Cooling system filter installation - xpost

[steveg]

Peter Roses and I have been running purified water with water-wetter for a couple of years. This resulted in us both having to have our radiators serviced due to many of the tubes being clogged by rust flakes. Neither of us had a corrosion problem when we were running coolant mixtures.

In addition to this, there is info online showing Water Wetter deteriorates after a while into a brownish gunk that can clog things up.

I decided to install a Tefba cooling system filter at least for a while to capture any more rust bits still in the block and have pictures of the flushing results and Tefba install with info on the filter. (No financial interest)

https://www.pbase.com/stevegerow/coolingsysupgrade



PS - an engineer at Royal Purple told me distilled or ionized purified water is the most aggressive corrosion agent. We should be using tap water or filtered drinking water. The minerals protect the engine.

 

[John Turney]

The engineer is correct. Typically, public water systems try to balance the minerals in drinking water so that it is not corrosive. You don't, however want "hard water" that will leave calcium carbonate deposits in the hotter regions of the block.

 

[Keoke]

Peter Roses and I have been running purified water with water-wetter for a couple of years.-W OT !!

Wel telll Peter Keoke said just get some antifreeze and water and the two of you will be OK. He can have aTech session covering this.--:friendly_wink:

 

[Randy Forbes]

LOL!

I don't know about you guys, but this "Ph balanced" stuff sure looks like an easier (and largely original looking) installation than the filter. Also, what are you guys using for a waterpump lubricant?

Do a search sometime on a Dodge Viper forum to get their opinion of Water Wetter__it aint pretty, and it's what convinced me to no longer use it, and discourage people that ask me to put it in their cars.

 

[steveg]

I found out the hard way running water and not a coolant mix is more trouble than it's worth. We have a school of thought in our area who think running water is better.

In our area where Healeys get very hot in the summer one can realize a drop in operating temperature by running water and water-wetter. At first I realized a 10 degree drop by doing this in combination with some pep boys water pump lube. However there was insufficient (or no) corrosion protection in this package. Also the info about water-wetter clogging things up was not widely known then and we trusted it as it comes from a company with an excellent reputation. Later I found out some guys add water-soluble oil for water pump lube.

In retrospect I think it's easier to just run a low concentration of coolant - 20% was recommended by Royal Purple - it's a lot less trouble than trying to come up with one's own mix.

My car typically runs around 190 and had been running over 200 with the rust in the radiator.

Will probably add an oil cooler in the future after I do my rear-wheel disc brakes.

 

[Patrick67BJ8]

LOL!

I don't know about you guys, but this "Ph balanced" stuff sure looks like an easier (and largely original looking) installation than the filter. Also, what are you guys using for a waterpump lubricant?

Do a search sometime on a Dodge Viper forum to get their opinion of Water Wetter__it aint pretty, and it's what convinced me to no longer use it, and discourage people that ask me to put it in their cars.

I have an uncle who used to always put a spoonfull of brake fluid in his radiator to lubricate the waterpump.

 

[steveg]

Yesterday I ordered pH testing paper from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045I6FQG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This gives a color indication of the pH. Online info says coolant pH should be between 8.3 and 11. Distilled water is 6 and purified drinking water with minerals is 6.8. Will have to see what my local tap water is.
pH levels below 8.3 will allow corrosion in the engine.