Coolant Dilution

[mickinoz]

Hi All. Newbie here. I need to top up the coolant on my 2009 Ranger PK. I've got a concentrate. Is 50/50 the common dilution ratio for this? Just got my vehicle a coupla weeks ago.

TIA!

 

[01WHTRNGR]

yes, 50/50 is the common dilution ratio.

 

[pjtoledo]

is there a chart on the container?
please show us a picture of your Australian Ranger.

where I'm at, Northern Ohio USA, the temperatures range from -26c to 42c

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

yes, 50/50 is the common dilution ratio.

*With distilled water

 

[Jazzer]

Make sure you by full strength coolant, not premixed, or you’ll be over diluting it.

 

[Rick W]

Over the years I bought a couple those things that look like a turkey baster with a couple arrows floating in it. It reads the specific gravity of whatever fluid (when you add the antifreeze to water, I don’t remember, but it makes it heavier or lighter per cubic foot). I think when I got them, they were two or three dollars, so they might be $10 now and I’m sure they have them in Australia.

you suck the antifreeze up into it, and hold it up and down so the top needle point straight down, and the side needle will point to the protection level

I have several vehicles, so I use a 6 gallon jug with a Spicket, and I put my antifreeze in there. I add water until it’s good to about 0° or maybe 10 below, which rarely happens in Atlanta. That mix rate is more like 60 or 65% water, and it saves a couple bucks. Then I pour it off in 1 gallon jugs, and I have one jug in each vehicle.

Whatever you do, don’t mix it 65% because of what I just said Using that specific gravity tester is by far the best way.

Hope it helps

 

[ElectraRider]

I totally agree with 85 Ranger4x4 on the distilled water,

 

[sgtsandman]

Agreed on the distilled water. Using tap water introduces minerals into the cooling systems that can develop into deposites. Rust and corrosion is a big enough problem in engines as it is when the glycol portion of the coolant breaks down over time. Why add other stuff to make more problems?

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Hi All. Newbie here. I need to top up the coolant on my 2009 Ranger PK. I've got a concentrate. Is 50/50 the common dilution ratio for this? Just got my vehicle a coupla weeks ago.

TIA!

Welcome aboard, Mickinoz.

Just in case, Mickinoz, double-check the container holding your new coolant to make sure it's a concentrate and not premixed 50/50. Premixes are very common now in US auto parts stores, and some stores don't carry the concentrates any more. To get actual 100% concentrate for my old US–spec Ranger (Motorcraft Gold), I had to go to a Ford dealer. I don't what what the situation in Oz would be.

I suspect a lot of people who perform occasional maintenance themselves here in the US might not have realized this change has happened.

Needless to say, if your new coolant is premixed after all, you don't want to add much water to it.

 

[SenorNoob]

Because of prices when adding distilled water and laziness, I just buy the 50/50 stuff myself now.

 

[sgtsandman]

Because of prices when adding distilled water and laziness, I just buy the 50/50 stuff myself now.

That is my go to as well but there are some locations where a heavier glycol content is needed, like 60/40. I think that is more of a states along the northern boarder and Canadian thing where is get a heck of a lot colder on a regular basis than it does for the rest of us.

 

[SenorNoob]

I get that, but I'm highly unlikely to ever be somewhere under -40*.

 

[sgtsandman]

I get that, but I'm highly unlikely to ever be somewhere under -40*.

Definitely not in any of my plans either. Hell, I want to move south in order to take the edge off the cold of winter.

 

[Brain75]

I've never bought the 50/50 premixed for 2 reasons, it gets borderline too cold (we saw -29 this year and that 50/50 is -25) and the premixed you get 1 gallon total usable for more cost than 1.5 undiluted + $0.97 / distilled... it is insane more cost here, once diluted you get roughly 3 times the usable product.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I bought about 10 gallons of the green 50/50. But it was on sale for less than half price of the 100%. I have a bunch of old vehicles I can use it in.