<snip> I understand that it is a surfactant, and supposedly allows the
water to
transfer heat better. BUT-there is a fly in your ointment, and it's called
a
thermostat, which will keep the coolant temp constant no matter what you
have in the radiator.
Jon,
If the thermostat always keeps the coolant temp constant, why would
anyone have problems overheating? I saw someone else post a reply that
states correctly, the thermostat only controls circulation at the cooler
end of the range. That's why its listed as a 180, 195 etc. degree
thermostat. It opens at a set point in the heat range and if the coolant
gets hotter, the thermostat will remain open. I replaced the factory 195
degree t-stat in my truck with a 180 degree t-stat. Since I made the
change, my truck does generally run at about 180 degrees. But I have
noticed in these past few weeks, with the outside temps running over 90
degrees, my truck seems to indicate a little more than 180 degrees. Not
overheating, just slightly warmer. The t-stat has nothing to do with the
upper temps attained by the engine. All it does is control the circulation
of coolant inside the block until it reaches a set point, then allows the
coolant to circulate through the radiator. The coolant/water and any
additives are what actually do the work of cooling the engine. Everything
has to work together. If one part fails, the whole system crashes.
Ray Irons
Dover, DE
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