-One other point about alcohol antifreeze was its low flash point. The
stuff ignited with no trouble at all. The 180 degree thermostat
was just too high.
My father told me of an incident that happened to him during World
War II. He owned a 1936 Graham Supercharger, and one winter's
night while home on leave from the RCAF he went out to start
the car. He filled the radiator with alcohol antifreeze (he drained
the engine coolant every night) and began cleaning the snow off the
car. He apparently went into the house for something and while
walking back out of the house the antifreeze burst into flames.
The flames soared up 3 or 4 storeys in height and burnt the paint off
the hood, firewall, front fenders plus all the wiring and hoses.
Once the fire was out, my father took the plates off the Graham and
onto his brother's 1933 Dodge DQ Six. This time he watched the
antifreeze a little more closely.
He became a firm believer in glycol anitfreezes when they came on
the market!
Bill
---- Original Message -----
From: Joe Savard <JLSAVARD@xxxxxxx>
To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 1999 4:27 AM
Subject: [FWDLK] Anti-freeze, thermostats, et al
> OK, here I go admitting my age!
>
> As a teenager, I worked in a gas station in Detroit. The first cold night
of
> every winter, we were swamped with cars that had the anti-freeze evaporate
> out over the summer months, or had it boil out because of overheating. I
can
> still visualize those nights and the unending clouds of steam! The 160
> degree thermostats were as hot as you dared to run, with alcohol. One
> overheat, and you needed new coolant. A real pain in the ****.
>
> Along came "Permanent" anti-freeze! Wonderful! Cost three times as much,
> but you still had protection after a boil-over. With "permanent", engines
> could run hotter and be more efficient, using a pressure cap.
>
> BUT...... The number one, best reason for the 180 degree thermostat and
> pressure cap, at least in Detroit, was that THE HEATER WORKED BETTER!!!!
The
> car doesn't care, use whichever thermostat you have. (I vote for 180.)
>
> 'nuff sed...
>
> Joe Savard
>
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