Best coolant for a mixed metal system???

[HD5830Gamer]

What is the best automotive Anti-freeze for mixed metal systems.

I've seen people say do not use the GREEN coolant do to the silicates does anyone know 100% silicate free anti-freeze/coolant for mixed metal systems?

Because I am going to be using a motorcycle radiator for my setup just a personal preference as i do not like PC rads.

I've found longer bigger bike rads as low as $40 http://bit.ly/LjbSo1

So green orange yellow red or blue coolant? what would be the best?

And remember this is a motorbike rad!!! no PC rads please. thx

 

[muddocktor]

Really have no clue on the antifreeze part, but do have a question for you. How are you going to mount fans to that rad? Are you planning to build a plenum and attach them to it and hold the plenum to the rad with all thread? That's how I did it with my heater core: used 6-32 all thread rod to make studs to go between the fins on the heater core.

 

[HD5830Gamer]

Really have no clue on the antifreeze part, but do have a question for you. How are you going to mount fans to that rad? Are you planning to build a plenum and attach them to it and hold the plenum to the rad with all thread? That's how I did it with my heater core: used 6-32 all thread rod to make studs to go between the fins on the heater core.

Yeah I'm going to find a way to mount some fans to it. From the looks of it, it looks like can take 3 120mm fans or 6 120mm fans (push & pull) I've noticed how it's build weird one tube on the top and one on the bottom while PC rads have both tubes on one side does this matter?

 

[muddocktor]

It shouldn't. Thermochill used to make a cross flow rad like that called the PA160 (I have one) and it's as good a rad as most 120.2 sized rads. It is 160 mm wide (and long) and uses a shroud that necks down to mount a 120 mm sized fan.

 

[johan851]

I used to use the orange/red "dex-cool" radiator fluid. I didn't have any trouble with silicates dropping out of solution, though I did notice some floaty things that could have been algae after a long time. You'll need to find a good way to disinfect it, but I imagine PT-nuke will work alright.

I definitely had trouble with the green type forming crusts and such.

 

[HD5830Gamer]

It shouldn't. Thermochill used to make a cross flow rad like that called the PA160 (I have one) and it's as good a rad as most 120.2 sized rads. It is 160 mm wide (and long) and uses a shroud that necks down to mount a 120 mm sized fan.

I just don't know why PC rads aren't cross flow? from what i heard cross flow rads cool much better than what ever the "both tubes on one side" are called because heat is not transferred from one tube to the other on the rad. I guess crossflow is just for really high temps the PA160 is built alot like a car rad which is good. With crossflow the heat is separated more far apart. Anyways do you know what pump i would need to pump water through those huge water chambers?

 

[johan851]

It's probably that the difference vs crossflow and dual-pass for PCs is very minimal, and having both the inlet and outlet on one side of the radiator makes the radiator much easier to mount in/on most cases.

A regular watercooling pump should work fine. The huge chambers aren't a problem - that radiator looks pretty low-restriction.

 

[HD5830Gamer]

It's probably that the difference vs crossflow and dual-pass for PCs is very minimal, and having both the inlet and outlet on one side of the radiator makes the radiator much easier to mount in/on most cases.

A regular watercooling pump should work fine. The huge chambers aren't a problem - that radiator looks pretty low-restriction.

I guess I'm doing this for modding sake! i think a bike rad would look cool on a PC don't you think? when i get it all setup I'll be sure to add a boil over tank just for the laughs. anyways what model pump? I'm thinking about some cheap $60 pump from ebay and a $70 waterblock and maybe black rubber tubing (the same used in cars) the main problem is that how do i know which is the inlet and outlet for the rad that is going to be the biggest problem as i have said I am not going to use a **** PC radiator (got that from my dad lol) another problem i can see is if the pipes are too thick to transfer the small amount of heat this is in PCs. I think Engine Ice coolant might work better since it transfers heat better than regular anti-freeze.

 

[johan851]

It should look alright. I have a car radiator on mine, bolted to the side, but it's copper.

There's nothing wrong with PC radiators. We used to use car radiators and occasionally motorcycle radiators before PC watercooling components were available commercially, and they worked fine. But the ones made for PCs are a lot better for several reasons, and we've moved away from car/motorcycle rads. Likewise with pumps - we used to use aquarium pumps, and they got the job done, but PC watercooling pumps from Swiftech and the like have much better reliability, pressure, etc., which makes them a much better choice.

It looks like your motorcycle rad and cheap Ebay pump aren't going to cost a whole lot less than their made-for-PC equivalents, so I'm not sure why you'd go that route.

 

[Knufire]

It should look alright. I have a car radiator on mine, bolted to the side, but it's copper.

