37. Antifreeze vs Water - Both are Needed

Some people advocate the use of pure water instead of the standard antifreeze/water mixture. They do this under the mistaken belief that if you live in an area which doesn't freeze, then you don't need antifreeze. WRONG! Antifreeze does more than keep your coolant from freezing. Antifreeze has anticorrosion additives that keep your engine from rotting away, and it also raises the boiling point of your coolant, keeping your car from boiling over.

I sold a rebuilt cylinder head a few months ago, and the person lost their $400 core charge because their old cylinder head was so corroded that it was unuseable. Why? Because the owner had used pure water instead of antifreeze, and the water gradually allowed the aluminum to corrode away. Expensive lesson! Don't use water alone in your cooling system. Use a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water, just like the manufacturer says.

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