Evans Coolant is essentially maintenance free. Now I know that the word “essentially” is a qualifier that can cover over a shady statement, so I’ll explain a bit more. There are really two aspects about 50/50 antifreeze that make regular maintenance necessary. The corrosion protecting additives settle out or are consumed over time. The other issue is that the 50/50 ratio will change over time reducing the coolant’s heat transfer property.
The additive issue is pretty well known, so I’ll leave that explanation as is. The glycol/water ratio is an aspect that kind of sneaks up on you. Topping up is needed due to fluid loss through boiling; if you need to top up, it’s a sign of coolant boiling – overheating.
The vapor formed within the cooling system starts out as an even mix of glycol and water, but the glycol component will easily condense back into the liquid because the boiling point of glycol is so high. This means that the vapor leaving the system is mainly water. (The water can’t condense in the surrounding fluid because the boiling point of antifreeze is higher than straight water.)
Over time, the ratio of the antifreeze mix will trend towards a heavier glycol concentration which lowers the heat transfer capacity of the fluid, making overheating a more common occurrence. This is why people will switch to a different antifreeze and conclude that it cools better – they have actually just gotten back to a 50/50 ratio.
Now, back to the maintenance needs of Evans Waterless Coolant. Our additives are different from those used in antifreeze; they are stable and remain in solution indefinitely. This means that there is nothing to go bad in our coolant and so it lasts the lifetime of the engine. I’ve used the same fluid in one of my motorcycles since 1994. The freeze point is -40F/C and it shrinks when frozen, so there is no freeze-burst danger, even in extreme cold conditions. If our coolant becomes contaminated with water or other foreign substances, then maintenance would be needed.