Radiator fluid question

[CL8]

A student of mine said he heard if you put urine in a car radiator it will help cool the engine without ruining it.
Is this true, or just a lie he heard in a movie?


Thanks
Cl8

[curtis73]

Uh... complete BS

[CL8]

Thanks Curtis, that is what I figured.
I would guess the acid in the urine would not be good for the radiator.

[jdmccright]

That is only done in an emergency when you have nothing else to pour in after you've run low on coolant. Definitely not recommended for normal use...I bet it smells awful, too.

[CL8]

Thanks JD

I still wonder if the acidic content would deteriorate the radiator or engine.

[puterhead]

Urine would probably actually protect from freezing or overheating better than pure water, since its freezing point would be lower and its boiling point would be higher. I say probably, because I have no idea how it would react to being pressurized. Urine does have a high PH, so if used for an extended period, corrosion of steel and aluminum components would be expected. That said, why don't you give it a try and let us know how it turns out.

[jdmccright]

Urine has a pH of 4.5 to 8. The "coolant" would have to go outside that window to significantly increase the corrosion rate of aluminum (aluminum is amphoteric, meaning it can be dissolved by low and high pH solutions).

For steel, corrosion begins to increase at a pH below 4 and becomes passivated at pH above 10.

In short, you could probably run it for a reasonable time if needed, but given a scenario where you've lost significant amounts of coolant due to a leak and you're stranded otherwise, I'd take my chances with filling up with urine versus staying put in a dangerous situation. However, the rate of corrosion would increase because you've lost the protective additives provided by the real coolant.

[shorod]

Based on the capacity of a cooling system, you would have to have one huge, full bladder, to really even come close to making a difference in a low cooling system that is overheating.

-Rod

[CL8]

Thanks guys,
I told my student he would be better off calling for help rather than trying to drive with urine in the radiator, if for no other reason the smell would be terrible.

[puterhead]

I read a story about this being done a couple of years ago, but it took the full bladders of about 8 college guys in an SUV.

[Scrapper]

i've never heard that b/s but there is one thing if you mix antfreeze it could jell up on you.

[CL8]

How would antifreeze cause urine to jell?

[puterhead]

It probably wouldn't, and that's gel, by the way.

[jdmccright]

True it would take more than one bladder to help in an emergency. Depending on the vehicle of course, most coolant capacities are in the range of 2 gallons for cars to 5-6 for trucks. But to just limp along the road in highest gear and lowest RPMs, 1 gallon or so would be sufficient. Find 8 bursting bladders of 1 pint capacity and you're in luck.

If I were stuck out in the middle of nowhere, I'd rather be driving in a rolling stink than sitting idle and baking in no-man's land. Would I likely have 7 friends along? Anope. But knowing my route, I would hopefully plan ahead enough to bring some water along.

[Scrapper]

if you look back i never said urine would {gel} it up i said mixing antifrezze would gel up. do you go to I-U?