Engine Ice - Propylene Glycol coolant

#1

The spec E30 regs say no ethylene glycol coolant. There’s a brand of propylene glycol coolant called Engine Ice that claims to be excellent and legal in other series - including at least some NASCAR series. Anyone used it and any comments about what NASA thinks of it? Thanks, Mark www.engineice.com/

#2

Probably not legal. I did some poking around and…

  1. NASA CCR says no glycol based coolants or use of other slippery stuff. Obviously prop glycol is glycol based.
  2. Web seems to say that prop glycol is every bit as slippery as eth glycol. The difference, so I read, is that prop glycol cleans up easier.
  3. Prob glycol is apparently pretty toxic.
#3

From what I read it doesn’t seem like the heat transfer properties are any better than water alone - that’s what I was looking for. I guess the solution is frequent flushes and good water. Thanks, mark

#4

If you’re having problems keeping the engine cool at WOT, I’d suspect that there’s something wrong. Folks with good radiators, even basic OEM steel and plastic single pass radiators, are getting enough cooling. At least that’s my impression.

I use a big-ass triple pass circle-track radiator. But like most of my ideas, it’s not the easiest way to get the job done. Folks seem to have a lot good to say about those Mishimoto(sp?) radiators.

Shrouding the radiator well, by using tape or something on top, bottom, and passenger side, can help. It ensures that all air that hits the front of the radiator has no escape.

#5

Using the radiator from a Z3M, which is direct fit and a triple pass, gave me 185 degrees while running at VIR in july. Don’t have a fan currently, but even in paddock it took a while to creep up. All for 150 bucks from RockAuto, and it’s a Behr.

#6

Direct fit triple pass for $185? Dang, I’m going to have to remember that. How do you know it’s triple pass? What years were they made?

#7

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=235291

That also lists part numbers. Then you can go to RockAuto and match the correct part for a late model clown shoe (z3m).

#8

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=4820397&cc=1429185&jnid=452&jpid=5

Rock auto description, listed for 135 dollars.