Anyone using Water Wetter

I have used it in every car I have ever owned. And we use it time to time at the dealership.

 

Good stuff.
You might want to reconsider on the F40 though. Kind of lengthy to go into here but if you do a search on F40's and read some of my and Dave Helms posts you will get a feel of what I'm talking about. After that if you want, get hold of either one of us for the details.

 

I disagree.

If you have a cooling problem, then that problem should be addressed.

If you don't have a cooling problem, then you don't need to pay for something that you don't need.

The factory doesn't recommend it, so don't use it.

--Matt

 

I agree with Matt in part, disagree in part. I've used Water Wetter in several older cars and it definitely does help keep the car running cooler. It won't fix a badly overheating car, one with a plugged radiator, or other mechanical problems that are causing overheating. But in a properly functioning system, it does keep the operating temps cooler and gives an added level of protection from overheating. Essentially, it breaks the surface tension of the water and allows it to transfer heat more effectively from engine to water, and then from water to radiator. From my experience, the stuff does work. For the couple of bucks it cost, I'll keep using it to buy that little extra edge against overheating.

More importantly, most cars should be running a 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water. Water by itself is corrosive. You need the protection the anti-freeze give to the metal surfaces, especially in aluminum engines. And use steam distilled water. It's the best way to keep mineral buildup out of the engine and radiator.

 

<If you have a cooling problem, then that problem should be addressed.

Agreed.

<If you don't have a cooling problem, then you don't need to pay for something that you don't need.

Maybe, maybe not. In my Europa, I use it and it now runs like a real car; didn't used to. I can sit in stop and go traffic in the Summer and not overheat. In my particular case, I have a car whose cooling system design is barely adequate when in perfect condition. Water Wetter gives me an added margin that really helps. In a modern well designed cooling system it is wasted money. I can't say which Ferraris qualify.

<The factory doesn't recommend it, so don't use it.

This is important. If Ferrari has a real reason for not using it then pay attention! But Ferrari is known for steering owners to particular products for their own profit so anything they say I'd take with a grain of salt. I wouldn't just use any product without knowing why Ferrari says no however.

Ken

 

My PO used it....I go with the Royal Purple Coolant treatment now.......

 

I use 50/50 distilled water/antifreeze with the Water Wetter. 70/30 would work better in Summer but I no longer need to mess with it; I last flushed the system last year and will do it again this winter.

ken

 

What he said.

I often use a reduced concentration of coolant, we don't have to worry about freezing here. I really only use it for a greater margin. Some areas here as in Texas and I would imagine FL some of the cars cooling systems are marginal and WW gives them an edge.

 

same here. we don't require the coolant so much and the rust inhibitors are included in the water wetter formula.

 

I (kind of) agree. However many, many 308's have a cooling "problem" if by problem you mean they sometimes run a little on the hot side. I live in Alabama and a hot summer day in traffic can swing my needle to the right a good bit. I have done it all - just short of a new radiator and it still does it sometimes. Just depends on the outside temp. It NEVER overheats and on a typical 85 degree day it runs just fine.
My solution for the past 7 years has been a mix of DISTILLED water and watter wetter only in the summer months. No coolant. Pure water has a much higher thermal capacity then a 50:50 mix. I put the coolant back in in the winter for obvious reasons. This system works best for my situation.

 

If it is 80, 90 or 100 outside it makes little difference to your engine (regardless of traffic) as long as your cooling system is in good order.

If you are overheating, fix the problem. It is like the people whose cars leak oil. They fix it by using a thicker oil. This is also a bad idea.

Glycol based coolants are very specific. Read the label. Some require a 50-50 while others recommend 60-40, 70-30. The final result is a coolant system that is balanced. The target is a specific concentration of additives. They have many functions.
I once used 100 percent antifreeze just for the additives. I then called Prestone to investigate further. I later talked to Valvoline, the makers of Zerex and many OEM products, Mercedes for example. They said the same things. They told my that some additives while beneficial at low concentrations may be harmful / caustic at high concentrations.

A very small amount of cyanide ( CN ) is needed by the human body and is delivered in the active ingredient of vitamin B12. It is an essential nutrient that we could not exist without. Yet at higher concentrations it will kill you. This principal is common. If a little is good then a lot must be better. This is just not the case in most cases.

