How bad might tap water be in radiator vs distilled?
#1
Nordschleife Master
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How bad might tap water be in radiator vs distilled?
When doing a normal 50/50 coolant refill I have been careful to only use the finest Walmart or grocery store brand of distilled water. How bad is it to use tap water?
Living in OC now, but when in Riverside it was possible to make a battery with tap water.
Living in OC now, but when in Riverside it was possible to make a battery with tap water.
#2
Finest Walmart water. Sorry I just thought that was funny.
The advantage of distilled is that there are no impurities. Hard water will cause build up in the radiator more likely. Run distilled for the long run but I wouldn't think regular hose water for a flush or for a limited time will do harm. I flushed my coolant with regular hose water before replacing with G07.
The advantage of distilled is that there are no impurities. Hard water will cause build up in the radiator more likely. Run distilled for the long run but I wouldn't think regular hose water for a flush or for a limited time will do harm. I flushed my coolant with regular hose water before replacing with G07.
#3
Drifting
Take care,-Matt
#4
Former Vendor
I use distilled water, because I use expensive coolant and it seems like the water is a very small percentage of the overall cost.
However, since most of these cars are now over 25 years old and have not all been pampered by fanatics, it is highly likely that what you are removing came from the faucet.
However, since most of these cars are now over 25 years old and have not all been pampered by fanatics, it is highly likely that what you are removing came from the faucet.
#5
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There is no consistency in what is accepted as tap water in different locations and at different times of the year, so one cannot generalize. For example, some areas have very high iron or calcium levels, that other do not. Best to go with distilled. Compared to the cost of other 'parts' we buy, it is cheap...
#6
Rennlist Member
I work in a lab so easy to get DI. Check the hardness of your tap water. Hard water not good. I forget the values but you should be ok with numbers on the low range.
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#9
Rennlist Member
I do... but it is overkill imo. Distilled is typically not as pure as DI but perfectly fine for engines.
#10
Chronic Tool Dropper
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DI water is starved for ions and therefore just a bit corrosive. Distilled isn't as vicious.
Mike--
I don't know how hard the water is in your neighborhood. Here in sunny Glendale (45 miles north and west), we get some combination of Colorado River water, Owens Valley water, central valley water, and ground-well water. The stuff that comes across the desert in canals is concentrated by evaporation on the way. Groundwater here is only marginally better. The result? An average of 35-grain hardness in the samples I've looked at over the last ten years here. My OC water in the west county was marginally better with a higher percentage of well water, but still north of 25 grains hardness from the tap. In both places I added a water softener (cation resin bed with salt-water flush) to keep the bathroom clean. In Glendale I added a second cation resin bed tank just for car washing. It's essential in my opinion for dark-colored cars.
Now, what did you want to put in the radiator?
Mike--
I don't know how hard the water is in your neighborhood. Here in sunny Glendale (45 miles north and west), we get some combination of Colorado River water, Owens Valley water, central valley water, and ground-well water. The stuff that comes across the desert in canals is concentrated by evaporation on the way. Groundwater here is only marginally better. The result? An average of 35-grain hardness in the samples I've looked at over the last ten years here. My OC water in the west county was marginally better with a higher percentage of well water, but still north of 25 grains hardness from the tap. In both places I added a water softener (cation resin bed with salt-water flush) to keep the bathroom clean. In Glendale I added a second cation resin bed tank just for car washing. It's essential in my opinion for dark-colored cars.
Now, what did you want to put in the radiator?
#11
Rennlist Member
So Dr. Bob what you are saying is when you turn on the faucet rocks come out?
#12
Chronic Tool Dropper
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Yep. Without the softener, it's parts-per-part.
#13
Addict
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Easiest way to make a preliminary assessment is to look in your hot water kettle (assuming it's say a year old and in regular use) If it still looks like new inisde then should be minimal problems. If it looks like the inside of a limestone cavern don't touch it with a barge pole.
#14
Rennlist Member
... An average of 35-grain hardness in the samples I've looked at over the last ten years here. My OC water in the west county was marginally better with a higher percentage of well water, but still north of 25 grains hardness from the tap. In both places I added a water softener (cation resin bed with salt-water flush) to keep the bathroom clean. In Glendale I added a second cation resin bed tank just for car washing. It's essential in my opinion for dark-colored cars.
Now, what did you want to put in the radiator?
Now, what did you want to put in the radiator?
#15
Nordschleife Master