Water Wetter question

On the Water Wetter bottle, it recommends to use at least 15% anti-freeze in street cars. I have a 1950s car used for shows and a little driving all in California so I'm never concerned with winter temperatures. I really don't understand why the 15% recommendation. Seems like I would do better to use straight water and Water Wetter since occasionly my car gets a little warm (long steep grade) and this is what I am trying to prevent.

 

I think it is probably because anti-freeze mixed in will raise the boiling temp of the water, not sure but I would guess this is the reason.

 

The car will run cooler with a 50/50 mix of water and anti-freeze than with water alone.

 

I use water wetter in my flathead with distilled water and no need for anti freeze in san diego,That recomendation is for people in colder climates with snow and stuff,the water wetter has the anti corrosive elements as well as lubricates the water pumps.

 

I believe anti-freeze adds anti-oxidant and lubricant properties to the coolant .

 

Yeah though it is antifreeze, a better word for it is coolant. I would go 50/50. Ran water wetter+water in the racecar then switched to coolant and WW and water. Temps dropped 5-10 degrees.

 

anitfreeze and coolant used to be different i think. Now it comes all mixed up in one jug.

 

BINGO - Winna Winna Chicken Dinna

 

You can get it pre-mixed or un-mixed.

Pre-mixed is convenient if you 'gotta have it now!' sort of deal. Like your motor is overheating in O'Reily's parking lot situation and you don't have time to mix it yourself.

Anti-freeze will also raise boiling temp....so even if you're in San Diego it'll help prevent boiling if you're having overtemp issues.

Never used this water wetter stuff.

 

50/50 mix H2O & Anti-Freeze for your anti-corrosion properties & water pump lube and higher boiling point.
Water Wetter is a surfactant that gives the coolant mixture a lower surface tension and allows a better heat transmission from the block/heads to the coolant.

 

Right, like here in the frozen tundra of Texas.
I use 50/50 in everything.

 

Ya, you really should run antifreeze / coolant. It has lubricating quailties for the water pump. Anti corrosive and like mentioned, raises the boiling point. I use water wetter. It works.......... A little. Its basicly soap without the suds. Its a surfactant. That is it breaks the surface tension of the water. Great in therory 5-10 degree drop in real world application.

 

Some wetters work by lowering water/coolants surface tension so it sneaks into rough surfaces better. Some say that makes it easier to leak thru joints and seams too.

 

FWIW my experiences with anti freeze and water wetter.
We use WW on the race cars and it works great Dont want to dump antifreeze on the track. It adds anti-corrosion properties and gets rid of the straight water issues. Along with adding the surface tension to give the water wetter its benefit.
If I was using this on a street car would definitely add the little bit of antifreeze. Antifreeze also lowers the boiling point of water and gives extra corrosion resistance.
Now a note from a northeaster who has spent much time in California.
I cant tell you how many cars I saw that just had water in the coolant system. Rust and yuk. If you do this you will have issues. Bought a truck there (and it had just rusty water in the Rad) Changed water pump within a month only had 50k on it. Also had to replace the freeze plugs about 2 years later as they rotted out. When I bought the truck it was the longest coolant system flush I ever did. Even the resivour took forever to clean.
The distilled water as mentioned is definitely worth it , especially if you have hard water.
Have a great summer
Luke

 

When I put A/C on our 39 coupe with a SBC 400 I used distilled water, anti-freeze and a dose of Water Wetter. Can't say if it did anything but make me feel better and never overheated.

 

Absolutely NOT true. See attached quotes from "The Engineering Toolbox":
"Note! The specific heat capacity of ethylene glycol based water solutions are less than the specific heat capacity of clean water. For a heat transfer system with ethylene glycol the circulated volume must be increased compared to a system with clean water.
In a 50% solution with operational temperatures above 36 <SUP>o</SUP>F the specific heat capacity is decreased with approximately 20%. The reduced heat capacity must be compensated by circulating more fluid"

and
"Increase in Flow required for a 50% Ethylene Glycol Solution

Increase in circulated flow for 50% ethylene glycol solutions compared with clean water are indicated in the table below
<TABLE class=large><THEAD><TR><TH colSpan=2>Fluid Temperature</TH><TH rowSpan=2>Flow Increase
(%)
</TH></TR><TR><TH>(<SUP>o</SUP>F)</TH><TH>(<SUP>o</SUP>C)</TH></TR></THEAD><TBODY><TR><TD style="WIDTH: 33%">40</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 33%">4.4</TD><TD style="WIDTH: 33%">22</TD></TR><TR><TD>100</TD><TD>37.8</TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR><TD>140</TD><TD>60.0</TD><TD>15</TD></TR><TR><TD>180</TD><TD>82.2</TD><TD>14</TD></TR><TR><TD>220</TD><TD>104.4</TD><TD>14"</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