Glycol based antifreeze products lubricate the water pump. Premature failure will occur if only water is used.
The boiling and the freezing points are improved while maintaining adequate heat transfer. The manufacturer designed the system to run in these conditions. They do not want you to alter the formula, neither do the glycol manufacturers.
There are detergents present, there are anti foaming, anti rust and many other additives that work best at particular concentrations.

Both the auto and glycol people say that additives should not be added. Maybe they actually know something we do not know. This is true for motor oils as well.

If you MUST add Water Wetter then use it only to replace the actual water volume needed to keep the glycol product at the right concentration. However, additives interact. Mixtures that are not compatible may decrease the performance of the additive packages of both products.

aehaas

 

My way works well too. The antifreeze is in for 6 months and out for 6 months. That can't hurt. I really depend on that extra ability to absorb heat without it. There is nothing wrong with my cooling system but this car is not a Honda accord. When I am stuck in traffic on 285 in Atlanta for an hour in Aug in a 20 year old 308 I expect to see the needle swing right. I would love to see one that wouldn't.
Interestingly, the water it will not run hot on the track. Only the oil will. No matter how hard I push her the water temp will stay rock solid normal but the oil temp will max out. The water temp won't even run a little on the warm side while my oil temp is nearly pegged. I could never understand that. I installed a fan on my oil cooler with a remote switch. That plus not shifting off the redline for 15-20 continuous min at a time has really helped my oil temps at track meets.

 

I started using Water Wetter in my Ducati 748 with only distilled water. It ran cooler and better than ever before. Even under racing conditions. Never will go back to traditional coolant. Just remember to drain it if you live in a climate that it might freeze during winter storage.

 

Lots of folks use RedLines Water Wetter, and none with negative results. I use it myself in the Pantera and at best believe it cant hurt. I do run with a 50/50 mix of Prestone. (There is another brand I've seen out there, that works also........comes in a metal rectangular can).
(the purpose of it is to really get the water to 'cling'.........for better lack of a word.... to all of your engine wall areas which would promote a much better heat transfer to the water when it hits the radiator).

Also, in the FWIW department, its better to use the "dexcool" style of AF in any aluminum head motors, as this stuff is phospate free and helps with any premature head gasket type of failure.

Bob

 

I just use distillled water with phosphate free antifreeze. Drain and change every 3 years and no problems. Temp runs at 1st notch on the road with AC on or off. Fans don't turn on unless it 90+* and I am sitting in traffic for 10-20 min. When the fans do turn on it cools it down to the 1st notch and the shut off. Has been this way since I bought the car. Now that fall is here I doubt I will ever see 195* . I need to use the sponge in the oil cooler intake to keep temp in the engine.

 

For some of the racing I did in California, antifreeze was frowned upon for track use.....slick as oil if you boil over or blow a hose. We ran water plus Water Wetter with great results.

 

Beware, the only down side of water wetter is the need to change it regularly, at least every six months.

 

No auto manufacturer recommends Dexcool ( I think it is a polypropylene antifreeze) that I know of. I do not remember why but an explanation was given to me. The phosphate additive in antifreeze is the water pump lubricant. It is not a bad thing but rather a good thing even if it is not the best thing for the environment. That is one reason that antifreeze is to be reclaimed and not poured down the drain at home.

Something interesting was brought out here, engine and water temperature relations. While sitting in traffic the oil temperature goes up very little. The engine is not using much of its RPM and HP. There is minimal heat production. Yet the water temperature always goes up some, sometimes overheating.
On the track the water temperature only goes up a little and rarely overheats whereas the engine oil temperature usually goes up next to max. This occurs because of high RPM and HP situations, yet the cooling system handles this.

Fewer manufacturers are recommending different oils for different climates but rather thicker oils for racing verses thinner oils for around town driving. The ambient temperatures has little to do with operating temperature of an engine today unless it is air cooled.

When the engine and cooling systems are working correctly they do what they are supposed to do by design. Believe me when I say these guys know way more than we do and what is best for their cars. The designers take these things very personally.

aehaas