Hot Rods Antifreeze ?

I've got a chevy crate motor (3 years old) and an aluminum radiator. Any recommendations on the brand and type of antifreeze to use?

 

Start here: https://www.dewitts.com/blogs/news/14054309-what-coolant-should-i-use-with-an-aluminum-radiator

I'll bet if you get 15 posts here, you'll get 20 opinions.

 

Good information

 

A quality name brand that is designated for aluminum. I buy the concentrate and mix it with distilled water but some guys now are buying what is called waterless anti freeze. It looks like with the needed antifreeze and prep fluid it would cost close to 200 bucks to do a change over to Evens waterless if you had regular antifreeze in the cooling system and had to use their prep fluid. I though my BMW blue antifreeze was expensive.

 

This is pretty good and mostly right, but not perfect. Distilled water is good, deionized is better. See the following video.

Deionized is available at tropical fish & aquarium supply stores. It's inexpensive. It's basically RO (reverse osmosis) water. If there are no aquarium stores near you, maybe you or a friend has RO water. If not, distilled is the next best.

Re back to the question about aluminum, nitrite free OAT (organiz acid technology) type antifreeze is the best to protect against corrosion in aluminum. OAT type antifreeze has been around for several decades now, it's usually called "Long Life" or "Extended Life". We're now on to the 2nd generation of these types of coolants, and those that are nitrite free will proclaim it proudly on the label, that's what you want to use.

In fact, that is the best antifreeze to use period, regardless of the type of engine or metals used.

Here's some examples:
https://www.valvoline.com/our-produ...s/zerex-nitrite-free-extended-life-antifreeze

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Prestone-Nitrite-Free-Extended-Life-Antifreeze/54304221

Trust me on this, I'm not just repeating what I've read from somebody else on the internet, I am a lubrication engineer with a major international lubricants co, and we also handle a line of antifreeze products. I have access to the best sources in the industry.

For more info, here's an article stating what I have posted above:
https://www.ttnews.com/articles/nitrite-free-coolants-rise-due-more-aluminum-engines

 

Make sure you have a good ground from the motor to the frame or else you will have corrosion issues.

 

This is true, very important!
https://www.northernfactory.com/knowledge/electrolysis