org

Some of my favorites:



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Snakeforhire 5/2/2020 12:36pm
5/2/2020 12:36pm Edited Date/Time 5/2/2020 12:39pm
MotoTribology wrote:
Lets be careful though everyone, de-ionized water contains more dihydrogen monoxide by volume than tap water and that stuff is dangerous so be careful. [img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/42/b8/55/42b8555a17b36ce8c9c6acae9db511e7.jpg[/img]
Lets be careful though everyone, de-ionized water contains more dihydrogen monoxide by volume than tap water and that stuff is dangerous so be careful.
Oh god ! Dude, you suck so hard you should work at a thai massage parlor !!!:xD
I suggest you go back to junior high and re-take chemistry 101 !
"dihydrogen monoxide", i.e H2O is just distilled water !

pH 0 is the most acidic you can find (except in the case of superacids, which can actually have negative pH), and ph 14 is the most basic ! So a pH of 7 is absolutely neutral... xD

Now, in the case of most ion-exchanged de-ionized water, most of the time they're slightly acidic, i.e 6-6.5.
So just to be sure, you should add a little pH 7 buffer (found in most aquariophile stores) as to avoid corroding aluminium.
If you really wanna be bulletproof, mix 1/10 coolant (to have the wetting capability) with 9/10ths deionized water, and adjust pH to 9 by mixing in the right amount of pH7 and pH10 buffers... Wink
(why 9 ? Because basic solutions do not corrode metals like steel or aluminium. People like me who've had to run industrial boilers know that their feedwater is always adjusted to a pH of 9 to 11 for this very purpose, since the higher the temperature and pressure, the faster it corrodes at neutral pH)
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harescrambled
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harescrambled 5/3/2020 9:54am
5/3/2020 9:54am
Snakeforhire wrote:
Oh god ! Dude, you suck so hard you should work at a thai massage parlor !!!:xD I suggest you go back to junior high and...
Oh god ! Dude, you suck so hard you should work at a thai massage parlor !!!:xD
I suggest you go back to junior high and re-take chemistry 101 !
"dihydrogen monoxide", i.e H2O is just distilled water !

pH 0 is the most acidic you can find (except in the case of superacids, which can actually have negative pH), and ph 14 is the most basic ! So a pH of 7 is absolutely neutral... xD

Now, in the case of most ion-exchanged de-ionized water, most of the time they're slightly acidic, i.e 6-6.5.
So just to be sure, you should add a little pH 7 buffer (found in most aquariophile stores) as to avoid corroding aluminium.
If you really wanna be bulletproof, mix 1/10 coolant (to have the wetting capability) with 9/10ths deionized water, and adjust pH to 9 by mixing in the right amount of pH7 and pH10 buffers... Wink
(why 9 ? Because basic solutions do not corrode metals like steel or aluminium. People like me who've had to run industrial boilers know that their feedwater is always adjusted to a pH of 9 to 11 for this very purpose, since the higher the temperature and pressure, the faster it corrodes at neutral pH)
The sarcasm was obvious my man. It's a meme for chrissakes! Laughing By the way...you're wrong about basic solutions. basic solutions are very bad for aluminum. Dissolve some baking soda in water, drop a piece of uncoated aluminum into it, and wait a few minutes before you remove it. It'll start turning black, which is the base attacking the aluminum. And no, acids aren't any better for metals
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Bruce372
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Bruce372 5/3/2020 10:01am
5/3/2020 10:01am
Aluminum is amphoteric, meaning it swings both ways
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CSAR FE
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CSAR FE 5/3/2020 10:02am
5/3/2020 10:02am
swatdoc wrote:
For the best cooling, distilled water has twice the thermal transfer ability compared to glycol. You only need glycol (antifreeze) if you're in a colder climate...
For the best cooling, distilled water has twice the thermal transfer ability compared to glycol. You only need glycol (antifreeze) if you're in a colder climate. For warm weather, just add Water Wetter to lubricate seals and inhibit corrosion. To go a step further, get a higher pressure radiator cap to increase the boiling temperature. Then for the best setup, add a Boyeson Supercooler impellor setup to move more water more quickly.

Good article: https://www.redlineoil.com/content/files/tech/WaterWetter%20Tech%20Info…

Another: https://www.thumpertalk.com/blogs/entry/210-three-easy-ways-to-improve-…
Has anyone ever legitimately seen a difference with a Boyesen Supercooler installed?
harescrambled
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harescrambled 5/3/2020 11:25am
5/3/2020 11:25am
lumpy790 wrote:
"Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant is biodegradable, phosphate free & non-toxic; typically reducing operating race temperatures and effectively keeping boil over temperatures to 256°F or less and...
"Engine Ice Hi-Performance Coolant is biodegradable, phosphate free & non-toxic; typically reducing operating race temperatures and effectively keeping boil over temperatures to 256°F or less and freeze-up protection to -26° F."

Water boils at 212 so raising the boiling temp 40 degrees is more than just a little difference

EI has been in the Moto Hose bikes since EI began.
Freeze protection to -26F is legit. However, 256F boilover is misleading adspeak. The boiling point is increased so much due to being in a pressurized system. Not bagging on Dave or his product, but at sea level in an open container, Engine Ice boils at 225F per the SDS. Barely better than distilled water. However, EI does contain a wetting agent, provides some corrosion protection, and lubrication of the cooling system seals
MotoTribology 5/4/2020 6:03am
5/4/2020 6:03am
Snakeforhire wrote:
Oh god ! Dude, you suck so hard you should work at a thai massage parlor !!!:xD I suggest you go back to junior high and...
Oh god ! Dude, you suck so hard you should work at a thai massage parlor !!!:xD
I suggest you go back to junior high and re-take chemistry 101 !
"dihydrogen monoxide", i.e H2O is just distilled water !

pH 0 is the most acidic you can find (except in the case of superacids, which can actually have negative pH), and ph 14 is the most basic ! So a pH of 7 is absolutely neutral... xD

Now, in the case of most ion-exchanged de-ionized water, most of the time they're slightly acidic, i.e 6-6.5.
So just to be sure, you should add a little pH 7 buffer (found in most aquariophile stores) as to avoid corroding aluminium.
If you really wanna be bulletproof, mix 1/10 coolant (to have the wetting capability) with 9/10ths deionized water, and adjust pH to 9 by mixing in the right amount of pH7 and pH10 buffers... Wink
(why 9 ? Because basic solutions do not corrode metals like steel or aluminium. People like me who've had to run industrial boilers know that their feedwater is always adjusted to a pH of 9 to 11 for this very purpose, since the higher the temperature and pressure, the faster it corrodes at neutral pH)


I'm reelin em in even 3 years later!
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