What type of Coolant?

[adivin]

What are you guys using for coolant these days?  The water less coolant seems interesting, but there are drawbacks.  Mainly, if you have an issue while on the road, you're kinda screwed because it doesn't play well with water.  It is also a bit more expensive.  I am running my stock radiator, so there is a mixture of all types of metals going on.

[jonbill]

I use normal water/antifreeze plus some water wetter. seems a better compromise than the waterless stuff. 

[Zed Head]

If you're having cooling problems, a fan shroud is a good place to start.  

[siteunseen]

I run a larger 280 radiator on my 240 with a full shroud off a ZX.

180F tops, fyi.

The gauges on these cars aren't very reassuring. Mine stay on the right leg of the M in TEMP. That 170F to 180F. 

I strongly beleive the 180F thermostat from Nissan is far and above the chain store thermostats you can buy. Stant, I think, is not even in the ballpark when it comes to quality compared to Nissan.

[adivin]

1 hour ago, Zed Head said:

If you're having cooling problems, a fan shroud is a good place to start.  

I'm not having cooling problems.  I'm getting ready for first start up in decades. I was just wondering with today's options, what type of coolant is being used in classic cars like the Z.

[Yarb]

Prestone concentrated has always been my go to. Don’t trust the 50/50. This day and age you never know where they are taking shortcuts.

[siteunseen]

1 hour ago, adivin said:

I'm not having cooling problems.  I'm getting ready for first start up in decades. I was just wondering with today's options, what type of coolant is being used in classic cars like the Z.

On first start up I would do what Tom Monroe's"How to rebuild" books says. Open the lower drain on the radiator and feed fresh water from a a hoe's pipe at about half of wide open and equalize that flow in and out for about 20 minutes. If you have a problem with internal engine stuff the water won't be as bad as antifreeze. Thats what I've done twice and it worked good for me. 20 minutes at 2,000RPM on a new rebuild. Whatever you're doing, it's a good flush out know matter what. If you don't have a drain plug loosen the bottom hose.

Good luck.

[DatsunZGuy]

I have converted two of my vehicles to Evans Waterless coolant 4 years ago and pleased with the results thus far. 

You are correct about it not being compatible with water.  However, my main concern it not a coolant mishap on the road, but rather Evans ability to preserve the coolant system internals while a vehicle is stored for prolonged periods of time. 

[FresnoZ]

I was just wondering about what to put in my radiator. Picked up my 280 about a year ago, have had no issues, looks like just water in the radiator. Don't know what to trust with this old radiator, or "if it ain't broke don't fix it" haha

[jonbill]

if you've got plain water in it, then I think the saying is: if it ain't broke, it will be soon. 

[dutchzcarguy]

I think you can use any modern coolant, just be sure it's for a steel and aluminium engine.

5 hours ago, FresnoZ said:

have had no issues, looks like just water in the radiator. Don't know what to trust with this old radiator

Even those good old radiators can't stay good with only water in it.. better get some real coolant.. (I got Renault/Nissan coolant IIRC in my old z's.. made for steel/alu engines.)

[adivin]

On 4/11/2022 at 8:22 PM, siteunseen said:

On first start up I would do what Tom Monroe's"How to rebuild" books says. Open the lower drain on the radiator and feed fresh water from a a hoe's pipe at about half of wide open and equalize that flow in and out for about 20 minutes. If you have a problem with internal engine stuff the water won't be as bad as antifreeze. Thats what I've done twice and it worked good for me. 20 minutes at 2,000RPM on a new rebuild. Whatever you're doing, it's a good flush out know matter what. If you don't have a drain plug loosen the bottom hose.

Good luck.

I had the radiator boiled out.  I also flushed the engine when it was out of the car.  Changed expansion plugs, new water pump, thermostat, hoses.