Wetter Water

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Anyone using Water Wetter? Seen any benefits in temperature reduction? Does it help lubricate the water pump? How does it work? Is there a homegrown mixture to use that doesn't cost 10 bucks a quart? Who carries it in San Antonio area?

 

Side note, I was told by someone (not naming names) to put about 3 -4 drops of Dawn dish washing liquid in the radiator water. Don't know why. Is this bogus or what?

 

Thanks yall.

[RodneyRodriguez]

I wondered about the Dawn as well Mark (I bet the same somebody told me!!) and it did knock the temperature down . O Reilly has water wetter and Royal Purple has a product that is as good if not better as shown by the price, about equal.

[SeanAugustus]

water wetter I think usually decreases water temp by about 10 degrees.

 

at least thats what ive noticed

 

sean

[ProTree]

got to www.redlineoil.com click dealers and put in your zip code-gives you your nearest dealer-

[HOUSTONLM04]

Side note, I was told by someone (not naming names) to put about 3 -4 drops of Dawn dish washing liquid in the radiator water. Don't know why. Is this bogus or what?

We run Cascade powder not liquid (1 small box) through the cooling system a few times a year as a cleaner. Obviously we do it during practice and not the race.

 

But it works good with the crystals and all. So good in fact that after you’ve done it a couple times when you drain your cooling system it will be clean, clear water that comes out, not that brown rusty nasty stuff.

 

In the end having a clean cooling system without all that trash and garbage will make for a more effective cooling system. Then adding water wetter will only make it that much more effective.

[txtom]

04 is correct about cascade, it helps to break up the build up in the fins of the aluminum radiators we use today.

Aluminum radiators, whether in a race car or street car, are very prone to mineral build up. This is especially true if you fill it with Edwards Aquifer water.

Water wetter is a great product, I think any of the area racing dealers have it.

 

Something we've found is the traditional stop leak products like Bar's Leak are not very good for these radiators. Tends to clog them.

Guess you could do the old school trick, a handful of black pepper was a great trackside fix for a small water leak.

Just raid your local concession stand.

[jracer98]

...I've done the pepper deal in the heat of the battle!

Jay

[HOUSTONLM04]

...I've done the pepper deal in the heat of the battle!

Jay

Same here but the recipe I learned on the pepper deal was mix it with mustard and then pour into the radiator. The mustard turns into some kind of stop leak or epoxy or something. We had a head gasket leaking and it worked!

[Mel]

For what length of time do you circulate the cascade through the cooling system?

 

Would it be OK to clean a regular street car, (with all the sensors and all)?

 

Thanks,

Mel

[1-Crew]

Back to the original question, as a pure temperature modifying ingredient, a few drop of Dawn (or any other soap) will have the same effect. It works by reducing the surface tension of the water which allows better contact between the water and the metal surfaces of the block and radiator. The aftermarket products are supposed to offer the additional benefit of lubricating the water pump. Since the water pump employs a seal between the water and the bearing, what you are really lubricating is the seal which I suppose helps..

 

As an experiment, try floating a needle in a small cup of water. If you are careful about placing it the needle will float on the surface (you can also do this with a razor blade but how many people have a regular double sided razor blade anymore). Once the needle is floating carefully put one drop of dishwashing soap in the water. As soon as the soap hits the water the needle sinks to the bottom. The needle wasn't really "floating" it was being held above the water by surface tension.

[The Shrimp]

Water wetter does help bring the temp down 10 degrees, but doesn't have a pump lube or anti corrosion formula. I use Purple Ice because it does have a pump lube and anti corrosion formula, and reduces the temp at least 10 degrees.

[supertx]

1 crew

 

pretty intresting

[Race-Ready]

I guess everyone will have different results. Several weekends ago I had my first race of the year at Houston. Was running 190 to 200 degrees during practice with just pure water. This is in a latemodel. I used Water wetter for the first time and my tempature went to 210 to 220. I thought at first maybe air. I was not able to flush the radiator so we raced at those tempatures. It never got hotter than that, but thats too hot for me. I bought some of that royal purple to try this weekend. If that does not work, I will go back to pure water and just deal with the rusty water. Good topic. I would like to hear more on this.

 

Shane

[1-Crew]

Race-Ready, Just a thought but when you have the "wetter" in the water it helps the fluid make better contact with the metal in the radiator AND the block. I would be wondering if the actual block temp was higher with the water only as it could not transfer heat as well to the water. Not transfering the heat to the water means the temp sender is seeing cooler water but the engine is actually hotter. What that really tells you is you don't have enough radiator or enough air flow to the radiator..

 

It's a theory and I could be all wet, or wetter...

[MadRacing19]

Hey Shrimp, I would have thought you just used salt water or shrimp juice. I hear Egore is comming back?

[The Shrimp]

Clare will have the SS out there Saturday night.

[Race-Ready]

Race-Ready, Just a thought but when you have the "wetter" in the water it helps the fluid make better contact with the metal in the radiator AND the block. I would be wondering if the actual block temp was higher with the water only as it could not transfer heat as well to the water. Not transfering the heat to the water means the temp sender is seeing cooler water but the engine is actually hotter. What that really tells you is you don't have enough radiator or enough air flow to the radiator..

 

It's a theory and I could be all wet, or wetter...

1-Crew, what you said make sense. I run a C&R double pass radiator. I was having cooling problems at the beginning of the season.(couple practices). That is why I went to the C&R. After I sold my kids to buy that radiator and it still did not solve the problem, my thought was as your's...lack of air. I opened up the air box some more and problem solved. I just thought it was strange to see a tempature increase with a product that is suppose to do the opposite. Thanks for your input.

[Lane77]

Race Ready,

are you running a Restrictor or a Thermostat?

It soun d to me like you may be running the small Restrictor.

Try the medium restrictor, or a Thermostat with two 3/16 holes drilled in it.Do you check your hoses to make sure they are not Colapseing at high RMP?

Some people use hoses with Wire on the inside to keep it from colapsing at higher RPMs.

If the Wire pulls back it will allow the hose to colapse and restrict you water flow.

 

That may help yourn temp problem if you have not already tryed this.

I use 2 bottles of water wetter, and my car never runs over 200 on the track even under cautions.

Good luck.

Bryan

[speedwrench]

just a thought I like to use distilled water with purple ice that way there is little chance of deposites and the ice keeps the system rust free. Dawn does brake down the serface tension making the water pick up the heat better but without a inhibiter you'll still see rust.The additive that eighteen wheelers use in there engines works good to keep the rust down too

[TheLegend96]

The additive that eighteen wheelers use in there engines works good to keep the rust down too

 

The additive you are talking about is either SCA's or DCA's. Do not use them in your gas engine's cooling system. They are primarily formulated to keep your piston liners from pitting due to electrolysis(air bubbles following the piston pin up and down the cylinder). It also prevents corrosion and scale build up when used correctly.

 

For diesel folks that are looking to add DCA's or SCA's to your hauler of powerstroke, please make sure that you have green coolant and not red extended life coolant. If you mix those with the red coolant it will cancel out each other. If using green antifreeze (low silicon) make sure you follow the directions and use the correct amount. Too little will do notheing and too much will add to the amount of debree and deposits you already are experiencing.