Miata Mailing List: September 1998, Message #12

sponsored by

I thought that antifreeze also acted in some fashion as a lubricant for the water
pump or is this just another urban myth?

dipaula@pete.nit.disa.mil wrote:

> > Hey, all.  Finally got all the fluids replaced in my '90 A; today's flushing
> > of the coolant was the last piece of the puzzle.  Now the question:  according
> > to the Miata Enthusiast's manual I can get by with a 65% H2O/35% coolant mix
> > which is supposed to make me good to 3 degrees F. (plenty for my part of the
> > country...I hope); but the owner's manual says 50/50, as does the Tips from
> > the Garage on the Miata.net.  I seem to remember a thread about the Miata
> > "liking" the 65/35% mix better, and the mixture looks awful watery to me.  I
> > don't have a hydrometer.  Comments?
>
> the closer to pure H2O you run, the better the heat transfer properties.
> the main reasons, so i have been told, to mix antifreeze in your coolant
> are 1) to prevent it from freezing in freezing weather (duh), and 2) to
> prevent corrosion.
>
> if your engine will not be exposed to sub-freezing temperatures, consider
> running distilled water only, or distilled water mixed with something like
> redline water wetter.
>
> -D-