# Antifreeze **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** cherokee, jeep\ **Created:** [May 3, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/antifreeze/48343 "2010-05-03T21:20:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bedrock](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bedrock/32/868_2.png) [@bedrock](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bedrock)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/antifreeze/48343/1 "2010-05-03T21:20:59Z")
is a 50/50 already mix antifreeze good for year round use.or would a concentrate be better. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/antifreeze/48343/2 "2010-05-03T21:28:57Z")
Same protection, different price. You spend less money for the same 50/50 mix when you buy the concentrate. ( add your own water and not pay them to do it for you nor pay for shipping water. ) You’d choose the premix if you don’t have a source of water and need antifreeze right now. With the concentrate you can choose a stronger mix if your weather demands it ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/antifreeze/48343/3 "2010-05-03T21:29:27Z")
It really depends on where you live. The optimum coolant combination is a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water. The 50/50 mixture will produce freeze protection down to -34F (-36C), and boilover protection up 265F (129C). However, in colder climates, where lower temperature freeze protection is needed, a mixture of up to 70% antifreeze can be used. I used 70% anti-freeze in Alaska and Northern Maine where temperatures could get as low as 70 below zero. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/antifreeze/48343/4 "2010-05-03T21:29:31Z")
If you need protection below -34F, follow missleman’s recommendation. Otherwise, if you buy concentrate, you still have to add enough water to make it a 50/50 mix, so it doesn’t matter which one you buy, as long as it gets added properly and diluted properly if necessary. Since I don’t like to mess with distilled water, I just buy the premixed antifreeze/coolant. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/antifreeze/48343/5 "2010-05-03T23:31:59Z")
I usually drain as much antifreeze as I can and set it out in marked jugs for our garbage. I then flush with a garden hose until it runs clear. It is never possible to get all the water out so I put the right amount of full strength in and fill with water. I then mix my own 50/50 for the overflow jug and topping off for the next few days. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/antifreeze/48343/6 "2010-05-04T00:15:05Z")
If you don’t have access to distilled water or do not want to take a chance on your well water are considerations I would be in favor of 50/50. I have NEVER had a problem using tap water from well or city, but I change my coolant every 2 to 3 years if not “long life”. So to me, it might be a concern for longer change intervals. I use time, and not mileage for coolant change. I live in central Maine and have never had a problem with 50/50 but as suggested, would move to higher range in even colder climates. There is not enough summer heat in these regions to worry about over heating with up to 70% unless you tow. Then it could be a problem decision. It’s interesting to note that Ethylene glycol is readily biodegradable in standard tests using sewage sludge. So it’s a hazardous waste, not because of it’s make up, but the heavy metals from use in coolant systems. I know at one time, CR said you could dump and bury standard coolant from a change (do not let pool as it’s poisonous} as long as you were sure there were no lead based solder connections in cooling systems. I doubt they make that statement anymore.