Does my new 2520 have too much antifreeze?

[dannyk]

I thought I'd better check the antifreeze protection on my 2520 that was delivered late August, just in case they thought I lived in Texas instead of Minnesota. To my surprise, the gauge was off scale on the high end, showing protection way above -45 degrees F. It gets cold here but not that cold!

I know my gauge is accurate because I tested it in several new jugs of 50:50 prediluted ethylene gycol-based antifreeze, and it has been always right on at -34 degrees F.

My guess is that I have about 70% antifreeze:30% water in the radiator, whereas the manual says not to go above a 50:50 mix. Now why did JD do that? And should I be draining out some antifreeze and adding water to get back to a 50:50 mix? Or am I OK with the factory antifreeze as delivered?

Thanks for your comments.
Danny

 

[dmay]

Had any problems since August with operating temperature?
Is your tractor during winter stored indoors or outside?

 

[dannyk]

Darrell,

The tractor is stored in a small insulated building so the temperature (even on the occasional -40 degree night) will not drop below -30 and probably not even that.

The 2520 has no temperature gauge, but no idiot lights have come on during late summer use.

Danny

 

[beenthere]

As long as the water temp has been ok, I'd not fret about it being too rich. Can't imagine any problem from it.

Now enjoy the MN winter.

 

[glc24]

IMO,the less amont of water in the mix,the better for your components longevity.:thumbsup:

Greg

 

[Car Doc]

Testers vary wildly so if it was tested with a refractometer it would be accurate although stronger than it needs to be for freeze protection but still not a problem. edit:

Here is a link fyi- http://www.misco.com/products/7084VP+.html

But if its a floating ball type its not a correct reading they are not very accurate. hth

 

[grsthegreat]

Hate to break it to you all, but i once made my antifreeze mixture about 60-70% antifreeze while living in montana.... with -60F temps thinking more antifreeze would be a benifit.\

How wrong can a guy be, I froze my engine block...while driving the engine. Actually warped the block. I came to fine out that when you go overt the 50:50 ratio the freezing point starts to increase again. The 50:50 is the BEST and RECOMMENDED max amount.

i did not know that at the time. cost me an engine.

 

[Car Doc]

I have an anti-freeze jug right here in front of me anyone can get the same one and according to the directions it says-50/50= -34 and 265 boiling point, 60/40= -62 and 270 BP, 70/30= -84 and 276 BP so Id say Prestone who makes the stuff contradicts that statement that over 50/50 the freezing point increases just sayin.

edit: Here is what Zerez says: "More antifreeze is not always better. Antifreeze's key ingredient is glycol, and it works best at a 50 to 70 percent mixture with water. For example, coolant made up of half antifreeze and half water will have a freeze point of -34 degrees F. Pure antifreeze freezes at about 12 degrees F.

We recommend going only as high as 70 percent Zerex and 30 percent water to drive the freeze point down," says Dave Turcotte, technical director of Valvoline's Zerex coolant brand. "Once you exceed 70 percent coolant, the freeze point actually starts going back up."

 

[dannyk]

But why do tractor manuals explicitly state not to exceed a 50:50 mix?

 

[grsthegreat]

But why do tractor manuals explicitly state not to exceed a 50:50 mix?

All i know is so does my car and truck manuals. One part of it might be that if you exced 50:50 you wreck havoc on the ability of the fluid to COOL an engine in the summer. Most if not all people dont change their fluid percentages between summer and winter.

And the heavy dose of antifreeze did destroy my old chevy's engine (froze and warped block - aluminum block as i recall....it was a Chevy luv truck.... not much of a loss really :laughing:

heres an article about the effects of too rich a mixture....http://www.challengers101.com/CoolantMix.html