water wetter

[spd dmn]

Does any one use waterwetter in their coolant?

any cons of using it.

[clord]

I have used it with no known negative effects in '99 C4, '04 GT3, various Audis.

[JimPDX]

Does any one use waterwetter in their coolant?

any cons of using it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just curious. Why would you want to use Water Wetter?

[Loren]

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.

[Tool Pants]

Years ago I used this product or something like it in another car and noticed no difference.

Some time ago I saw some messages on this board. http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php From what I remember the product breaks the surface tension of a liquid, like dish washing soap. Search there for water wetter or waterwetter.

I do not see how it could hurt anything, but then I do not see how it can help anything despite Redline's claim. If this stuff was so great then coolant companies would put it in their coolant and tout that fact, if they did not already have chemicals in coolant that do the same thing.

Reduces coolant temps by as much as much as 30 degrees. Compared to what and on what vehicles.

Like K&N claims their filters are a thousand percent better and flow more air and filter it better. Compared to what and on what vehicles. A car with no filter. A car with a dirty filter.

There is nothing to back up most of claims like this.

I think it might be ok for a race car. From what I remember they have to run just water because coolant is slippery if there is a leak on the track.

[Costa]

Water wetting agents are actually beneficial to water cooling. I am actually using Redline's product in my PC - Yes my CPU in my PC is water cooled!

Under worst case scenarios I did actually consistently measure up to 5 degrees celsius variations (utilising Fluke thermocouples in a semi-controlled environment) between running a 50/50 glycol/distilled water mix versus Redline Water Wetter in my PC water cooling setup.

Normal coolant which contains Glycol actually impedes the wetting nature of plain water which reduces its ability to remove heat from a surface but Glycol does provide the anti-freeze/boil features that plain water cannot match.

BTW a drop of dishwashing detergent (or any other surfacant) will work but you really require some anti-corrosive inhibitors which Redline Water Wetter provides. My PC water cooling head is constructed from dis-similar metals (copper and aluminium) and it still has no visible signs of corrosion even after approx. 2yrs of operation.

Redline Water Wetter is fine for a race/drag car which will probably not be run in freezing ambient temps but for a normal vehicle, your car will be in trouble if you live in a cold climate.

Edited June 17, 2005 by ZX7R

[Bostonduce]

You have to be careful with Water Wetter and how it reacts with the newer, long-life coolants.

I can tell you from experience that in Ford and Honda long-life coolants, WW forms a black 'sludge' which floats to the the top of the coolant reservoir.

The newer 5-year - 'lifetime' coolants do not use the simple chemistry that the older stuff had.

Anyway, WW effectiveness diminishes when added to any coolant; it works best with plain water. IMO then, the cure is worse than the disease.

Regards,

BD

[plima]

Fyi, the reason racers and others use all water (rather than the 50% Glycol-50% water mix) is that water has a much higher specific heat (i.e. a given mass of water takes more heat to raise its temperature a fixed amount than does the mixture). The downsides of water-only are (1) corrosion, and (2) freeze point. Clearly number 2 isn't an issue for racing, but number 1 is.

[Tool Pants]

What you say plima rings a bell.

It has been a while since I read the coolant articles on the message board in the link. There are chemical engineers or whatever they are called on that board, so when a product claim is made it had better be backed up or there is going to be a flame war.

From what I remember, plain water was the best agent for heat transfer and what us consumers call "coolant" is really chemicals for corrosion, freeze point (as you said), and to lubricate the water pump seal.

Then I remember the generic questions about what is the "best" coolant to use. X company sponsors this race or car. Y company sponsors this race or car. Then some people said race cars do not use the "coolant" us consumers think of.

When I have time I might look at the articles again.

[alexcwt]

doesn't "coolant" also increase the boiling point of water? That means water will not cavitate (boil) until higher temp and stay with metal or engine wall better to transfer heat. If it bubbles as it flow through the engine, it's not absorbing heat at full efficiency. You get dry spots in the coolant path. That's the explaination of WW. Love to fine out why race cars use plain water or if they really do.

[0586slb]

Reduces coolant temps by as much as much as 30 degrees.

I agree with Tool Pants - If your coolant is running a little hotter, won't the thermostat just open a little more?

The only way I think WWs effect could be quantified in our cars would be to measure the coolant flow at a given engine load and ambient temperature, then run the experiment again with WW added to the coolant. You'd expect the thermostat to slightly restrict the flow (due to the more efficient heat transfer) but in essence I don't think it would make a difference at all, as the thermostat will keep the engine at its optimum temperature.

alexcwt, 'coolant' may increase the boiling point of water, but the biggest effect of raising the boiling point is that it is a sealed, pressurised system. Thats why Nitrogen and other gasses can be stored as a liquid at room temperature, under pressure.