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I want to be clear I do not suggest that anyone consider to copy my ratio of coolant to water. I have been using the proper method of ratio mix for over 4 decades without a single failed cooling system . The companies that make coolant will not find fault with my following response and anyone can freely submit it to a company that supplies coolant to MAZDA and post their comments. As long as they are one of the Chemists and not a MAZDA sales representative unless they are a chemical engineer.
Antifreeze/coolant is designed to be mixed by referencing the ambient operating temperature. The 50/50 ratio commonly used was always about ease of use,packaging and DIY retail use friendly sales. Purchasing most 100% coolant has a ratio mix chart somewhere usually the back of the container. In my area the most efficient ratio would be 60/40 assuming I will not drive in temperatures below -10F which I don't. Technically if I wanted to keep the corrosion resistance and increase cooling efficiency of the coolant I should run*70/30 in summer starting in February/March and then use the ratio back up to 60/40 around November/December for winter. I also if change my thermostat to 170F for the summer months. If I could on the MAZDA (maybe in the future) I would access the ECU and change my fan operating tables of operation to support all of the above coolant ratio changes as well. Unfortunately I have not yet found a ECU access program that allows full access for ECU adjustments.
This will all I will be responding about the subject of coolant ration on my thread. The reason for this limited information about this subject is mainly because this thread is about what I personally do and not necessarily for any recommendation nor do I wish to debate correctness or subject empirical supported data on any project.
The coolant used by Mazda in your vehicle is FL22, it's not to be diluted. If you need to add/top up, only use FL22 coolant direct from the bottle. Do not dilute it or mix with any other type.
Ok so what am I doing ...well going to powder coat it. And yes you can powder coat none metallic parts like plastic valve covers. Been there done it before.
The first thing you must do it completely clean almost sterilize the part. This means at some point it will go in the over at 200F for about 30 minutes. Then right back in the water and simple green sink for another cleaning followed up by dish washing soap cleaning.
Then after I do some cosmetic tidy ups on the cast over cast plugs sanding them smooth I will take it over to the shop and (cross my figure) apply a nice powder coat.
Boy that 3k miles came around fast? Its ok I rather enjoy changing the oil and filter. It gets my under the car to look around at other projects I need to start catching up on needing to be under thiser anyway.
Like, The oil filter adapter, oil cooler for the transmission,changing the transmission oil pan and filter service, wrapping the exhaust pipe from the CAT back to the muffler, installing the electric exhaust cut out....geeeez!
Lest see how do I define myself regarding projects... **
[size=13px]Procrastination[/size]: the action of delaying or postponing something. Here's my guide to four different types of procrastination and how you can beat them.
Ok so what am I doing ...well going to powder coat it. And yes you can powder coat none metallic parts like plastic valve covers. Been there done it before.
The first thing you must do it completely clean almost sterilize the part. This means at some point it will go in the over at 200F for about 30 minutes. Then right back in the water and simple green sink for another cleaning followed up by dish washing soap cleaning.
Then after I do some cosmetic tidy ups on the cast over cast plugs sanding them smooth I will take it over to the shop and (cross my figure) apply a nice powder coat.
Almost finished with the prep work on the valve cover. But while I
i was sanding I decided to do some upgrading to the valve cover. I never cared for the factory oil fill cap. So that going to get a face life. Also I have a better idea for the breather hose.
The interest thing with doing this project is I understand now why there is very little oil vapor going into the intake system on the skyactiv engine at least with my year 2018. The breather baffle is chambers in a maze that reducing and cool the oil vapor that reduces the oil vapor from the breather side to almost negligible. I will be very curious when I pull my intake to mod it up what I find out about the PCV chamber?
Stock valve cover
A little more sanding on the grey area to smooth it out so it will hopefully look like aluminum when I get done in stead of plastic?
The first area of changing will be to remove the Breather tube from the valve cover. I use JB weld (tested on plastic used on engines) to do a 2 process filling insuring I don't get air bubbles in what will be a new threaded hole.
Now I will let it set up for about 3-4 hours. I use to use fast dry JB Weld but found that it seems to form bubbles in the core of the of filling so I just patiently wait for it to harden with the traditional JB Weld. Ok while waiting I am going to go prep my Turtle for a race. LOL
Not really wanting to do much of anything today and waiting for the JB Weld to harden on the valve cover project I decided to do an early oil and filter change. This go around I am using Mobil 1, 5w30 for the summer temperature months.
07-19-2020, 08:11 AM
Its ok I rather enjoy changing the oil and filter. It gets my under the car to look around at other projects I need to start catching up on needing to be under thiser anyway. 
