Evans Waterless coolant

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Marsh
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Evans Waterless coolant

Post by Marsh »

Dear all,

I'm starting to think about suitable choices of coolant for my engine, once it's finally installed in my car.

I'm aware of lots of positive views on the merits of 'waterless' coolant in older cars, especially those with larger engines fitted in relatively confined spaces, as in our cars.

Obviously, I'd like to ensure that I'm doing all I can to alleviate any unnecessary engine heat wherever possible so I'd appreciate some intelligent advice from those who know; is it any good and are its benefits sufficient to warrant using it?

Answers on a post card please!

L
427 'side oiler' in 1965 Street trim
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Roger King
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Re: Evans Waterless coolant

Post by Roger King »

Post card? You must be joking, unless it's a 'charity cheque' sized one...

I've used Evans in all my classics for over 12 years now, probably longer. And in my daily drivers, if they're out of warranty. I'll try to be as brief as I can be.

Pros:
- biggest pro, and the reason I started using it - pretty much zero corrosion in the cooling system.
- you can run zero pressure. Cooling systems are only pressurized to raise the boiling point, so the coolant has to get hotter to boil. As Evans boils at 180°C or thereabouts, there's no need to pressurize it. Therefore it's easier on hoses etc. and doesn't spray everywhere if you remove the cap when hot.
- it doesn't need regular changing, plus point for idle sods or those with several cars trying to remember which car was changed when.
- it cools much more effectively as there is no formation of 'hotspots' caused by steam formation within the system, and metal-to-coolant contact is maintained throughout the system.

Cons:
- most annoying con - it finds weak points very well. If you have a joint or a hose that could leak, Evans will ensure that it does.
- tricky to convert to later, as to be effective the system must contain less than 3% water so difficult to get it all out. Evans tech advises draining rad and block, half filling the system with cheapo ethylene glycol and running until the thermostat opens, let the coolant get around the system then cut, drain again and repeat, then fill with Evans.
- commonly reported to be flammable - from personal experience, yes, it is. But that's because it's used neat. In my experience, ALL coolants are flammable if used neat. El cheapo ethylene glycol-based coolants will ignite once the water has evaporated off.
- your engine will run hotter on propylene glycol-based coolant (Evans) than it would on ethylene glycol. There's probably something in your old A-level Chemistry notes that explains why.
- cost. A typical engine build costs a few thousand quid, so if you're bothered about a couple of hundred quid for coolant to protect it from corrosion you are in the wrong hobby, in my opinion.

The 'cons' paragraph is bigger than the 'pros' one, but I wouldn't run anything else.

I could go into more detail...

...but won't.
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Roger King
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Re: Evans Waterless coolant

Post by Roger King »

Oh all right then - other things to consider:

Definitely run an expansion tank from the header tank overflow. Evans expands a fair bit, like any coolant, so a 'suck-back' tank is a good idea.
You might think about using water for the cam break-in, as things can get a bit messy and wastage occurs. Unless, of course, you are fitting a roller cam which doesn't require a break-in. But you wouldn't be doing such a thing in a decent replica of a sixties big-block, would you? Utter sacrilege. Flat tappet, solid lifters, cam break-in. Obviously.
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Re: Evans Waterless coolant

Post by Colin Newbold »

As you know Roger, I've been running Evans in my Cobra for about 6.5 of its 7 years. But sounds as though today's a school day because I have always run a standard rad cap, i.e. a pressurized one (I think its currently 15 or 16?), on my expansion tank. Should I be running a different type of cap? One that doesn't have a number on it? And if so, where do I buy that? Or would continuing as I am do no harm anyway?

Believing it to be a non-pressurised system I once drilled a hole in the cap as a potential solution to an overheating problem... what I didn't take into account is the expansion. During a highly spirited subsequent drive, I lost a huge amount of Evans with disastrous consequences (no I don't just mean replacing the Evans!). That was more like a school term not just one day.

So I now run an overflow pipe into a crude catch tank... the tank isn't sealed... and all seems well. The level in the expansion tank is pretty low (maybe 20% of the way up) but despite occasionally filling half-way, 30% seems to enter the catch tank each time, with the expansion back down again. Maybe that's the right level? BTW... should that catch tank be sealed? Will the catch tank, configured without a seal, still allow coolant to flow back into the expansion tank?