That's why it's called anti freeze ..... Have never used the stuff in so cal and never had a problem. If people read the water wetter label or even visit the site they would see that the product has lubricating properties as well as anti corrosive properties

 

If you use Distilled Water and Water Wetter only, in a street car, add anti-corrosion additive at least once a year, as it depletes over time.

It cools more efficiently than 50/50 anti-freeze mix, but you must have a cooling system that never gets close to the boiling point of water (212 degrees at sea level) or the freezing point.

Anti-freeze extends both points.


Anti-freeze can (should) be recycled, as the main requirement for replacing it are the anti-corrosion additives wearing out. Similar like motor oil.

 

I was at the parts store getting "Water Wetter". The clerk asked me if I had an aluminum radiator. I said yes, so recommended "Purple Ice". He said that "Water Wetter" would corrode the aluminum radiator. I don't know if it's true, but my aluminum radiator did spring a leak. Since then, I use "Purple Ice".

 

I have tried both 40 below and water wetter, and did not see any appreciable drop in temps. To my way of thinking this is just a way to make money on the unsuspecting motoring public. Just my 2 cents worth

 

X2 - I use purple ice in my aluminum radiator with no issues.

 

I run one bottle of Water Wetter in my Comet with the rest being plain water, it never gets hot even in the brutal Central Valley Summer.

 

On the street, I use a 50/50 mixture. Water wetter isnt designed to replace Anti freeze, but allow better heat dissipation or transfer. Straight water will corode you componants.

On the strip I use WW and water, since antifreeze is not allowed. But I dump and refill evertime I go out. In winter storage, or any storage, I do a 50 / 50

 

I have been running 70 water to 30 coolant mix for years. My cars runs at 170 with temps in the 80's. It will climb to 190 if I do some climbing or sit in traffic. Water molecules are smaller than Ethelyn Glycol and water absorbs more btus that coolant. WW is aslo a small molecule fluid that breaks the surface tension of water to allow an even more effective heat absorbsioin rate.

The folks that are believing that any item in the radiator lubricates water pumps don't have a working knowledge of sealed bushings and bearings. Sealed as in notig gets in and nothing gets out.

 

Bingo ! What he said....

 

Wow, these answers are all over the place.

I have used Water Wetter for years. It definately works, it has lubricating properties, and your car will run cooler with some COOLANT mixed in. I add some coolant as it seems to not only run cooler but it really helps with rust in the cooling system compared to straight water.

Another thing I noticed. When I drained and dry stored, my water pump would seep for a while when I re-filled. I now store with a 50/50 mix and no water pump leak in the spring.

 

Got my rebuilt flathead water pumps from Haney in Florida. Came with recommendation to use distilled water, antifreeze, Purple Ice, and water pump lube. His rebuild does up the flow enough that he recommends no thermostats. Lot of guys use his pumps so.....

 

I used water wetter and got a 15 degree drop in my Ranchero.

Regardless of what you use, the lubricants/anti corrosive additives deplete and you must replenish them.

BG makes a product that keeps the cooling system protected if you add it once a year.
I have used this in my Ranchero (7 years now) and the mixture in the radiator is still clear and clean.

 

85-90 degree weather in stop and go city traffic.. you stare at gauages!!! when i sat in stop a go ...temp would creep up and down ..... . Never i reapeat never believed in magic in a can ... My car has no issue with over heating just 90 degree weather in city drive .. well . Put a bottle in yesterday ... today 88 degree weather , big drop in temp ... same heat ,,, same city driving ... im sold ... dont need tec reason why .... shit works.

 

I use Purple Ice and 70/30 water/antifreeze. Works a treat in my flathead.