Who will install my cooling parts near Arlington?

[mcoupemindy]

Where did you end up buying the Evans from? I'm interested in hearing your impressions of it as it's the perfect, non-boil coolant, for those who would really stand to benefit from it.

[watou]

Where did you end up buying the Evans from? I'm interested in hearing your impressions of it as it's the perfect, non-boil coolant, for those who would really stand to benefit from it.

I bought a case of 4 gallons of Evans NPG+ from http://www.proracestore.com/ for $130. A friend of mine has a '98 540I and he did this same switch a year or two ago and is happy with the results so far. He even modified his expansion tank cap so it does not hold pressure in the system, with no ill effects. Mike at RRT has experience with Evans but noted that it is a smaller molecule than normal coolant, which means it does run the risk of finding a way out of the system when water/ethylene glycol wouldn't. However, to me the benefits of having a pressure-less cooling system outweigh the risk. Plus, my friend with the '98 540I is very happy with the results. The downside for me is that I will always have to carry extra Evans around in the trunk, since it's hard to find compared to regular coolant. Topping off with water will no longer be an option!

[jdauria]

I bought a case of 4 gallons of Evans NPG+ from http://www.proracestore.com/ for $130. A friend of mine has a '98 540I and he did this same switch a year or two ago and is happy with the results so far. He even modified his expansion tank cap so it does not hold pressure in the system, with no ill effects. Mike at RRT has experience with Evans but noted that it is a smaller molecule than normal coolant, which means it does run the risk of finding a way out of the system when water/ethylene glycol wouldn't. However, to me the benefits of having a pressure-less cooling system outweigh the risk. Plus, my friend with the '98 540I is very happy with the results. The downside for me is that I will always have to carry extra Evans around in the trunk, since it's hard to find compared to regular coolant. Topping off with water will no longer be an option!

This is a noob question but what are the pros and cons of doing this?

I always have an extra quart of motor oil in my trunk just in case I need to top off. It fits nicely on either side of the trunk compartments. Never falls over, so you should be fine with carrying an extra bottle of Evans around.

[watou]

This is a noob question but what are the pros and cons of doing this?

Pros: Carries heat about the same as normal coolant, but decreases operating pressure in the cooling system to almost nothing, so a burst hose or radiator becomes very unlikely. Since propylene glycol (the "PG" in NPG+) has a very high boiling point, the engine never gets so hot as to cause it to expand to burst a weak hose or radiator and boil off. As long as your cooling system is tight, risk of sudden cooling failure is reduced to nearly zero.

Cons: Evans NPG+ is expensive and hard to find in an urgent situation. Incompatible with water and normal coolant (ethylene glycol) so you can't mix them (Evans says no more than 5% volume of old coolant can be in the system when you switch to NPG+). NPG+ is a smaller molecule than normal coolant so there is the risk of it seeping out in places where normal coolant wouldn't.

I am going to pick up the car later this morning and will post my observations.

[jdauria]

Pros: Carries heat about the same as normal coolant, but decreases operating pressure in the cooling system to almost nothing, so a burst hose or radiator becomes very unlikely. Since propylene glycol (the "PG" in NPG+) has a very high boiling point, the engine never gets so hot as to cause it to expand to burst a weak hose or radiator and boil off. As long as your cooling system is tight, risk of sudden cooling failure is reduced to nearly zero.

Cons: Evans NPG+ is expensive and hard to find in an urgent situation. Incompatible with water and normal coolant (ethylene glycol) so you can't mix them (Evans says no more than 5% volume of old coolant can be in the system when you switch to NPG+). NPG+ is a smaller molecule than normal coolant so there is the risk of it seeping out in places where normal coolant wouldn't.

I am going to pick up the car later this morning and will post my observations.

Thanks for the information. This is interesting stuff, this is something to possible do when you replace the entire cooling system (overhaul). How much is this going to cost you if I may ask.

Keep us posted!

[watou]

Thanks for the information. This is interesting stuff, this is something to possible do when you replace the entire cooling system (overhaul). How much is this going to cost you if I may ask.

All new radiator and heater hoses, radiator, water pump, thermostat, fan blade, expansion tank, gaskets and O-rings, 4 gallons of NPG+, and replacing two cracked belts, about $900 total, most of that from AutoHausAZ. If I'd done it myself, a few hours and a floor jack would have been it. But I wanted to go with reputable pros to do the work, and that ain't cheap, as they say. But seeing as the patch on my old cracked radiator had given out, the time had come to do a proper repair that ought not ever need to be revisited (famous last words). More later....