Appreciate your help in solving the above... :)

Cheers,
Colin
"How you see yourself is all very well, but it's how others see you that will determine the results you get as a leader!"
Colin Newbold
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Re: Evans Waterless coolant

Post by Colin Newbold »

As you know Roger, I've been running Evans in my Cobra for about 6.5 of its 7 years. But sounds as though today's a school day because I have always run a standard rad cap, i.e. a pressurized one (I think its currently 15 or 16?), on my expansion tank. Should I be running a different type of cap? One that doesn't have a number on it? And if so, where do I buy that? Or would continuing as I am do no harm anyway?

Believing it to be a non-pressurised system I once drilled a hole in the cap as a potential solution to an overheating problem... what I didn't take into account is the expansion. During a highly spirited subsequent drive, I lost a huge amount of Evans with disastrous consequences (no I don't just mean replacing the Evans!). That was more like a school term not just one day.

So since that experience, over a year ago, I now run an overflow pipe from the expansion tank into a crude catch tank... that tank isn't sealed... and all seems well. The level in the expansion tank is pretty low (maybe 20% of the way up) but despite occasionally filling half-way, 30% seems to enter the catch tank each time, with the expansion back down again. Maybe that's the right level? After all, my overheating appears to have gone away. BTW... should that catch tank be sealed? Will the catch tank, configured as it currently is without a seal, still allow coolant to flow back into the expansion tank?

Appreciate your help in solving the above... :)

Cheers,
Colin
"How you see yourself is all very well, but it's how others see you that will determine the results you get as a leader!"
Marsh
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Re: Evans Waterless coolant

Post by Marsh »

Thank you gentlemen - if it's good enough for you two, then...

...although Roger - I'd have thought you'd have preferred to use genuine 1964 vintage water - I know where there's some new old stock water on a well known on line auction site... :wink:

L
427 'side oiler' in 1965 Street trim
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nikbj68
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Re: Evans Waterless coolant

Post by nikbj68 »

Dad has been using Castrol 4-Life for the past 7 years in the Greyhound, it has the same freezing & boiling points as Evans, (therefore runs pressureless)
    and has a 'Litmus' function changing from red to yellow should the head gasket leak!
    Like Evans, it seems to find it's way out where water may not, and like Evans is recommended for recently rebuilt rather than older old engines.
    Can't say we've noted a higher running temperature, expansion sounds the same as Evans.

    BUT. The best thing about 4-Life is that it is around a quarter of the price of Evans, with no obvious difference in function.
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    Roger King
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    Re: Evans Waterless coolant

    Post by Roger King »

    That's because forlife is still an ethylene glycol-based coolant, and doesn't have the same high boiling point as Evans. I ran it for 10 years in my first Healey, it's OK.
    Colin, your catch tank needs to be able to breathe, as you don't want a completely closed system. So it just needs an open overflow pipe at the top.
    Doesn't matter if you pressurise Evans, it just means you don't get the advantage of lower pressure on the hoses. It doesn't need to be pressurised. In fact I run a 7lb cap in the Cobra as it looks right - but you can remove the internal valve gubbins and spring so that it exerts no pressure. Drilling a hole will not work, as you discovered.
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    Re: Evans Waterless coolant

    Post by nikbj68 »

    Roger King wrote:...forlife is still an ethylene glycol-based coolant, and doesn't have the same high boiling point as Evans...
    4-Life Boiling point 180°C, Evans Boiling point 'above' 180°C
    4-Life Freezing point -45°C, Evans Freezing point 'below' -40°C

    4-Life £19.68 for 5L (10-year life)
    Evans £64.98 for 5L + £39.95 for 5L Prep fluid. (20-years+ life)

    Demon Tweeks run it in all of their Classic racers.

    Good enough for me. :)
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    Roger King
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    Re: Evans Waterless coolant

    Post by Roger King »

    Great - use it!

    I'm really not bothered about an extra 50 quid or so - but I absolutely hate cleaning out silted-up waterways. And you will note above that Evans themselves told me not to bother with the prep fluid.
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