I've just recently moved from Florida to Indiana, so I'm a little new to the whole winter ordeal. I was wondering if I needed to get anti-freeze for my coupe? It's kind of a simple question, but I've lived in FL my entire life, so it's not quite familiar territory.

 

I have heard that in the "Blue States" they use "Anti-freeze", but here in "Red States" we use "coolant".

 

Most stuff I've seen is sold as "Anti-Freeze/Coolant"... I've never seen anything that was one or the other. I mean... Just because it's -50 outside, doesn't mean your car can't overheat... For winter protection, all you need to do, is make sure you have a 50/50 mix of AntiFreeze/Coolant and water. Otherwise, the freeze point will not be low enough, if it gets really chilly out. They sell testers that will tell you what the freeze/boiling point is for what you currently have in your engine.

 

After 1 bad winter up there, you'll be back in FL.

2004 Coupe 6MT / Caribbean Blue / Willow / Premium / Navi / Aero Package / Aero Kit / Splash Guards / Clear Corners / July 2004 build

 

The primary purpose of your so called "anti freeze" is to to perform as a coolant. However, pure water is actually one of the best coolant media that you can have. The so called "coolant" raises the boiling point above that of pure water, and also has anti corrosion additives so you don't gunk up your radiator with corrosion plaque. Racers who do not need to worry about freezing will not use coolant at all, but rather run pure distilled water with RedLine Water Wetter for max results. Of course they do not have to worry about freezing, and if you are in an area where temps might freeze, thus resulting in expansion of the water in your system with catastrophic results, you have to have the "anti freeze". So when you check the bottles you will see that they address both the cooling and freezing, and the corrosion elements. You typically go half and half water and coolant. If there are any doubts, check the manual for the car as well. But the car came with coolant/antifreeze already so there should not be anything to do unless you drained and purged the system and put pure water in it, which I rather doubt you have done. With hot Florida temps and the humidity mandating you run the air conditioner, you would have boiled over many times if you had done that.

Cpe 6MT/Aero/Prem/ATI/RT cats/Borla hdrs-catbcks/Nismo flywhl-cltch/TS-ECU/Tein flex EDFC/Stillen sways

 

Excellent posts above, as usual from this group !!!

I would only caution that the winshield-washer fluid be checked for a mixture of alcohol+water, as this might be overlooked on a Florida car. I took a Dodge from Fla. to NC one winter and froze the reservoir.



'04 G35X Graphite/graphite, NAV, wood, premium

"May you lead an interesting life..." -- Old Gypsy Curse