Water Wetter and other Automotive Myths
#16
Adding ANY non foaming water soluble lubricating fluid to plain water will increase the water's cooling effect. Adding 5-10% antifreeze to plain water will give the EXACT same cooling results as will the more expensive gimmicks. A properly setup cooling system will keep your engine more than cool enough running a 40/50 antifreeze mix anyway, so maybe the focus should be on what is wrong with your cooling system rather than what is in your cooling system.
I suggest you reread a few of the posts. This is a product that is primarily used for racing. Many racing organizations do not allow antifreeze, so your 40/50 antifreeze mix IS NOT PERMITTED.
I agree with the comments about coolant - it is worse than ice.
I'm thinking about switching to engine ice next season. Anyone tried it yet?
Steve
#17
Race Car
I suggest you reread a few of the posts. This is a product that is primarily used for racing. Many racing organizations do not allow antifreeze, so your 40/50 antifreeze mix IS NOT PERMITTED.
I agree with the comments about coolant - it is worse than ice.
I'm thinking about switching to engine ice next season. Anyone tried it yet?
Steve
I agree with the comments about coolant - it is worse than ice.
I'm thinking about switching to engine ice next season. Anyone tried it yet?
Steve
My comments were about increasing the cooling ability of the engine, whether or not you are at a track or in the road. The only benefit of using Water Wetter, or similar product is to provide the system with some anti corrosive properties, which is important. It will give you no cooling benefit. Use of water only, with or without water wetter, requires flushng of the cooling system, frequently. And never store an engine without antifreeze in it for protection from corrosion.
#18
Race Car
WaterWetter®
WaterWetter® is a unique wetting agent for cooling systems which reduces coolant temperatures by as much as 30ºF. This liquid product can be used to provide rust and corrosion protection in plain water for racing engines, which provides much better heat transfer properties than glycol-based antifreeze. Or it can be added to new or used antifreeze to improve the heat transfer of ethylene and propylene glycol systems. Designed for modern aluminum, cast iron, copper, brass and bronze systems. Compatible with all antifreezes, including the latest long-life variations
WaterWetter® is a unique wetting agent for cooling systems which reduces coolant temperatures by as much as 30ºF. This liquid product can be used to provide rust and corrosion protection in plain water for racing engines, which provides much better heat transfer properties than glycol-based antifreeze. Or it can be added to new or used antifreeze to improve the heat transfer of ethylene and propylene glycol systems. Designed for modern aluminum, cast iron, copper, brass and bronze systems. Compatible with all antifreezes, including the latest long-life variations
#20
Race Car
WaterWetter®
WaterWetter® is a unique wetting agent for cooling systems which reduces coolant temperatures by as much as 30ºF. This liquid product can be used to provide rust and corrosion protection in plain water for racing engines, which provides much better heat transfer properties than glycol-based antifreeze. Or it can be added to new or used antifreeze to improve the heat transfer of ethylene and propylene glycol systems. Designed for modern aluminum, cast iron, copper, brass and bronze systems. Compatible with all antifreezes, including the latest long-life variations
WaterWetter® is a unique wetting agent for cooling systems which reduces coolant temperatures by as much as 30ºF. This liquid product can be used to provide rust and corrosion protection in plain water for racing engines, which provides much better heat transfer properties than glycol-based antifreeze. Or it can be added to new or used antifreeze to improve the heat transfer of ethylene and propylene glycol systems. Designed for modern aluminum, cast iron, copper, brass and bronze systems. Compatible with all antifreezes, including the latest long-life variations
Actual CLAIMED benefit shown in their own test results is less than 5F.
Same type of bull**** you hear from the doomsayers:
"Household income has dropped 1% over the past 3 years."
That statement is true and it sounds bad, but they did not give you all the information. What they do not tell you is that per capita income is up 8% during the same time which can only mean that there are more households in the country. Looks like more people are able to move out of mom and dad's house and into their own place. THAT is GREAT news.
"Trust by verify".
#21
Still plays with cars.
