In my quest for a cooler running S2 (see related thread "uncool s2"), I was considering dumping in a bottle of the Redline "Water Wetter" product into the cooling system.

Nothing is as simple as it seems it should be. I read on a Redline site that the recommended application is to flush the system clean of antifreeze, fill with distilled water, and then add the Water Wetter. The claim was that the antifreeze would partially inhibit the heat transfer properties of the Water Wetter.

I read further that generally a higher concentration of antifreeze (say 50/50) will be less efficient in terms of heat transfer than a lower concentration say (33/67), with or without the Water Wetter additive!

Is this correct? If so, since I've currently got a 50/50 mixture in my cooling system, I'd be inclined to dilute it down with distilled water to get to a lower concentration. But how low can you go? Zero? Would "Water Wetter" with distilled water by itself provide the required anti-corrosion properties of a glycol based antifreeze solution, for example?

Anyone got any experience or insight into this?

-Mark

 

the demo on the redline website seems to imply that if you're not in a cold climate you can just run straight disteled water & redline without any ill effects. I was going to do this as the temp here rarely gets below about 10 deg C.

 

I run straight water and water wetter in my 944 spec car. It works, but for a street car I would run some antifreeze. In addition to cold performance it also has lubricants and corrosion protections aspects which means for a street car It is best to run at least 25%. In racing a coolant spill can get very slick and most org frown upon antifreeze.

 

Yes, I've never tried it, but the claim is that water without antifreeze is a better cooler than with antifreeze. However, if you are going to be in a climate where the temperature gets below freezing you still need to use the antifreeze.

Water Wetter is supposed to have all of the anticorrosive properties of antifreeze. I use it in my 944 with a 50/50 mix and have found that it makes a subtle, but noticeable difference in lower engine temperature.

 

Doesn't that get a bit expensive with a 50/50 Redline mix? Actually Redline recommends conventional coolant be added for normal street use. The concentrations of corrosion inhibitors are just not adequate using the single bottle most people add to their mix.

 

Oh, god, sorry, I meant to say that I use one bottle of Redline Water Wetter with a 50/50 mix of water and propylene glycol antifreeze.

 

Ahh...guess I don't have to buy stock in Redline. I don't think I'd run a 50/50 mix in the Summer though. My 951 runs so cool with 70W/30AF mix with 1-bottle of Redline; it ran much hotter with a 50/50 mix when I bought it. You guys have had some really cold weather back there this year. Might not be a bad idea to do a measured drain in the Spring and add distilled water to improve your Summer cooling; then do a partial drain in Fall and add antifreeze only. This also helps keep the acidity in check if you flush the system every 2 years like I do.

 

After a flush, I used 50/50 water adntifreez and a bottle of WW. My care has only crawled above the bottom marker on a run to Vegas through the dessert... During city driving, it never reaches above the bottom marker.

 

Honestly, without running a water/redline mix, you will not see a change. Run a lower temp thermostat and you'll see a much bigger difference.

 

I think i might lower the concentration of the antifreeze this summer. Good idea!

The difference for me is that on hot days it used to get up to the 3/4 mark on the temp gauge. Now it gets about halfway between the 1/4 and 3/4 mark.

 

I did the lowest temp thermostat as well as lower temp fan switch. The thing that really helped as well (measurably) was switching to distilled water and water wetter. That was all done to my early 85 NA. That car consistently ran hot until I put all those pieces in place.

 

I have never, ever, never, ever in the history of email lists, BBS's and web forums seen a product endorsed by all of the respondents (so far, jinx). It brings a small shining light into the dark chasm of thanklessly justifying aftermarket solutions. Makes me want to burst into tears...

It's already been said, but here's what I always recommend: distilled and WW for track cars, or, 75% distilled, 25% AF, +WW for street cars. In our regions, no AF is allowed in "race" cars and is discouraged in "track" cars. For those in colder climates, don't skip the AF in the street car. Also, WW has plenty of lube and additive to keep things flowing and spinning without the aid of AF - IMHO.

 

No AF at Road America track events is not an option (the months I run). Last October the Speed Seeker's track event it was sleeting part of the day and dropping in the low 30's. April & May events are not much different.....

 

Using a lower temp thermostat will not keep a car from overheating. An overheating car will already have the thermostat wide open.

What Water Wetter does is lower the suface tension of the water or water/AF mix so that bubbles that develop in an overheating car will tend to collapse upon themselves. Remember that air in the coolant makes the coolant much less effective, so by adding Water Wetter, a car on the edge of overheating will have a better shot at not overheating because of the increased thermal efficiency.

 

[QUOTE=Skip....It's already been said, but here's what I always recommend: distilled and WW for track cars, or, 75% distilled, 25% AF, +WW for street cars. In our regions, no AF is allowed in "race" cars and is discouraged in "track" cars. For those in colder climates, don't skip the AF in the street car[/QUOTE]

Just out of curiousity, how do folks running the track car mix of only water/WW keep from freezing up their blocks in the Winter. Are most of these cars drained down offseason or are block heaters needed? I'm just curious because water freezes at 32F and Water Wetter freezes at 31F which makes it a really gamble in most of this country for 4 months out of the year.