Distilled water

[Spindrift]

Now that Summer is almost here and we're beginning to see hot weather, has anyone considered using distilled water with a wetting agent in their cooling system in order to lower engine temps?

 

[Spindrift]

Any opinions?

 

[Derkperk]

I've been told by water a treatment company that distilled or RO water can actually be corrosive due to the fact that there aren't any impurities in the water. It will actually pull molecules of the surrounding metals into it. I'm not sure if water wetter has a corrosion inhibitor in it but if not I wouldn't try it.

 

[ODAWG714]

Been running distilled for a few years and no issues with temps
I run it 5050 with ford gold, and I'm in california

 

[bkingsoda]

Someone else can chime in if they believe I'm wrong, but I've always known to run NOTHING except distilled water and coolant in a diesel. Preferably elc and distilled in a 6.0 with a coolant filter. Anyone running tap or hose water is flirting with disaster. Every chemistry book I've ever read taught me the minerals in non-distilled water creates the reaction with any metal or substance.

 

[Spindrift]

Distilled water all the way with some of this:
http://www.mishimoto.com/mishimoto-liquid-chill-radiator-coolant-additive.html

I imagine you usually you see this being used in race applications. Wondering if it might work in a tow application.

 

[ford rules]

Always been told to use distilled in everything and never tap water.

 

[drunk on diesel]

I've been told by water a treatment company that distilled or RO water can actually be corrosive due to the fact that there aren't any impurities in the water. It will actually pull molecules of the surrounding metals into it. I'm not sure if water wetter has a corrosion inhibitor in it but if not I wouldn't try it.

Wow, please don't run tap water in your cooling systems unless you want rust and scale everywhere.

I can show you pics of a block and radiator that had tap water vs. Ones that didn't. The stuff that came out of one of my trucks was orange coated so bad, I didn't even bother flushing, I just put a brand new radiator on with the new engine.

 

[Spindrift]

Just to be clear here. I'm talking about running 100% distilled water with the Mishimoto Magic Juice.

 

[ford rules]

Why do you not want to just run distilled and coolant?
Trying to lower temps I assume?

 

[Spindrift]

Trying to lower temps I assume?

Correct...just for the Summer months.

 

[Spindrift]

I suppose an alternative could be simply diluting my current 50/50 mix with more distilled water. However, I'm not sure how much of my current coolant I should drain.

 

[Cold Roller]

OK, from strictly a heat transfer point of view, running pure water would work. However, that is not the problem! The problem is you don't want your coolant to change phase, as in boil! This is why you want to run with anti-boil (anti-freeze) in your coolant system. Rather than me posting it, do a search on boil-point for water vs temp vs pressure and do the same with a glycol additive (anti-freeze). You would have to be 100% certain that no region of your engine and coolant system was over the boil point or you would be in for big trouble.

As previously mentioned, hard water (dissolved minerals) is death for a coolant system. Conversely, acidic coolant is equally bad. Distilled water is neutral, but it will still need corrosion inhibiters for iron oxidization and dissimilar metal electrolysis. Running straight water is a fool's venture. So much to loose for so little gain.

 

[ford rules]

If your temps are that bad id be looking into other issues in your cooling system... water and water wetter arent going to do much anyways in my opinion.
Tried water wetter in my ranger and noticed no difference

 

[dmd]

Without coolant you will have cavitation and boil over. There is a reason
you need to run what is suggested by the manufacture.

As mentioned you are not worried about heat transfer, but about the raising of the
boiling point of the water. Take a look at one of the proper coolant bottles or just
look it up for the boiling point differences.

I was in Death Vally in August in a Gen1 Dodge, they had way too small of a
cooling system for that heat, and a giant camper.
On the way out I had to stop several times to
let the motor cool. The first stop there was this guy who popped the radiator
cap almost all of the coolant boiled out (pressure and coolant keep it
from boiling). He put in cool water and said that he was cooled off. I let him know
that he probably would not make it out of the valley with mostly water... He laughed
and said that it would take way too long to let it cool like I was doing.. Letting
the truck idle..
Well.. before I had to pull over again I passed him, he was on the side of the road
with clouds of steam pouring from the motor. The engine didnt have enough
coolant to keep it from boiling now.. We had to stop a few more times before
we made it out of the valley. About an hour out we had a tow truck pass us going
the other way.. Headed to get the guy.. I believe it was 112-deg that day..

 

[Derkperk]

Wow, please don't run tap water in your cooling systems unless you want rust and scale everywhere.

I never said to run tap water. The OP was asking about running distilled water, as in straight distilled water, to which I ill advised. I wouldn't even flush a system with tap water. I also mentioned a corrosion inhibitor to be necessary and wasn't sure if water wetter had one.

 

[Mdub707]

Everyone should be running distilled water, mixed with coolant of course. The OP was asking about running JUST distilled water with an additive (not a 50/50 mix like most of us are running).

However, cavitation would be one major reason i wouldn't do that.

dmd hit the nail on the head, there are a few reasons why this would be a bad idea.

 

[Lee]

cavitation

I'll second the cavitation issue.
Don't use pure water with out anti cavitation aditives, over time cavitation will drill micro holes in to the cylinder liner.