Why not using car coolant?

[lucc1111]

So, i was talking with my dad about water cooling and, as he knows a lot about this next thing, comparing it with cars cooling system and he said "they all use water for cooling their PCs, but why don't they use car coolant? it's a liquid engineered to conduct heat and to not corrode metals" and, well, it makes sense since it's a liquid designed to cool things, and the price is not a thing here because 1L or 2L of car coolant can't be more than US$10 (at least in my country). I want to note that i'm not even a novice in water cooling, i'm less than that, but i still have the right to think about it. And it would be cool (not a pun) if someone "benchmarked" car coolant vs water/distilled water, to know.

[zMeul]

some actually do use antifreeze liquids in AIOs

[kuzimins]

You should ask Luke to compare them in his workshop videos.

[Nacho Marco Segui]

I believe car coolant is denser and would make the pump work harder

[lucc1111]

Just now, kuzimins said:

You should ask Luke to compare them in his workshop videos.

it's funny because i'd put "Luke plz" at the end, but then i edited that for no reason

[Jacktastic-Mofo]

@Slick @LinusTech PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do this. It'd be freaking awesome. Benchmark a car coolant liquid vs distilled water or something!

[RAZEVGA]

this would be a great workshop episode

[RedWulf]

They make special fluids for coolant, and car coolant is thicker, made for a different temp range, and can be more corrosive/damaging(at least compared to water). Bu you could if you wanted to

[RAZEVGA]

id assume if you put more money into a pump their would be no problem with how thick the coolant is.

 

[Blaxow]

If you're talking about pure antifreeze then don't do it.

Antifreeze doesn't transfer heat as well as water.

it is too thick and would make problems with the pump.

 

you could use another stronger pump.

or

If you dilute the coolant, then you will be fine.

 

---

This is just me thinking, i have no experience in this matter of using antifreeze in pc's.

[sandboarder08]

Car coolant doesnt cool better than water.  Waterwetter in a system might be worth a try though.

http://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=10

[kuzimins]

10 minutes ago, sandboarder08 said:

Car coolant doesnt cool better than water.  Waterwetter in a system might be worth a try though.

http://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=10

Because water isn't wet enough?  This really should be in a workshop video.

[TheRandomness]

49 minutes ago, Jacktastic-Mofo said:

@Slick @LinusTech PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Do this. It'd be freaking awesome. Benchmark a car coolant liquid vs distilled water or something!

@nicklmg is more active on the forums.

[sandboarder08]

1 minute ago, TheRandomness said:

@nicklmg is more active on the forums.

Car coolant

Water

coolaid

pc coolant

Waterwetter  (racing addictive)

 

would be interesting. 

[airdeano]

automotive coolant is designed for the automotive uses it needs:

extreme temperature usages (hot and cold)

mixed metal usages

extended use

 

using automotive coolants can be used, but only with rated parts.

the tubing we use is not rated for automotive coolant, the acrylics are not, PETG is not rated for this type of glycol and some rubber items used are not specific for automotive coolant use.

 

for auto/truck the normal antifreeze/coolants were 50:1 ratio to provide specific cooling tasks.

the newer extended formulas are more suitable for aluminum, but not so harsh to include cast iron, steel, or ferrous metals.

 

as to different coolants tried:

 

 

[Necrodead]

Linus tried to use car coolant to cool whole room water cooling loop, as you can recall, it has no biocides.

[jasonc_01]

Automotive coolant is designed primarily not freeze. Straight water is much more efficient at absorbing and releasing heat.

 

Coming from automotive racing we would run straight water mixed with WaterWetter. 

[Alienhead]

On 2/27/2016 at 6:21 PM, jasonc_01 said:

Automotive coolant is designed primarily not freeze. Straight water is much more efficient at absorbing and releasing heat.

 

Coming from automotive racing we would run straight water mixed with WaterWetter. 

This is an old thread. But the question is still valid and a lot has changed in auto coolant since its posting. This question is very relevant.

 

This is not a accurate. While you are correct that it does prevent freezing and its name would make you think that this is its primary function. It's primary function is in fact to remove heat from the engine. Here is some information to help illustrate it.

""A typical vehicle with a four-cylinder engine cruising down the highway at 55 miles per hour will produce nearly 5,000 controlled explosions per minute inside the engine as the spark plugs ignite the air and fuel mixture in each of the cylinders. This is what propels the vehicle down the road. These explosions produce an extreme amount of heat and will destroy an engine in a matter of minutes if not controlled. The engine's cooling system is designed to control and regulate these high temperatures.""

As far as Thickness/viscosity is highly dependant on ratio. however it will always be thicker than water. Corrosion is extremely important to consider if you want to use auto grade coolant. You have to stick to any 10 year rated OEM coolant. I recommend Mopar 10 year only because it is what I know since I work at a dealership. There are other compatibles. Avoid anything off brand, universal, 5 year or 3 year.  Also there is no anti bacterial in auto anti freeze due to its operating conditions so adding an antimicrobial is going to be needed. 

[BigBlackRat]

On 2/27/2016 at 12:11 PM, sandboarder08 said:

Car coolant doesnt cool better than water.  Waterwetter in a system might be worth a try though.

http://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=10

Not worth it!!! At the temp range pc work at, no real difference to temps, tried it. Also leaves a residue, and stinks.