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By Picachored - 3 Years Ago
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Almost ready to fill radiator on my 20 plus year project..55 Country Sedan, 272 Any thoughts on coolant type ?? Also, I should be good with 7# cap if I am running stock ...yes???
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By Dobie - 3 Years Ago
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The green stuff is all you need since there are no exotic materials in a stock '55 Ford cooling system. I run it in my '55 Merc with original radiator with no issues. A 7 pound cap will be sufficient with a 180 to 190 degree thermostat. It would be good to add a coolant recovery system.
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By Ted - 3 Years Ago
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My coolant preference for the older cars that requires an air gap at the top of the radiator liquid level for expansion like our mid Fifties Fords is the ‘green’ Prestone anti-freeze mixed 50/50 with distilled water. I will avoid the ‘orange’ Dexcool in these same older vehicles as it’s designed for airless coolant systems and that particular coolant tends to cause a quicker deterioration of the internal engine gaskets when air does get into the system.
Ditto on the 7# pressure radiator cap as those early big top radiators tend to have trouble with the soldered seams around their top tanks when higher pressure radiator caps are used.
Other thoughts on this always welcome.
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By DryLakesRacer - 3 Years Ago
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For the first 8 years I had my 56 I kept it 1”
low with the Prestone style green coolant and 7 pound cap. I did drain it one time during that time using the 2 side block drains also.
After I added AC with a newer heater core I raised the cap to 14 and added a coolant recovery. The radiator has been upgraded years ago to a 3 core copper/brass unit. I never bought premix and always used distilled water for mixing. Idling in traffic on a 95* day with the AC on the engine can see 200* and the coolant recovery can fill up. It’s only 1/2 qt. I continue to use the Prestone style green coolant. Good luck.
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By Picachored - 3 Years Ago
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THANKS for the expert advice, was leaning toward the green stuff...now am sure. Will be using 180 stat and 7# cap, also had considered recovery tank and will for sure now. New to the forum world, hopes this gets back to you.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 3 Years Ago
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I’ve been running the same 80% Amsoil polypropylene for nearly 10 yrs. Zero pressure cap (old steel head gasket was leaking into one cylinder….poly coolant acts as sealant). I just top off evaporation occasionally with distilled water. System never overheats, but then I have a six-blade clutch fan & a Casco pump. Go figure. A new engine might require something different though.
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By JimNNN - 3 Years Ago
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Thanks for this thread and responses. I'm probably only a week or two away from changing the coolant on my ranch wagon. This is a good education.
Question: Some of the places I buy coolant from, like farm equipment stores, don't sell a "classic formula" type of coolant, so I'll buy the "use with any color" type. I'm sure you know what type I'm talking about. I believe it's green in color like the old school coolant, but despite its color, I'm not sure it's the same type of coolant that Ted was talking about. I recently purchased some of this "any color" green type (not orange) under the Peak brand. Will this be acceptable, or will it have some of the disadvantages that Ted was talking about? On a close to 70 year old engine that's never been rebuilt or taken apart, I'd rather not take any chances.
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By blocky - 3 Years Ago
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for what its worth i will put my 2 cents in,,,,,here in australia i run a 10 pound cap ,,no recovery,, standard fan and engine,,,,no anti freeze just green corrosion inhibitor.we don't have the freezing problem luckily
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By paul2748 - 3 Years Ago
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The Wal-Mart brand (green stuff) is as good as any in my opinion. I run that in all my cars. No rust, never froze. Change it every four years
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By Lord Gaga - 3 Years Ago
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polyethylene glycol antifreeze is the best
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