Best antifreeze for 455 with aluminum heads and intake

As a former water pump seal engineer I can tell you the bit about seal/bearing longevity is complete BS. There are no coolant additives that help the seal and bearing. The additives are just there for corrosion protection.

 

I got one at Summit. I installed it in my Griffin radiator where a hose bung can go. You can put them where the petcock is, but I can see mine by opening the cap. I have a picture, but for some reason it won't upload.

 

1. If the concentration of anti-freeze vs. water makes the difference between overheating or not overheating...SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG.

2. Guys find out the hard way about minimizing anti-freeze concentration. They go on a weekend skiing trip to the mountains; or there's some abnormal once-in-fifty-years cold snap, and they crack the block 'cause they wouldn't buy another gallon of antifreeze.

Zinc works. I think magnesium is better. Often screwed into the radiator in place of the draincock, or dangled from a radiator cap.

"I" would check radiator voltage. Two causes for radiator voltage, and neither is good. Either the coolant is worn-out; or the vehicle has a grounding problem. Both sources lead to cooling system corrosion.

 

Not much danger of that here in Central Florida.

 

Yeah...that what all those folks in Texas thought, prior to February '21

 

Yes, it was bad in Texas on Feb 15-17, 2021. But the temps in Orlando, Florida during that winter storm was in the 40s. The lowest it has ever been in Orlando was in 1894, 18 degrees. An 80%-20% mix of water/antifreeze would not have frozen on that day. And, considering that no Buick owner would take his car out of the garage during that kind of cold, I still say "never in Central Florida".

 

What was the temperature when the Challenger exploded?

Temperature as low as 20 degrees. This was the likely cause for failure of rubber O rings connecting the segments of one booster which led to the explosion as hot gas escaped at the O-ring site shortly after launch. Rubber tends to get brittle at low temperatures. VET

 

My point is, it's a false economy and poor practice to minimize anti-freeze concentration. Weather is not predictable no matter what the National Weather Guessing Service says. Then there's the potential for someone to "forget" and drive the car somewhere that it does get cold.

There's so little to be gained, and it's so expensive to be wrong about anti-freeze concentration.

 

Guys find out the hard way about minimizing anti-freeze concentration. They go on a weekend skiing trip to the mountains; or there's some abnormal once-in-fifty-years cold snap, and they crack the block 'cause they wouldn't buy another gallon of antifreeze.
QUOTE]

This might be stupid. I thought the reason engine blocks have freeze plugs is to keep the engine from cracking.
Is this not true?
Why bother having freeze plugs if they don't function as designed? VET

 

Just read that it's recommended to replace freeze plugs every
100,000 miles, really.

 

Never replaced a freeze plug in my life unless I'm rebuilding an engine and sending the block off to get tanked.

 

They're not "freeze" plugs. They're CORE plugs. That's how they remove the sand from the sand cores of the molten-iron, block casting process. They machine the holes smooth, pop some cheap sheetmetal plugs into the block holes, and maybe--MAYBE--those plugs pop out when the block freezes.

GM now recommends Loctite 242 "Blue" threadlocker as a core plug sealant. Good luck with them popping out before the block cracks.

Various aluminum blocks, and some Ford high-performance 427 iron blocks have screw-in core plugs. Again, they're not likely to pop out when the coolant freezes.

Aside from engine rebuilds, core plugs are rarely replaced until they corrode and leak. Brass core plugs are popular because they more-or-less don't corrode. In cold-weather climates, a core plug is often knocked into the block (and ideally then pulled entirely OUT of the block) to install a block heater.

 

OK, I found this information while researching this subject on Freeze or Core plugs. It's great to get educated on everything automotive.

Core plugs, also known as freeze plugs or expansion plugs, serve a specific purpose in an engine, but it’s essential to clarify their function. Let’s dive into the details:

Core Plugs (Freeze Plugs)

• A core plug, commonly referred to as a freeze plug, is not primarily designed as a freeze protection device.
• Its primary role is not to pop out and safeguard the engine if the coolant or water freezes.
• Instead, core plugs are installed during the engine casting process to allow for inserting and removing sand.
• When molten metal is injected into a sand casting to form the engine block, the areas around the cylinders (where coolant flows) are filled with sand.
• After casting, this sand must be removed from holes in the block and cylinder head. Interesting to know what core plugs are designed for. VET

​

 

Core HOLES are cast-into the block or head. The PLUGS are not installed "during" the casting process.

They would not "insert" sand via the core hole. The hardened cast-iron block (or head) is vibrated/shaken to break the sand cores into loose sand that can be "poured" out of the core holes.

The source you quote is otherwise accurate.

 

It was in the 20s. I was out with a real estate customer that day and we watched the explosion as it happened. At first mission control announced it as "an anomaly", an understatement for sure.

An 80/20 mix of coolant would not have frozen that day, though.

 

It was in the 20s. I was out with a real estate customer that day and we watched the explosion as it happened. At first mission control announced it as "an anomaly", an understatement for sure.

An 80/20 mix of coolant would not have frozen that day, though.

Another cold day in Orlando was Jan 19, 1977 when it snowed, about 4 inches worth. Here's our son in our back yard standing next to an orange tree with snow coming down. He had a ball that day.

 

Rislone recommends against using distilled water: https://rislone.com/blog/cooling/why-you-should-never-use-distilled-water-in-your-cooling-system/