There's nothing wrong with PC radiators. We used to use car radiators and occasionally motorcycle radiators before PC watercooling components were available commercially, and they worked fine. But the ones made for PCs are a lot better for several reasons, and we've moved away from car/motorcycle rads. Likewise with pumps - we used to use aquarium pumps, and they got the job done, but PC watercooling pumps from Swiftech and the like have much better reliability, pressure, etc., which makes them a much better choice.

It looks like your motorcycle rad and cheap Ebay pump aren't going to cost a whole lot less than their made-for-PC equivalents, so I'm not sure why you'd go that route.

There's already been a thread arguing this point back and forth. He has his opinion and it's not to be changed, so might as well help him with the motorcycle rad.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=708880

 

[johan851]

OP asked about a pump.

 

[HD5830Gamer]

It should look alright. I have a car radiator on mine, bolted to the side, but it's copper.

There's nothing wrong with PC radiators. We used to use car radiators and occasionally motorcycle radiators before PC watercooling components were available commercially, and they worked fine. But the ones made for PCs are a lot better for several reasons, and we've moved away from car/motorcycle rads. Likewise with pumps - we used to use aquarium pumps, and they got the job done, but PC watercooling pumps from Swiftech and the like have much better reliability, pressure, etc., which makes them a much better choice.

It looks like your motorcycle rad and cheap Ebay pump aren't going to cost a whole lot less than their made-for-PC equivalents, so I'm not sure why you'd go that route.

It's not because of price not at all. I just want to mod. I might use an actual PC pump do to pressure you're right about that. But the truth is that bike rads are TIG welded meaning they are built better and that's a fact right? PC rads on the other hand are just simply stamped or spot welded.

 

[Conumdrum]

I remember people saying that VW and Toyota antifreeze was the best. This is 2007 era, so long ago. More pure? Dunno, but one was red and the other blue. Only get it at the dealers.

And you can use whatever rad and pump you want, I'm sure they all have TIG welds. Honestly, moto rads are for moto, PC rads are for PCs. Why would you do expensive TIG welding on a rad for a PC? And you don't TIG brass and copper. Lastly, you want the best, you should ask that NASA guy in another thread for a radiator. They use Unobtainium TIG welding. If you really want the best.

Good luck kiddo.

 

[HD5830Gamer]

I remember people saying that VW and Toyota antifreeze was the best. This is 2007 era, so long ago. More pure? Dunno, but one was red and the other blue. Only get it at the dealers.

And you can use whatever rad and pump you want, I'm sure they all have TIG welds. Honestly, moto rads are for moto, PC rads are for PCs. Why would you do expensive TIG welding on a rad for a PC? Lastly, you want the best, you should ask that NASA guy in another thread for a radiator. They use Unobtainium TIG welding. If you really want the best.

Good luck kiddo.

I'm going to buy one most likely the one in the ebay link. I just can't stress it enough heat is heat PC rads are just stamped no fancy bolts or welds. I want the best **** out there. I know PC don't get NEAR as hot as any engine but hey i want the good **** once again. And lastly tranny coolers engine oil coolers not too sure about those two.

And what NASA guy are you talking about?

 

[muddocktor]

If you want a good, high pressure 12v pump, it's hard to go wrong with a Swiftech MCP35X. It also has PWM control, so you can dial in the optimum flow rate versus quietness with your mobo software if you have the control wire on the cpu fan header. Another choice would be the MCP655 vario (Laing D5 vario). Doesn't push out quite as much pressure, but at lower restrictions will flow more gpm.

 

[Diggrr]

Just some points to make.

That rad is TIG welded because:
*You can't solder aluminum.
*You'd be out of your ever-loving mind to spend 25K on a stamping die to stamp maybe 100 parts for a bike that's been out of production for 5 years.
If you're not making thousands of Honda-line parts for Honda, then you'll never make enough to justify the cost over a worker with a TIG welder. Honda charges $250+ for the OEM rad...guess why?

It's a single pass radiator because it has to flow roughly 10+ gpm through it with a water pump on an 85cc 2-stroke motor. The total capacity of the rad tubes should be greater than the capacity of the 1"+ hose it's fed from to keep restriction pressure down (and the coolant inside the 15 psi cap when it hits 8,000 rpm).
A PC rad has a target of ~2-3 gpm through .5" hose, so 6 of it's 12 are plenty, and there's room to spare.

Soldered copper is just fine for holding back pressure. It's likely to be holding back the 70 psi in your tap water system right now, and it's done just fine in cars for much longer than aluminum has.

That said, as long as you do your 6 month maintenance as you should, I'd vote for the DexCool coolant (orange stuff). Keep an eye on your copper bits to make sure they aren't getting aluminum corrosion build up, if they do, increase the ratio of coolant to water (after scrubbing your parts).

 

[muddocktor]

That was a thoroughly helpful post, Diggrr! I'm sure the OP will find this helpful too.