Can running your truck safely at a higher engine temperature boost fuel economy?
Evans Coolings Systems says yes.
Its line of Waterless Engine Coolants don’t directly save fuel, explains Mike Tourville, sales and marketing manager for the company. But it does act as an enabler, allowing fleets and owner-operators to adopt practices that can boost fuel economy from 3 to 8 percent based on real-world tests done by the company.
According to Tourville, because Evans Waterless Coolants allow truck engines to run 15 to 20 degrees hotter than conventional coolants (at 230 degrees F), it allows reduced engine fan run times so there’s less parasitic horsepower loss. He says a range of tests have borne this data out, without any tests yielding fuel economy boosts of less than 3 percent.
Other advantages Tourville notes include reduced system pressure due to the lack of water vapor and no corrosion, electrolysis or cavitation inside an engine. As a result, hoses, clamps, seals and gaskets last longer. Likewise engine life is increased and there is “no chance” of engine overheating.
Tourville says there is some resistance to the concept in the trucking industry but feels the waterless coolant concept is gaining ground. He points to recent TMC and ASTM specifications and RPs and notes that the Department of Defense is using Evans Coolants in Predator Drones. “We feel the message is starting to sink in,” he says.
