Re: A question regarding anti-freeze/coolant
Don Daves (dondaves(at)ix.netcom.com)
Wed, 22 Jul 1998 16:26:17 -0500 (CDT)
Mr. "Ole" has jogged my old memory and now you're all going to
suffer. My uncle has this huge farm operation, and in the mid-sixties,
he was pissed at the cost of buying drums of anti freeze/coolant for
all the equipment. Somewhere, he got the recommendation to use this
water-soluble oil as a substitute. What we used was Turbine oil,
manufactured by Chevron, for use in lubricating water-well pumps. It
was clear-colored, but when mixed with water, would turn milky-white.
No freezing protection, but in south Santa Clara County, CA, that's not
a problem. It worked well. As a poor-assed, dumb shit kid back then
(ok, I still am), I used this stuff in my Hillman Husky with no adverse
problems. It over-heated before and it overheated-after - nothing
changed. In all sorts of farm equipment engines (and that Hillman) we
never saw any rust or corrosion problems. The Hillman found a new
owner in 1985. In twenty years, I never needed to spend a dime on its'
cooling system.
I should probably ask my uncle if he's still using this stuff and
whether it served him well over the years. I can afford the genuine
green stuff now and I don't know if turbine oil is still available
given today's environmental concerns. I don't think it was toxic at
all, but at 20 cents a gallon, the price was right.
Don Daves