mm wrote:
This is probably OT, but I can't find a good general car newsgroup.

What is an alternative to ethylene glycol antifreeze? Some kind of
alcohol used to be used, but I don't know what.

Anything dissolved in a solvent lowers the freezing temperature and
raises the boiling temperature. Salt sound corrosive, but how about
sugar? Would that cause any harm? My engine has iirc both steel and
aluminum parts, plus there are rubber or neoprene parts. Any other
materials likely to be used in a '95 Chrysler cooling system?

I have a leak in the radiator, and until I can get a replacement and
have weather above 40 or 45 to put it in, it's just often enough below
freezing here that I can't just keep refilling with water. But for
money and environmental reasons, I don't want keep using ethylene
glycol.

Thanks





If it's a small leak, loosen the radiator cap so the system never
pressurizes; it will leak a lot slower and might even heal itself with
mineral deposits. Keep it topped up with, say, 2:1 water and antifreeze
instead of 1:1 until you get it fixed if you don't need really cold
freeze protection. Your water pump will thank you for not running
straight water.

Best regards,
Bob