Will Evans help her run cooler?

[sdv003]

It's a bit warm here in the desert (110*+ in the shade, a lot more on the road) and the old girl is running warmer than I like.  This isn't the first summer that's happened.  The cooling system just doesn't seem to be able to dump the generated heat when it's this hot, which isn't a huge surprise, so I'm considering trying some waterless coolant, in particular, Evans.  Some questions:

1.  Does anyone have any experience as to whether she'll run cooler with Evans than with regular coolant?
2.  What parts beyond the list below would you change if you were going to "invest" in some expensive coolant?
   - Hoses
   - Tstat
   - Tstat gasket
3.  I am considering doing a flush of the coolant system beforehand.  There are as many different articles on flushing a coolant system as there are on which oil you should use.  Any suggestions?  Any products that seem to work better than others?

Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom.

[sandy]

I wouldn't worry about "a little warmer" in our neck of the woods. It was 114 here today. Have you done any carb work that would change the fuel ratio? If it was leaned, it might cause some overheating but that would be rare. I use an oil temp gauge. It runs about 212 at freeway speeds but cools rapidly when I return to surface streets. As for other coolants, pure water is best but has no corrosion protection. Hence the antifreeze. Water Wetter and Evans cools better but only slightly.

[MarkT]

Evans runs overall slightly warmer because it is more effective at removing the heat around the cylinders with no hotspots or local boil-bubbles.  It also runs with no or extremely low pressure since it boils at 370°, does not generate steam pressure.  That pressure is used with conventional coolant to raise it's boiling point to provide some margin between it's boiling point and the running temp of the coolant.  If your cooling system is healthy, it is nearly impossible to boil over with Evans even in your hot location.  I used to live in Las Vegas and later in Tucson - used to what you deal with.

No need to change your cooling components (cap, thermostat) if they are working OK. To purge your system, you open all the drains, disconnect the lower hose, and blow it out with high volume low pressure air.  Like a shop-vac. Be sure to empty the reserve tank as well and the line in between. Then you put in Evan's Prep Fluid to mix with and dilute the water that's left.  Drain it out the same way.  Put in the Evans, bring it up to temp, burp it _(top it up again) and add the right amount to the reserve tank.  Done.  You never need to deal with the coolant again - no maintenance. The big thing is you have prevented corrosion inside your aluminum engine. Put the warning sticker on the radiator and reserve caps so some Grease Monkey yahoo doesn't dump water / ethylene glycol in your coolant.

I just had to replace my '97 Exploder due to the heads corroded from the cooling water / antifreeze.  Right after I bought expensive Michelins and had a thousand dollar repair done on the door locks and window switches.

I run Evans in all my Valks, and Gold Wing.  About to put it in my new Kubota and 4Runner.

[Gryphon Rider]

How do you define "warmer than I like"?  The thermostat starts opening at around 175 and is fully open by 185-190 (IIRC).  Glycol absorbs and releases heat less quickly than water, thus Evans NPG will run a little hotter (like MarkT says) than a 50/50 mix of water and EG.

I changed to Evans as soon as my bike was off warranty, in 2004.  I don't recall if the Honda shop manual or the Evans instructions suggested using a weaker solution of cooling system flush when flushing, but that's what I did.  I also altered my rad cap to be zero pressure and added a temperature gauge.

Replace other parts?  Maybe, maybe not.  It's a calculation of do I have the time now, or not, and what is the condition of the hoses and the inside of my radiator?

[98valk]

It's a bit warm here in the desert (110*+ in the shade, a lot more on the road) and the old girl is running warmer than I like.  This isn't the first summer that's happened.  The cooling system just doesn't seem to be able to dump the generated heat when it's this hot, which isn't a huge surprise, so I'm considering trying some waterless coolant, in particular, Evans.  Some questions:

1.  Does anyone have any experience as to whether she'll run cooler with Evans than with regular coolant?
2.  What parts beyond the list below would you change if you were going to "invest" in some expensive coolant?
   - Hoses
   - Tstat
   - Tstat gasket
3.  I am considering doing a flush of the coolant system beforehand.  There are as many different articles on flushing a coolant system as there are on which oil you should use.  Any suggestions?  Any products that seem to work better than others?

Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom.

will not run cooler, it's not designed to lower the overall temp. they have or did have chart showing the heat transfer abilities of water, anti-freeze and evans. evans is the worst.  if u want the coolest then straight water, some say distilled and always with a lubricate, anti-corrosive additive.  red line, royal purple, engine ice, etc., and there are others. using the additive will give lower temp than water alone.
I've had evans installed since '02, zero problems.

[sdv003]

Have you done any carb work that would change the fuel ratio?

No.  given the mileage, I'd think it was a little rich, but the plugs say I'm where I should be.

I use an oil temp gauge. It runs about 212 at freeway speeds but cools rapidly when I return to surface streets.

