4-LIFE coolant

[SB - Nigel]

As I've recommended (and used) 4-LIFE coolant for around 20 years (I think)

I've just found out today that 4-LIFE coolant can not be recommended in old unrebuilt engines

As I've recommended it in so many threads I thought I'd best add this proviso

I'm not too old to learn (just to remember)

Edited by nta16 on Tuesday 6th December 16:15

[crankedup]

I only use anti freeze of the old blue in colour stuff, said to be fine in old engines.

[RW774]

Not sure about any of this. I think it`s the water that causes the problems. The anti oxidants, high chlorine levels, the hardness and the chemical reaction between the mix over time creates the sludge. I remember owning a Zodiac Mk2 that had been engineer owned from new.It had an alloy RM head and triple carbs, it had only ever had distilled water for cooling mix. When I stripped it , the block and head were perfect. Now i`ve just stripped a 3.8 E engine down 16k miles and the block is full of crud. Another 4.2 E , now into freshen up at 30K has the block full of a crystalised mass when it was stripped.Try an experiment in a jam jar with your local water. A 50/50 mix of anti F/ water and add some cast iron/ copper and brass/ alloy see the result after a year, try the same with soft water

[SB - Nigel]

The use of tap water I don't think was ever recommended, in old books it was rain water now I think it's condensed(?) evaporated(?) (I might be thinking of milk here) I mean the water out of dehumidifiers

I was told that you should change the antifreeze coolant every 18 months, 2 or 3 years as the anti corrosive elements of the anit-freeze weaken (rather than the anti-freeze element of the anti-freeze, wsh I could put this better)

As for 4-LIFE apparantly "in older, un-rebuilt engines, the aggressive nature of the 4-LIFE coolant is that it WILL seek out any 'weak spots' in the cooling system and is thus more likely to find leak points than is the traditional blue glycol or modern OAT coolants"