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Not sure why there is an argument here. Waterwetter and similar products are used because:
Antifreeze is not allowed in a race car because glycol is very slippery if it gets on the track;
Modern cooling systems need corrosion inhibitors which you don't find in water;
Water conducts heat better than a glycol/water mixture, so temperatures can be lowered if the cooling system is somewhat marginal. Waterwetter (etc.) have a much higher percentage of water in the cooling system than a 50:50 antifreeze mix so the system has better cooling capacity. On the other hand if the temps go much below freezing you have a problem;
Race cars do not run (normally) in temperatures where freezing is likely so the low temperature advantage of anti-freeze is not required.
Regards,
Antifreeze is not allowed in a race car because glycol is very slippery if it gets on the track;
Modern cooling systems need corrosion inhibitors which you don't find in water;
Water conducts heat better than a glycol/water mixture, so temperatures can be lowered if the cooling system is somewhat marginal. Waterwetter (etc.) have a much higher percentage of water in the cooling system than a 50:50 antifreeze mix so the system has better cooling capacity. On the other hand if the temps go much below freezing you have a problem;
Race cars do not run (normally) in temperatures where freezing is likely so the low temperature advantage of anti-freeze is not required.
Regards,
#22
Race Car
Not sure why there is an argument here. Waterwetter and similar products are used because:
Antifreeze is not allowed in a race car because glycol is very slippery if it gets on the track;
Modern cooling systems need corrosion inhibitors which you don't find in water;
Water conducts heat better than a glycol/water mixture, so temperatures can be lowered if the cooling system is somewhat marginal. Waterwetter (etc.) have a much higher percentage of water in the cooling system than a 50:50 antifreeze mix so the system has better cooling capacity. On the other hand if the temps go much below freezing you have a problem;
Race cars do not run (normally) in temperatures where freezing is likely so the low temperature advantage of anti-freeze is not required.
Regards,
Antifreeze is not allowed in a race car because glycol is very slippery if it gets on the track;
Modern cooling systems need corrosion inhibitors which you don't find in water;
Water conducts heat better than a glycol/water mixture, so temperatures can be lowered if the cooling system is somewhat marginal. Waterwetter (etc.) have a much higher percentage of water in the cooling system than a 50:50 antifreeze mix so the system has better cooling capacity. On the other hand if the temps go much below freezing you have a problem;
Race cars do not run (normally) in temperatures where freezing is likely so the low temperature advantage of anti-freeze is not required.
Regards,
The problem is the claim by Redline that "WaterWetter® is a unique wetting agent for cooling systems which reduces coolant temperatures by as much as 30ºF. ". This is as blatant a lie as you can get. It does no such thing.
Redline's own test results illustrate an additional cooling benefit of less that 5%.
Personally, I don't trust someone who is as misleading as they are. Seems that their false advertising has convinced some, tho.
BTW: If you run Water Wetter, you are running a glycol/water mixture.
#23
Race Car
There were tons of test done by Ford magazines when the product first appeared, I believe in the mid-90's. I would think they were unbiased. All showed improvements with overall temperature in radiators. Later, WW was used in water-to-air intercoolers with some minor hp gains. A friends Mustang dropped about 10 degrees with this stuff mixed with 50/50 coolant. I believe this chemical works and would use it again. Plus it is cheap.
#24
Rennlist Member
I dunno...
I know if you mix about anything in water, you will form an azeotrope which simply means you have raised the boiling point and lowered the freezing point compared to water alone. Salt is a good example. Ethlylene and propylene glycol are 2 others, with corrosion protection added.
If I HAD a radiator in my race car, I might add WW to have something other than just plain water. In my street 996, I will use a 40-50/50 mix of antifreeze/water and leave the WW out. If I raced my 996 or drove it around city traffic much, I would add 1999Porsche911's constant run fan mod or add the 3rd radiator as I don't think WW would solve my cooling issue IMHO.
I know if you mix about anything in water, you will form an azeotrope which simply means you have raised the boiling point and lowered the freezing point compared to water alone. Salt is a good example. Ethlylene and propylene glycol are 2 others, with corrosion protection added.
If I HAD a radiator in my race car, I might add WW to have something other than just plain water. In my street 996, I will use a 40-50/50 mix of antifreeze/water and leave the WW out. If I raced my 996 or drove it around city traffic much, I would add 1999Porsche911's constant run fan mod or add the 3rd radiator as I don't think WW would solve my cooling issue IMHO.
#27
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Also, adding static pressure to the coolant system will also raise the boiling point. This is the reason most racecar coolant systems have schrader valves fabricated into the system.