I have a water temp gauge.  It's running 210 or so at freeway speeds and heats up to 230 when I'm on surface streets.  Sometimes the temp light is flickering, sometimes not.  The fan will get things back to 220 or so if I shut the motor off with the kill switch while waiting for a light change.  Typical in town traffic has it in the 220-230 range once it gets warm.

How do you define "warmer than I like"?

When its cooler (say 100* or less) the fan comes on at 210 and cools things to 195 or so before shutting off when I'm in stop and go traffic.  When it creeps above 220 and the fan is running, it's "warmer than I like", especially if the overtemp light starts flickering.


Sounds like there is no magic with Evans, other than I'd never have to deal with the cooling system again.  I'll flush the system, add a high flow thermostat and maybe use Evans after pondering things a bit more.  Thanks for your insights.

[98valk]

Have you done any carb work that would change the fuel ratio?

No.  given the mileage, I'd think it was a little rich, but the plugs say I'm where I should be.

I use an oil temp gauge. It runs about 212 at freeway speeds but cools rapidly when I return to surface streets.

I have a water temp gauge.  It's running 210 or so at freeway speeds and heats up to 230 when I'm on surface streets.  Sometimes the temp light is flickering, sometimes not.  The fan will get things back to 220 or so if I shut the motor off with the kill switch while waiting for a light change.  Typical in town traffic has it in the 220-230 range once it gets warm.

How do you define "warmer than I like"?

When its cooler (say 100* or less) the fan comes on at 210 and cools things to 195 or so before shutting off when I'm in stop and go traffic.  When it creeps above 220 and the fan is running, it's "warmer than I like", especially if the overtemp light starts flickering.


Sounds like there is no magic with Evans, other than I'd never have to deal with the cooling system again.  I'll flush the system, add a high flow thermostat and maybe use Evans after pondering things a bit more.  Thanks for your insights.

temp #s seem normal.  what brand gage? what is its +/- accuracy? I use autometer.
oem stat is a high flow unit. none better can be had IMO.

[sdv003]

Motosens gauge with whatever the transmitter is that they resell.  I think it's fairly accurate, as the fan starts at exactly 210* on the gauge under "normal" conditions.  My understanding is that is the proper temperature for the motor fan switch.

After doing some research, I think I may go with a more dilute glycol to water ratio after flushing the system.  Since we rarely get below freezing and the bike is garaged, I don't think I'll have any issues with freezing.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Motosens gauge with whatever the transmitter is that they resell.  I think it's fairly accurate, as the fan starts at exactly 210* on the gauge under "normal" conditions.  My understanding is that is the proper temperature for the motor fan switch.

After doing some research, I think I may go with a more dilute glycol to water ratio after flushing the system.  Since we rarely get below freezing and the bike is garaged, I don't think I'll have any issues with freezing.

We can only hope for the freezing Sam 

[98valk]

Motosens gauge with whatever the transmitter is that they resell.  I think it's fairly accurate, as the fan starts at exactly 210* on the gauge under "normal" conditions.  My understanding is that is the proper temperature for the motor fan switch.

After doing some research, I think I may go with a more dilute glycol to water ratio after flushing the system.  Since we rarely get below freezing and the bike is garaged, I don't think I'll have any issues with freezing.

manual
on 208-216
off 199-207

if u dilute or pure water, u will needed a anti-corrosive additve esp due to the aluminum block
sounds like a plan.

[sdv003]

Just to get a final disposition on this thread...

Went with 25% EG and 75% water and additive.  Old coolant was in good shape and it's shiny new inside the radiator  (40K on the bike).  Still gets warm enough for the temp LED to flicker on occasion at a light, 225-230* on the gauge.  Seems to come down fairly quickly once I get moving again.  Summer is ending, so it is cooling off.  My guess is that this is behind me until next year.

[MarkT]

I just bought 3 gallons of Evans and 1 of prep fluid for my new 4Runner.  I'm looking fwd to eliminating the possibility of corrosion ruining the engine like it did to my Exploder, and also being done with cooling system maintenance.  I suspect that will make the heater have more oomph than it did before from the coolant being a few degrees warmer (assuming that now).  Of course I don't know the heater's performance on this truck having just acquired it.

[DarkSideR]

I wouldn't worry about "a little warmer" in our neck of the woods. It was 114 here today. Have you done any carb work that would change the fuel ratio? If it was leaned, it might cause some overheating but that would be rare. I use an oil temp gauge. It runs about 212 at freeway speeds but cools rapidly when I return to surface streets. As for other coolants, pure water is best but has no corrosion protection. Hence the antifreeze. Water Wetter and Evans cools better but only slightly.

Up here in Colorado the oil temp on my bike runs 205 on the freeway in 90 degree heat. So the oil temp only being 7 degrees warmer isn't that much.