So my car is due for coolant change and I live in Colorado and have always run a 50:50 mix of OEM coolant and distilled water (sometimes with some red line water wetter). I'm going to be spending the summer in Texas before moving to Baltimore, and I'm wondering if it's worth trying something different. I'm hoping to do a few autocross and track days this summer, and then there's the oppressive 100 degree heat, so I'm looking for something with better cooling properties.

My first thought was to run distilled water and water wetter, but I'm not sure if that would have enough anti-corrosion properties/lubrication for the water pump ect. So now I'm leaning towards something like a 30:70 mix of coolant and water.

I'm not really interested in waterless coolant due to the cost and PITA of changing it over, but I could be swayed if there's a real advantage to it.

Does anybody have any input or experience with maximizing the cooling ability of the stock system?

Of course I'll switch it back to a 50:50 mix before there's any chance of freezing temps, but I figured if I'm going to be draining and refilling the system anyways, maybe it was worth trying something different.

If you don't mind spending a lil extra $$$, switch to Evans Waterless Coolant and never look back.

I like the fact that I'd never have to service the coolant system again, and that there's less/no corrosion with evans, but I'm a little skeptical that it decreases engine temps. Do you have any experience with it?

I've run it in my 540i and my former bike (Suzuki SV1000S) since 2010 without issue. It's seen subfreezing temps all the way up to drought/heat wave temps above 100 degrees with no fan. That was ignorance on my part but the end result was a car that never once overheated in spite of. I'll be switching my R53 to Evan's next month.

I've been running distilled water and WatterWetter in TRACKRAT for years now. No adverse effects, even in the hottest weather at VIR. Never a good idea to run conventional coolant on track. If a hose ruptures, you can spin in your own fluid or cause someone else to spin.

Are you still running the stock water pump and cooling system on TRACKRAT? I raced shifter karts for several years and we only ran distilled water and water wetter in those for the same reason polyethylene glycol isn't allowed on car tracks, but the cooling system on the MINI is a bit more complex than the one on a 125cc 2 stroke motor.

Remember, antifreeze coolant does NOT transfer heat very well.
Both my bikes and cars, for many years, get a 25% ethylene glycol, 75% distilled water. I use the antifreeze is mostly for a water pump lube and it anti-corrosion properties.
BUT, I live in SoCal, so you have a lot colder days than we have here. So unless you want to change it twice a year, I'd just stick with the 50-50 mix like is recommended by most.

Or spring for the big buck, Evans coolant.
I'd stay away from the rest of the elixirs out there for coolant systems. Been there...

Mike

yeah, It's due for a change, and I don't really mind doing the work, so I figured I might run something different for the summer and perhaps get better cooling than the OEM recommendations. I've pretty much decdided against going with evans waterless just because of the cost. I'm just not sure how much, if any, coolant I ought to add so that I have enough anti corrosion and water pump lube in there.

My plan is to change it out before I move out of Texas so no worries about freezing.

Check it out: https://www.redlineoil.com/waterwetter
They specifically state that it cleans and lubricates WP seals.