TheSamba.com :: View topic - Anybody tried Evans Waterless Engine Coolant?

Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:17 pm

I see this stuff advertised in Practical Classics Mag (UK) all the time. Anyone tried it ??

http://www.evanscooling.com/

STu

Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:27 pm

I have run Evans in many race machines for years.
Excellent stuff.
I have recycled it from endurance race cars and used it in Subaru converted Vanagons.
It really displaces heat :!:

Tue Jan 01, 2013 7:58 pm

It works very well. I have been a fan of it since the late 1980s when I first read about it in European Car. It is so efficient at cooling and eliminating hot-spots around the combustion chamber that it allows higher compression ratios to be run successfully. It is also non-aqueous so it would eliminate the head corrosion problem with Wasserboxers. However, it is flammable, and that is a big concern to me in a vehicle like the Vanagon with its complex and convoluted cooling system.

David

Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:02 pm

It thickens as it gets colder and other Evans products should be used when flushing to get all the water out of the system.
It seems to run in a Vanagon at lower than 15lbs of pressure, so you will need to manually bleed as the pressure cap will not ebb and flow.
On my racers I plug the weep hole in the water pump when running this product.

Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:46 pm

If there was ever a car to use it, my Triumph TR7 would have been a prime candidate. It had a finicky cooling system-more so than the Vanagon! At new, those cars had massive cooling problems. Great car other than that.

Another good car that could use it would be Jaguar v-12s, Triumph Stag, oops anything British I guess. Just kidding.

STu

Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:03 am

Nice find...

I'm going to give some serious thought to using this in my supercharged engine project.

David, do you have any references to the flammability of this product? That seems to be my only concern.

Thanks,

Scott

Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:55 am

SL12572 wrote: Nice find...

I'm going to give some serious thought to using this in my supercharged engine project.

David, do you have any references to the flammability of this product? That seems to be my only concern.

Thanks,

Scott

Let me see what I can find. When I researched it, I found enough that it disuaded me from pursuing the idea any further. I think at the very least, some of the less reliable/durable Wasserboxer cooling system components would need to be redesigned so that there is no chance of fatigued hoses or plastic coolant vessels failing and drpping the coolant on the exhaust system.

I like the idea of running it, though. If you look on the Evans website, there have been big rig operators who have used the Evans NPG coolant in their industrial engines with good results. It seems that industrial diesels are also wet sleeve engines and can have catastrphic engine failure if the coolant is not maintained properly.

David

Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:03 am

The downside would be you would need to always carry a lot of extra just in case you need to do a cooling system repair on the road.

Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:07 am

"The downside would be you would need to always carry a lot of extra just in case you need to do a cooling system repair on the road."

Actually they say their product "can" be mixed with water, however, when you got back home, you would have to flush all of the water out of the system.

Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:21 am

Here's some information from Evan's cooling regarding the flammability:

Scott...........our coolant is not flammable. It is, as is any other coolant, combustible. To explain, if the coolant is put into a misting situation and an ignition source is available, it will ignite. But as far as flammable, you could pour it on the ground and throw a lit match into it and the match would go out. This goes for any type antifreeze on the market as well as ours.
Thank you for your inquiry,

Evans Technical Support
888-990-COOL

What I also like about this coolant is how it operates under a lot less pressure, which is easier on cooling components.

I think I'm sold on this stuff..

Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:29 am

Interesting, iwonder about a mist of 100% regular coolant . . .

Thu Jan 03, 2013 10:30 am

SL12572 wrote: Here's some information from Evan's cooling regarding the flammability:

Scott...........our coolant is not flammable. It is, as is any other coolant, combustible. To explain, if the coolant is put into a misting situation and an ignition source is available, it will ignite. But as far as flammable, you could pour it on the ground and throw a lit match into it and the match would go out. This goes for any type antifreeze on the market as well as ours.
Thank you for your inquiry,

Evans Technical Support
888-990-COOL

What I also like about this coolant is how it operates under a lot less pressure, which is easier on cooling components.

I think I'm sold on this stuff..

They test at my home track LRP in CT.
I have grown up with this stuff.
Awesome product, awesome group of people.

Yes, it has operated at lower pressures in my experiences as stated previously.
I would recommend the RMW coolant tank and ability to pick the pressure cap you prefer, to keep your system ebbing and flowing.
Many will not consider this product as it is "race" specific and the price.
We have a 55gallon barrel of used Evans and I pull from it all the time for my vans.
Most of it gets changed every time the cars race.
I have not seen it break down, even after 24 hour endurance races.

Thu Jan 03, 2013 12:48 pm

Scott and Dylan,

I think you know I am not trying to condemn the use of Evans NPG in a Vanagon, but I think it is very important to get a true clarification regarding ignition characteristics and what the flash point temperature is. If there is absolutely no chance that leaking coolant - misted or heavily leaked, landing on a hot exhaust header could ignite, then I guess it is fine.

But it seems to me, finding out for sure if NPG can be ignited by a hot surface, what surface temperature would cause ignition, and what temperature Vanagon headers run at would be a very prudent investigation.

I would want first hand information from an outside source. Not that I don't trust Evans. It's just important to keep in mind that their objective is to sell coolant. I just did a quick Google search and found the exact same explanation they gave you on a different forum, so that tells me they just cut and pasted an answer to a commonly asked question.

D

Thu Jan 03, 2013 5:35 pm

Regular ethylene glycol coolant is also combustible. In fact 7,600 Ford Escapes were recalled partially because of it.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/ford-recalls-new-escape-again-citing-fire-risk-981237

Ethylene glycol has a flash point ( of ~230F and an auto ignite temp of ~770F

Evans coolant is propylene glycol based. Propylene glycol has a flash point of ~220F and an auto ignite temp of ~700F

However ethylene glycol coolant is mixed with water so any risk is even more reduced.

Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:36 pm

Atomize most liquids and they will ignite on a super heated metal.
David, I'm all good.
I use this stuff, but don't expect anyone else to run with it.
Too racey :wink:

Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:51 pm

insyncro wrote: Atomize most liquids and they will ignite on a super heated metal.
David, I'm all good.
I use this stuff, but don't expect anyone else to run with it.
Too racey :wink:

Actually, I would like to run it. Aside from the desirable cooling characteristics, I think the fact that it's non-corrosive is a perfect solution for WBX engine head and stud corrosion. But I just want to get a full grasp on the realistic flammability of it.

Like you said, definitely don't run it without upgrading to a RMW stainless coolant riser and their new tank. It would be prudent to use the GW billet thermostat housing and cover too.

D

Thu Jan 03, 2013 8:59 pm

Agreed.
I ain't skeerd.
Dare to experiment...its worth it :wink:

Sun Mar 15, 2015 8:53 am

I just watched a bunch of videos on this stuff and read a few pages of text. I recently switched to G12 coolant but I am seriously considering swapping over the next time I have to drain the G12. No Pressure means the miles of rubber hose will last a bit longer and reduce the chance of another hose blow out (been there). No corrosion, well, we all know what that means for the WBX! And all this with a wider temperature range too. But the nice part is buy it once, and you can reuse it after a drain off...

Sun Mar 15, 2015 9:59 am

No I sure haven't tried it, but since these engines are so finicky, I would hesitate to vary from the Factory recommended.

Neil2