Is it OK to have 100% anit freeze?

[240sxspeedracer1]

I just put texaco anti freeze in there, is it ok or should I put water in there?  What are the reasons for having water>?

[ryanmcdonnell]

100% is not very good.  Anitfreeze has a much low thermal trasnfer effiecency than water.  Antifreeze does little to cool the car... it only raises the boiling boil and lowers the freezing point of the water. It also acts an an inhibitor against rust and corrosion for the block and head water jackets.

100% antifreeze is commonly referred to as "winterizing" because it lowers the freezing point so low than it is almost impossible for the coolant to freeze in the block.

Antifreeze is thicker and does not flow as well as water.  This puts stress on the water pump over a long period of time.

In hotter climate (like mine) it's perfectly safe to run as low as 15% anitfreeze and 85% water. You should never exceed a 50/50 mix.

I'd recommend some Redline Water Wetter in there too.

[misnomer]

I've also heard somewhere that too high an antifreeze concentration can actually promote corrosion, may have only been on aluminum block engines though. . .

[WhiteS14]

Antifreeze also gels up when raised to the boiling point.  As ryanmcdonnell pointed out, it's used to increase the coolants efficiency.

In some extreme cold climates, you can use a 60% concentration of antifreeze (-40C) since a 50/50 will only give you -38C protection.

In hot climates where the weather never dips pass +10C, you can try using pure distilled water.  The absence of minerals and "other stuff" in normal tap water greater improves thermal transfer and cooling.  Best of all, it doesn't leave any residue and it's very low restriction.