New antifreeze question

[Doc]

My sister works for a large chemical manufacturer in Houston. She was telling the other day that a lot of antifreeze companies are starting to use glycerin to cut their antifreeze. Also, her company sells propylene glycol. So, I thought about asking the experts about it.

A long time ago I saw a post on TDS about guys using pure propylene glycol in their cooling systems. Supposedly, if you use PG instead of ethylene glycol, you don't have to worry about cavitation. And according to the companies she sells to, if you use PG with glycerin instead of water, you don't have to worry about cavitation either.

So, I'm trying to find out what you guys think. Mainly because she told me if Iwanted to post their web address she would sell PG and Glycerin to members only of Oilburners. And if the interest was high enough she would talk the company about adding their name to the sponsor list.

 

[Diesel JD]

Interesting question, I really don't have the answer. I'm trying to keep the topic alive so some of the folks with firsthand unfortunate experience with the Big C and others who know well how it works will answer you. The thing is with this much compression, you are going to have cavitation, the SCAs work as a sacrificial barrier which is eroded away over time instead of teh cylinder water jacket. Does the PG and glycerince work in the same way, not as well, better? I don't know. Hopefully someone here has an idea.

 

[Doc]

Thanks JD. The biggest reason I posted the question was to get the experts here to jump in. I trust the honesty of the folks here far more than any salesperson. So, I'm just trying to get a idea of whether PG works.

If memory serves me, the thread I read on TDS mentioned PG did not need additives because unlike ethylene glycol, it doesn't boil until 400 degrees. EG boils at 250 degrees And I know glycerin boils at 400. The thread mentioned the catch was you have to use straight PG and it was very expensive. Hence, the reason antifreeze companies are using glycerin to cut their PG. These are companies that have huge diesel generators or other motors used in major industrial production.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

You don't need sacrificial components if the coolant does not develop vacuum bubbles (which causes cavitation damage when they implode). Cavitation doesn't have anything to do with boiling point, cavitation is not caused by boiling (water turning to vapor).

 

[Diesel JD]

MR Roboto are you talking about the Evans style coolant which doesn't have ANY water in it? I have heard its good but expensive and you must get every drop of AF and water out of the system...that is beyond my capabilities I think so I just used the CAT ELC(flame suit on) I put it in with a fresh set of oil cooler orings, so we'll see if it eats them or they last their usual couple hundred thousand miles or several years or more.