Review Paper

105, 110, 120, 130, 140, even 150, no I am not talking about our temperature on a hot summer day in Arizona, but rather the speeds reached at normal amateur motorcycle Track Day at Phoenix International Raceway(PIR). Match those speeds and our unbearable summer heat and you have a recipe for disaster or at least the perfect ingredients for overheating your bike and possibly causing electrical or even worse some internal engine problems. I have experienced this first hand, it was the last week of August in ‘06 when I was just three laps from finishing in the top three at a Track Day (it would have been my personal best) when my bike just lost all power abruptly and without warning and I was forced to pull off onto the infield. The track crew came and loaded my bike on a trailer and took into the pit area where a track tech told me he would run a quick diagnostic test for me. I couldn’t believe when he had told me that my bike had gotten so hot and before it overheated it had fried the electronic speed/throttle sensor, so my engine was receiving no signal from my throttle. On the average he told me that you want your bike to stay under 200 degrees and under 225 when racing as extended exposure over 236 can cause problems similar to what I had experienced. I knew that at 220 my bike had a cooling fan that turns on to cool it down, but according to the tech when racing in Arizona these fans are virtually worthless. I knew I had to do something to prevent from happening in the future and I also knew that since my bike was one of only two in a twenty bike field that overheated that options had to be available. I went the to local dealer where I bought my bike and was given a few options: update the cooling system for around a thousand dollars, try changing the coolant after every other race to keep it clean and free of particles, or try some after market coolant additives. Since I race maybe five times a year I chose to try changing the coolant at about twenty-two dollars each change and an hour of labor time, however instead of reusing the Honda Pro Stock coolant that I had always used and of course that the Honda shop tried to sell me I decided to switch to a breakthrough product called Engine Ice that claims to “Reduce operating temperatures by up to 50 degrees.”( 2Wheel Tuner pg.67 ) I decided to switch products for the simple facts that Engine Ice is said to help protect the cooling system while cooling, it is biodegradable, and definitely in search of it better performance and overall reduction of temperature.

According to the manufacturer Engine Ice not only cools your engine but also protects your cooling system at the same time. Engine Ice is different from other coolants in that other coolants use either “tap, bottled, distilled, or spring water in their mixture that can still contain small particles of Iron, Magnesium, Rust, or even calcium. Many of these waters also contain chemicals like chlorine, fluoride, or even chemicals.”(Sieverson 66) The problem is that these particles can cause internal scaling and scarring causing bigger pieces or slivers of metal to enter into the cooling resulting in at least the need for a high power flush that places all gaskets and seals at risk for damage due to the high pressure flush required. On the other hand Engine Ice uses deionized also spelled deionised water that is simply water that is free from ions such as iron, calcium, sodium, etc. The deionized water eliminates those impurities and unwanted particles from entering in your cooling system with your coolant. This alone could save one money in the long run by preventing damage to, and keeping the cooling system clean and free of particles.

Another nice quality in addition to keeping the cooling system clean is the fact that Engine Ice is biodegradable. Traditional coolant is made with an ingredient known as Ethylene Glycol(EG). EG is highly toxic to plants, animals, and humans. One main problem in addition to toxicity is that “EG has a sweet smell that often attracts animals and children.”(Brent 982) This is a serious issue since as little as “two ounces of Ethylene Glycol can be fatal to a pet or small child.” (Saladino 95) On the other hand Engine Ice is formulated with Propylene Glycol(PG) is far less toxic and in fact two ounces isn’t even considered to be a fatal amount to a cat. Often times at track days wrecks happen and fluid spills are very common, unlike EG the PG in Engine Ice does not contain any phosphates (phosphates kill microorganisms) and so it will not kill the grass and plant life of the infield and surrounding areas of the track. I know to many this may seem petty and not important to some, but for me this is reason enough for me personally to buy this over the standard coolant especially since it is only eight dollars more a gallon.

While keeping the cooling system clean and being biodegradable are a plus, the real reason I bought the Engine Ice was for the overall performance and engine temperature reduction. In order to see if the product worked I decided to perform my own tests. I decided to test my bike with the Honda Pro Stock coolant that it comes from the manufacturer with and then with Engine Ice and compare the engine temperature, this will be easy since my bike has a digital temperature gauge. To be fair in my comparison, I drained the old Pro Stock coolant and replaced it with new Pro Stock coolant before testing. To start I warmed up my bike for two minutes and I ran my bike along a twenty mile stretch of highway near my house and never went above third gearing keeping the rpm up high to simulate racing conditions. Upon my return my bike was right at 222 degrees, a little high for a 81 degree day. Next I let the bike cool down for just over an hour and then flushed the system and added the Engine Ice coolant. Again I let the bike warm up and then took the same twenty mile course and even rode a little harder than with the Honda Pro Stock coolant. Upon returning my gauge was reading 188!! I honestly had to ride again to make sure and it never went over 190 at anytime and I rode for over thirty five miles the second time. I can’t believe this stuff isn’t available to all riders at track days everywhere. Wow, while I didn’t get the full reduction of fifty degrees that some have experienced, truly I never expected to and the fact that I got a thirty eight degree reduction is simply amazing.

Finally after about six hours of labor and testing I have found Engine Ice to be an amazing products. This product alone will allow me to enjoy the thrills and competition of track days without the let down and disappointment of overheating and not finishing the race. At just eight dollars more a gallon Engine Ice is very cost effective compared to the new cooling system. I will recommend this product to all my friends and fellow riders that I come in contact with. Engine Ice truly is superior to normal coolants and at the same time is safe for the environment, prevents cooling system breakdown, and greatly reduces the engine temps that have a tendency to soar in the Arizona heat.




References:
Brent J. Current Management of Ethylene Glycol Poisoning. [Review] Drugs.
61(7): 979-88, 2001.
Ellenhorn MJ and Barceloux DG. Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisoning. Elsevier Publishing Co., Inc., 1998. New York. Pp. 805-809.

Engine Ice.Advertisement. 2 Wheel Tuner March 2007:67-68.
Saladino R and Shannon M. Accidental and intentional poisonings with ethylene glycol in infancy: Diagnostic clues and management. Ped Emerg Care 7; 93-96, 1991.