Heavy duty antifreeze?

[ToJo]

I have read that diesel engines need heavy duty antifreeze. I prefer propylene glycol to ethylene glycol. Anyone know a good brand of heavy duty propylene glycol?

 

[Shimon]

Evans coolant is a non-aqueous propylene glycol. You don't use any water or a pressure cap. Or Amsoil has some.

 

[DieselPower]

Depending on the engine, some don't react to well to low silicate extended life antifreezes. You could experience water pump shaft seal leaks.

 

[DiezNutz]

I have read that diesel engines need heavy duty antifreeze.

I can't imagine why, unless the cooling system were undersized/improperly designed to begin with. Cubic-inch-for-cubic-inch, Diez-els are on average 30% more efficient than their gasoline cousins; that means proportionately less energy is wasted as heat. Which is why it takes Diez-els so dang long to heat up in cold weather, and why some vehicles even have auxiliary heating elements in the heater core loop to get the core (and the wifey's little toesies) warmed up even faster.

What defines "heavy-duty antifreeze"? Your cooling capacity can be extended by simply using a higher coolant-to-water ratio. On my Kubota I've never seen the needle past 1/4 of the gauge, even in 95 degree heat and mowing at about 10mph, using the "stock mix".

 

[Shimon]

What defines "heavy-duty antifreeze"?

Low-silicate with SCAs or DCAs (supplemental or diesel coolant additive) which is a nitrite which helps to prevent cavitation of wet-sleeve diesel engines or thin-walled diesel engines like the International 7.3L. Fleetguard is a good example of a diesel-rated coolant (made by Cummins).

 

[Shimon]

Here is a good article on diesel coolant: Link

 

[SPYDERLK]

Your cooling capacity can be extended by simply using a higher coolant-to-water ratio.

I dont want to seem to disagree because this is effective as you say. I seem to remember tho that water is the superior heat mover at a given T. The problem at higher T is that higher pressure is needed to keep water a liquid. Due the need for anti corrosion and freeze prevention water is going to be modified anyway with the anti freeze additive, incidentally providing anti boil as well. So our systems are not designed for the higher pressure needed by pure water. The quibble point is that in extending the anti boil up by additive, you get a coolant that is [slightly] inferior to water, but beats it because it can be used at a higher temperature at the designed system pressure.
Thats the way it fits together for me.
larry

 

[DiezNutz]

OK I learned a couple of things. Now, since I've never owned a diesel that had sleeves or thin walls (including this Kubota), I guess I never had a need-to-know about this other issue.

Maybe we oughtta back up a second and ask - do any of these Kubota engines fit the definition of the problem that requires the treatment with supplemental additives? If the answer is No, then we can treat this entire discussion as N/A.

 

[SPYDERLK]

i think all engines need anti freeze and corrosion. Most will need anti boil as well. They all pretty much come as a result of one another. Then theres the cavitation thing on some diesel cylinders that I think youre refering to. Is there an additive for that? How does it work?
larry