Coolant

[Soaring Crane]

What exactly is a coolant? Which is a better coolant for a car: methanol or water? Why?

Thank you for your time! :wink:

[HallsofIvy]

A "coolant" is something that cools! I would have thought that was obvious. Most automobiles use water (Old Volkswagens were air cooled. I don't know about the new ones.). Methanol has both a higher heat conduction constant and a lower evaporation temperature than water and so will transmit heat away from the car faster but will also "boil away" faster (and, of course, costs more).

I will let you answer the question "which is a better coolant".