Alberta Clipper or Saskatchewan Screamer

[55 Fargo]

Actually, winters in Edmonton are very similar to Winnipeg - except longer.

I lived in Winnipeg for the first 31 years of my life and Edmonton for the next 13 years, so this is not coming from some "I heard that ...".

I have never known it to snow in Winnipeg from May through September, but I have been in an August dump in Edmonton and just missed one on a May long weekend. On that one I was coming back from Winnipeg, nursing a minor sun burn, and arrived in Edmonton to find the city digging itself out from a snow fall. From +25C in Winnipeg to -5C in Edmonton!

Here in Vancouver we have two seasons - wet and wetter! Or so it seems at times. This past month we have had more than a few days of "white rain".

And I miss the summers in southern Manitoba! They do get very hot and humid (the Gulf Stream plays a part in the latter) and there are some pretty violent thunderstorms. Here there are very few storms, unlike Manitoba where, at the end of a hot, humid day, the sky gets black on the western horizon and a cold wind picks up force blowing from the west.

The lightning lights up the night almost to the point of daylight and the thunder sounds, and feels, like someone is dropping bowling balls on the floor above you. On the truly bright lightning flashes, the ensuing thunder is enough to shake the dishes in the cupboards and the light fixtures hanging on the ceiling. If you live high enough in an apartment, or are in a house on the bald prairie, you can watch the show as it progresses from west to east.

Weather is so boring in Alberta and B.C.

Thanx for chiming in Bill, sometimes we Manitobans get all the brundt of the cold weather jokes.

Was looking on webpage this morning and Edmonton is actually a colder city than Winnipeg, this is the result of a 30 year weather data study, Calgary is not far behind Winnipeg. USDA Plant hardiness zones Edmonton 3, Winnipeg 3B to 4, and Calgary 4.Winnipeg uses temp reading from the airport, which is located on the outskirts of the city on it's northwest side, it can be -32 at the airport, and -25 in town, not loooking so great but it makes a difference when you walking in it.

Southern Manioba summers are great, where else in the world can you go, where the winter is socold, that the lakes freeze 3 ft of ice, then in summer these same lakes are beautiful water of 75 degrees, only in Manitoba, and Minnesota too...........fred

[greg g]

Well with the 16 qt system, it pretty easy, 1/4 of 16 is 4 so gallon of af fill with water. Me I would never buy the premix unless nothing else was available. Don't like pay such a high price for someone elses water. Plus the price to transport it. Way to frugal to fall for that.

I didn't open the vent in the garage last night and this AM when it was 4 outside it was 34 in the garage with the thermometer on the front bumper of the car facing the door. so still have a 20+ degree cushion.

[55 Fargo]

A 50-50 mix would not cause the system to overflow if it does not with a lower ratio of antifreeze. All the antifreeze does it raise the boiling point. So, if water boils at 212F, adding antifreeze will raise that temperature limit, just as it lowers the freezing point.

If your car runs at 190F, adding antifreeze will not raise that temperature. The engine temperature when the car is idling or running is not controlled by the coolant mixture but by a number of other things, usually inside the engine block or radiator.

For example, if your car gets hot enough when idling to loose coolant on a predominantly water based mixture, adding antifreeze will raise the temperature at which it boils. And if that temperature is higher than the engine temperature at idle, it will not boil over. But it will not raise or lower the engine's operating temperature on its own.

On the other hand, the thermostat controls the MINIMUM temperature - thus a 190 thermostat opens around 190F and will close at that point if the coolant temperature drops.

Bill

Vancouver, BC

Bill , I think Greg is refering to the ability of heat transfer may be greater when using water as opposed to glycol antifreeze mixtures.

I think what he was trying to demonstrate was this, his cooling system can dissipate engine heat more efficiently on hot summer days, when he has predominately water as a coolant. The premise is this, the higher the glycol to water ratio, the less heat dissipation from the rad, and cooling system.

By running higher water ratios, your engine may run cooler on hot days than it would with a higher ratio of glycol.

The 50/50 anti-freeze to water mix may not boil, but it may keep your cooling system running higher than a higher ratio of water or pure water.

Some of the guys recommend we run our flatheads at 180 to 200, some guys feel we should run our engines at 165 to 175 range. I know an old timer here in my area who is panicky when his engine is running over 160 in summer. I think 160 is too low, I like the 170 to 180 range.

Whats your take on this Bill...............Fred

[55 Fargo]

Greg' date='

We have to go with what we think is best for our own cars. However, as you and everyone else knows, I let my car idle in the driveway or garage a lot of times. Maybe not 45 minutes, but it has gone a good 30 minutes before without going above about 185 to 190 degrees, with the 50/50 solution. I have the 180 or 185 thermostat in the car. And, even sat in a line at Culvers drive-thru for a good 30 to 40 minutes or so on a mid 90's day with high humidity and still didn't go over those temperatures on the gauge.

