TR2/3/3A Using distilled water in the cooling system

[karls59tr]

I have been using 50% distilled water/35% antifreeze/15% water wetter in my TR3 as I heard that racing drivers used that mixture.Seems to run cooler with that concoction. Now I hear it's not a good idea to use distilled water at all because it can cause damage because it lacks certain "ions"? There is a whole written blurb about it by Rislone on the internet but maybe they are just trying to sell product?????

 

[bobhustead]

The battery is the only place that needs distilled water. Water "wetters" have been shown to be less efficient at heat transfer than plain water.
Bob

 

[mgedit]

I have hard water at home, so used 50/50 distilled and antifreeze. Not noticed any issues over the last 5 years or so, and would think less likely to get calcium build up in cooling system. Cheers, Mike

 

[karls59tr]

The battery is the only place that needs distilled water. Water "wetters" have been shown to be less efficient at heat transfer than plain water.
Bob

I will look up that info on water wetters.

 

[karls59tr]

I have hard water at home, so used 50/50 distilled and antifreeze. Not noticed any issues over the last 5 years or so, and would think less likely to get calcium build up in cooling system. Cheers, Mike

I haven't noticed any issues either. The Rislone article in regard to distilled water causing problems seems to make sense scientifically but they may be talking about using 100% distilled water in the cooling system? I would think that a 50/50 mix using antifreeze would probably negate any downside to the distilled water?

 

[IdahoNuke]

50/50 antifreeze and distilled water is the best, and that is what the premixed antifreeze is. All calcium and bicarbonate ions in the water will need to be passivated by the corrosion protection chemicals in the antifreeze. So harder water just depletes the antifreeze by that amount. - Never heard of water "wetters" but it sounds like snake oil.

 

[Sarastro]

These and other cars have worked just fine with the standard 50% antifreeze and tap water. If they don't, using distilled water won't fix them.

I regularly return to the adage that we often used in my aerospace-industry days: "better" is the enemy of "good enough."

 

[bobhustead]

Just found an article in Motor Trend from '07 that described tests of 4 "wetting agents". Concluded that they did lower operating temperatures in antifreeze/water mixes. Efficiency of plain water was reduced by the additives.
Bob

 

[Bristol401]

Water wetter is used for racing because antifreeze is not allowed. I use distilled water and antifreeze for street cars. There is a difference between distilled water and and deionized water.