Water Wetter Question

[th3_blur]

It seems that according to the video on this page (http://www.redlineoil.com/products_coolant.asp?subCategoryID=4&coolantFlash=1) on the Red Line website, water is better as a coolant than the 50/50 antifreeze/water mix that is normally used. They go on to say that by adding Red Line Water Wetter to water, it creates an even better cooling concoction. Would this test work in a normal car and if so, why have these coolant-making companies been able to sell their products for a comparatively much greater price than water? If this is an incredibly dumb question, please forgive me.

[Paul in NZ]

It seems that according to the video on this page (http://www.redlineoil.com/products_coolant.asp?subCategoryID=4&coolantFlash=1) on the Red Line website, water is better as a coolant than the 50/50 antifreeze/water mix that is normally used. They go on to say that by adding Red Line Water Wetter to water, it creates an even better cooling concoction. Would this test work in a normal car and if so, why have these coolant-making companies been able to sell their products for a comparatively much greater price than water? If this is an incredibly dumb question, please forgive me.

because "anti freeze" has the very important "anti freeze" properties for those that live in colder climates,and also very important anti corrosive properties so that the different metals found in a car engine dont eat each other to bits(galvanic corrosion)

[sneekens]

anyone who tried this with their cars? reviews anyone? I personally want to try this...

[Tiger]

Water Wetter is used in racing cars so when there is a compromise in the system (crash) it doesn't create a slick as it would be with antifreeze.

It does work in normal car. I did use it and the car just ran a tad cooler. It is better to have more water than antifreeze because water is the primary heat transporter... the antifreeze is to resist acid formation of water on metal... water will turn acidic when in contact with metal. Plus, another feature is anti-freeze... it alters the water to a much lower freeze point.

[Ross]

I have used it with traditional anti freeze. It provided a small decrease in operating temperature.
My recollection is that it works by breaking the surface tension of the water providing better surface contact with the cooling tubes in the radiator.

[attack eagle]

of course if you arenlt overheating, then the thermostat regulates the temperature... you won't (adn should not) run any cooler wiht water wetter than without.

I did use it in my mgb, once. I was pulling the head about 30 minutes later as it cracked where a passage in the cast iron was close to the surface. I never used it again, and have not had a problem since, no matter how hot it was outside (140 anyone?)

[repenttokyo]

I have used it with traditional anti freeze. It provided a small decrease in operating temperature.
My recollection is that it works by breaking the surface tension of the water providing better surface contact with the cooling tubes in the radiator.

yes this is correct. I tried water wetter in my Cobra V8, and it didn't do me any good. However, a product called 40 Below which works on the same principle was QUITE effective at lowering my engine temps. Harder to find, but well worth it.

[bubba966]

Saw a test on Water Wetter in one of the import tuner mags when I was passing by the magazine racks a couple of months ago. Not a mag I woulda bought, so I pulled it open real quick to give the article a quick once over.

They tested it on a couple of different cars with different water/anti-freeze ratios.

Found that at a 50/50 mix and with an engine that doesn't produce a lot of heat that it does work, but just barely does anything (like dropping the temps by 3 or 4 degrees). Worked better with more water in the equation and higher coolant temps. The hotter the temps were, the better it dropped the temps.

So, does it work? Yes. Will it be noticeable on a normal street car? Usually not.

[AngryPopTart]

Remember that Anti-Freeze is also a Coolant. If you run nothing but water in your cooling system, the water will have a significantly lower boiling point (BAD) than when mixed with anti-freeze.

Years ago, when I read the paperwork on WaterWetter, it didn't say it would make some significant change if you dump a single bottle into a system using nothing but water; it was worded so that thought it said that, but IIRC in reality the entire system would have to be nothing but WaterWetter... and I'm not about to pay for that!