I like the 50/50 for two reasons.

1. It's easier to measure the mixture, plus now you can buy it premixed at 50/50, and that makes it even easier to mix.

2. Don't have to worry about draining the coolant or heating the garage when it gets cold like this.[/quote']

Norm, you have a nice, clean sytem, chances are you would never have a lot of trouble in the Milwaukee area except on maybe the hottest summer days.

But idling even for 45 minutes in the driveway, would not give the engine a heat boost like pulling a hill at 55 or 60 mph on a 90 degree day, the higher the load, the higher speed, the higher rpm, = higher engine heat.

Even if you were doing 60 mph for several miles on an 85 degree day, your car would probably idle down okay without boiling, but your engine under hood temps would be higher than pulling no load idling in the driveway..........Fred

[Don Coatney]

Norm, you have a nice, clean sytem, chances are you would never have a lot of trouble in the Milwaukee area except on maybe the hottest summer days.

But idling even for 45 minutes in the driveway, would not give the engine a heat boost like pulling a hill at 55 or 60 mph on a 90 degree day, the higher the load, the higher speed, the higher rpm, = higher engine heat.

Even if you were doing 60 mph for several miles on an 85 degree day, your car would probably idle down okay without boiling, but your engine under hood temps would be higher than pulling no load idling in the driveway..........Fred

Fred;

You are 100% correct.

[55 Fargo]

Well with the 16 qt system, it pretty easy, 1/4 of 16 is 4 so gallon of af fill with water. Me I would never buy the premix unless nothing else was available. Don't like pay such a high price for someone elses water. Plus the price to transport it. Way to frugal to fall for that.

I didn't open the vent in the garage last night and this AM when it was 4 outside it was 34 in the garage with the thermometer on the front bumper of the car facing the door. so still have a 20+ degree cushion.

Greg, what kind of vent, do you have some type of vent to alow moisture out of the garage in winter.

I could use something like this, I have windows, should I leave 1 open a bit, fo venting mositure.My garage floors are presently dry, had it up to 60 in there yesterday, today it's 30 in there............

[greg g]

we have a split level house with two furnaces. The second furnace is in the garage. There is a vent (outlet) in the hot air duct which when opens allows heated frunace air to warm the garage. Usually it is closed and all the heat from that furnce goes up to the bedrooms. i was going to open last night but I didn't.

If you're concerned with moisture a dehumidifyer is probably enough o keep the garage at a lower humidity.

Most of the moisture in a garage comes up from the floor as most floors were poured without a vapor barrier. A cheap tarp uder the car will help also.

[greg g]

In the case I refferd to we had just completed a run acrss Canada from Detroit to Niagara Falls. That sretch was run at about 62 MPH at a temp of 170. When we pulled into the customs area we got in the wrong line. We sat there with no air flow other than the fan at 90 air and probably 120 + pavement temps, watching the gauge climb from 170 to 198. Reving the engine helped with the airflow and it did not over heat. So I will stick with my theory untill the car proves it incorrect. I believe NASCAR runs water only for basically the same reason though they do run a lot more pressure in the system.

[Norm's Coupe]

Even with a moisture barrier under the floor, you can still get water on the floor from condensation. I have a barrier under my floor but in the spring and fall I can get a lot of water on the floor from just plain old condensation. Warm air hitting the cold surface of the concrete. Sometimes it causes instant fog in the garage and both cars are covered with condensation as soon as you open the overhead door. It's nice and dry before opening the door. Guess I should vent it to help keep the condensation down.

As for buying premixed antifreeze, the extra cost doesn't bother me. After all, how much antifreeze do we use. I've never had to add any to the car.

[55 Fargo]

Even with a moisture barrier under the floor' date=' you can still get water on the floor from condensation. I have a barrier under my floor but in the spring and fall I can get a lot of water on the floor from just plain old condensation. Warm air hitting the cold surface of the concrete. Sometimes it causes instant fog in the garage and both cars are covered with condensation as soon as you open the overhead door. It's nice and dry before opening the door. Guess I should vent it to help keep the condensation down.

As for buying premixed antifreeze, the extra cost doesn't bother me. After all, how much antifreeze do we use. I've never had to add any to the car.[/quote']

I know on my garage floor, I get very little moisture unless the snow has melted of my cars. Sometimes in summer whn its real hot and humid the floor sweats a bit.

My garage is well insulated and vapor barriered, it is also only 3 yo...........Fred