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MG MGA - Evans Coolant

I have read that many people use the Evans coolant in their radiators.
I have now been told that this coolant can actually catch fire.
Is this true?
Does anyone have some spare Evans coolant that they can test?
Note that this is not my opinion, only hearsay.

Mick
M F Anderson

Have heard the fire thing also...read about it but cannot remember where.
Gary Lock

Just adding to my thread, there are dozens of examples of the product being a fire risk on Google.
Gary Lock

Both Barney Gaylord and Peter Burgess have written that waterless coolant not as good as water (or water/antifreeze mix) at cooling engines. See MGA Guru article CO-123

It is approximately 40% less efficient at removing heat and is also 4X more viscous and so it gets pumped more slowly around the cooling system.

So your engine will run significantly hotter.

I think Barneys final comment on it was something like, "I say that this stuff is a very bad idea for a vintage car"

Colyn
c firth

I can confirm that Peter Burgess does not recommend waterless coolants.
Dave O'Neill 2

I meant to add that if the waterless coolant caught fire, then your engine would run "Extremely" significantly hotter! :-)

I expect Barney will just underline his opinion of it.

Colyn
c firth

Peter Burgess will not offer a warranty if it is used

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/peterburgess/
Richard Atkinson

Richard

Is it my PC or do the frames in Peter's website all overlap? I find it very difficult to read any of his articles.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Have a read of the article at:

http://www.oilem.com/potential-issues-with-waterless-engine-coolants/

Malcolm
Malcolm Asquith

It is 100% Glycol (similar to DOT3 & DOT4 brake fluid), so it will eat paint. It has 40% lower specific heat then water, 20% lower specific heat than 50/50 Glycol/water mixed coolant, so it will make your LBC run hotter (unless you have a grossly over-engineered radiator). It is very slippery when spilled on tarmac, AND IT WILL BURN. Autoignition temperature is low enough to possibly be below the temperature of the exhaust manifold. Burst a coolant hose to splash the stuff on the hot exhaust manifold, and it will most likely burn your car to the ground.

Did I say I don't like the stuff?
Barney Gaylord

If it was any good it would be in every new car.

As classic car owners we do limited miles in our cars. Most of us change the oil and coolant far more frequently that required. I see no point in using a product like this.

Good old Nulon green concentrate in rainwater and Valvoline XLD for me, changed yearly.
A Bowie

Steve
It reads OK on my PC.

This must of been brought to his attention as at the very bottom of his home page Peter has posted:
"If you have any problems with the words or pictures
overlapping, go to 'Page', 'Text size', then click on
the next size down. Thank you, Peter."

Cheers
Richard
Richard Atkinson

Richard

I could not even read that on my pc. Works fine on my tablet.

That coolant sounds like a major hazard. I am surprised Health and Safety have not done something.

Steve
Steve Gyles

To be clear, it is almost certainly propylene glycol (propane 1,2 diol) instead of ethylene glycol. It will also contain a small percentage of stabiliser additives. Unlike ethylene glycol it is non-toxic and therefore is frequently used in food products. It works best in the absence of water, hence the need to completely dry the cooling system first, though it is fully miscible with water and will continue to act as a coolant with it. However the risk of nucleate boiling arises with water present and the freezing point depression may be affected. Personally, I agree completely that it is an inferior coolant to water plus conventional ethylene glycol antifreeze and I wouldn't use it.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Sorry, I forgot to say that it is not like DOT3 or DOT4 brake fluid.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Yes I know it's not brake fluid, but it is "like" in that it is glycol and will burn.
Barney Gaylord

Sorry but no it isn't, but I can understand the confusion for a non polymer chemist. Polyethylene glycol or PEG for short is the term used to describe how it is derived - many ethylene glycol units joined together to form a polymer. However in joining them together the chemistry is changed and the actual structure produced is of a polyether. The hydroxyl units of the glycol are converted to ether linkages giving very different properties.
Dave H
Dave Hill

This is interesting because according to a certain website "Rolls Royce adopted the use of ethylene glycol for the Merlin Engine used in the Spitfire because it was more efficient than water and thus allowed the use of a smaller radiator"
David
D C Grahame

I just don't get it! Evans Coolant is relatively complicated to install (getting water well out beforehand, special flushing, etc), quite expensive, the experts say has some combustion hazards and is less effective at cooling (though Evans say it is effective at cooling). So why would anyone bother, compared with some good pure water and antifreeze? Come on someone enlighten me! Indeed, are Evans technically wrong about this product?
Seems to me, if I had it in my car's system and had read all the adverse literature, I would take it out sharpish! Something isn't right here.
Bruce.
Bruce Mayo

As with everything there are positives and negatives. It is a poorer coolant in terrms of heat capacity than water or water/antifreeze. It has a higher viscosity than water. It is not going to freeze at any temperature we are liable to get. The vapour pressure is exceptionally low, so there is no developed pressure in the cooling system. It is relatively non-toxic. Your engine is liable to run 10 - 15C hotter according to some of those that have tried it. It is flammable in extremis (but tell me any hydrocarbon based fluid without halogens that isn't). It costs a packet. It is almost impossible to clear a wet coolant system of water perfectly enough to ensure the coolant is as water free as it needs to be (according to independent reports). If water is present there can be nucleate boiling, defeating some of the claimed advantages and elevating the freezing point somewhat.. Plus a few more things on both sides no doubt that I have forgotten.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave. ---"it is a poorer coolant than water/antifreeze"----"liable to run 10-15C hotter"---"it costs a packet"----"almost impossible to clear wet coolant system"--- so, why would anyone entertain it? I still don't get it! Is Evans having everyone on?!
Bruce.
Bruce Mayo

I guess some of us (not me) will do anything to avoid corrosion. See I did forget something! However as long you use a generous amount of std antifreeze and corrosion inhibitor with water, and change it every two years, it shouldn't be a problem.
Dave H
Dave Hill

Dave. Agreed - water it shall remain then! Can't understand the need to do anything else.
Best
Bruce.
Bruce Mayo

Just my ten pence worth, I made mistake of using waterless coolant, and ended up with a serious burn and a knocking engine due to temperatures reached in the cooling system, Evans coolant is indeed rubbish it cannot dissipate heat that is produced by the engine, it seems unable to conduct the heat away , and retains the heat it gains like an oil for a long period, I did small experiment when I removed it from my system , I heated 2 pieces of steel bar and placed them , one in water and one in waterless coolant, after 10 seconds, the bar in water was cold the bar in waterless coolant was still too hot to touch!!
My car at the time was aVW T2 with Subaru 2.5 engine, underslung radiator.total water system Capacity of around 15 ltrs.
I caught my arm on a silicone water pipe causing the severe burn , temp of engine was well in excess of 135c and sounded like a bag of spanners after, with a permanent knock on start up cold.
Use at your peril!

Burnt while using it , burned in my wallet purchasing the junk,
Water is used because of its excellent conducting and transferring/dissipation properties since time began

the only thing I would recommend is water wetter as an additive
D M Tuffin

Just why this Evans mob remain in business get's me. Obviously making enough money from gullible people to still be there!
Gary Lock

The literature on this stuff always fails to mention it is fairly thick. Quite a bit thicker than straight, regular anti freeze. Most people report the engine run's hotter, but will not boil over.
D mckellar

This thread was discussed between 03/01/2016 and 03/11/2016

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