Antifreeze/water mix?

[rddmc]

I am ready to change my antifreeze and could not get pre-diluted green antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol). My available choices to mix it with are: tap water which is very hard in my area, soft water provided by my home water softner, my soft water which has also been charcoal filtered by my refrigerator system or distilled water which I can purchase. I am not able to find de-ionized water, whatever that is.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Rod
10921

[stevedmc]

I always use Prestone pre diluted 50/50 but I believe distilled water is what you should use if you are going to mix stuff.

[Cory W]

I used to always use distilled before I found deionized locally. You should be able to find it at any larger (chain) grocery store, possibly in 4L size.

[DavidProehl]

I also only use distilled water. Mix it 50/50 with the green stuff or get a basic tester like this (http://www.amazon.com/Custom-Accessories-Deluxe-AntiFreeze-Tester/dp/B000BKIGIC) to determine if the mix is right or not.

[David T]

The stuff that has been through your water softener should be OK. Doesn't have to be charcoal filtered but it can't hurt. Do not use distilled water. That is only for batteries. If you go to the local supermarket, in hard water areas they sell a small filter for making water to use in electric steam irons. You can use that too to soften the water. Bottled water is also usually OK.
David Teitelbaum

[DavidProehl]

Do not use distilled water.

What is the danger with distilled water? The idea is that there aren't minerals in it to deposit throughout the system. Is the concern that it would leech minerals out of the metal in the radiator?

[82DMC12]

Do not use distilled water.

Why? In my industry I work with boilers and stills. We have only 4 grains hardness in our tap water and you wouldn't believe the scale and crud left behind from tap water. I don't want it in a boiler and I sure as hell don't want it in a radiator!

Andy


Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[David T]

Distilled water has no minerals in it so it has a high affinity to want to absorb minerals. In a car's cooling system you are NOT supposed to be boiling water like in a steam boiler so it is OK for the water to have some mineral content. There is a whole science to water. Some of the things include turbidity, ph, electrical conductivity, hardness, and so on. Without getting too deep into it you do not want to use hard water or distilled water. Rain water is about the best if you live in an area with very hard water.
David Teitelbaum

[WelmoedJ]

FWIW: I use VAG G12+ coolant in my car.
Works perfectly and does need less changes than the "ordinary" green stuff.
No water needed (the right mixture).

[dhaney]

I've used only distilled water in my cars for many years.

Tap water most often contains chlorine, bad very bad and coorosive to radiators.

De-ionized water is basically chemically induced distilled water so it works too.

Filtered water using salt should be avoided as well.

Do a google search on "distilled water in coolant", every single one that I found reccomended distilled water.

Dan

[dvonk]

i have a Reverse Osmosis system... what are your thoughts on using RO water?

[stevedmc]

All of this distilled water debate could be put to an end just by going to Walmart and picking up some Prestone 50/50 pre-diluted antifreeze that works in all makes and models.

[dhaney]

All of this distilled water debate could be put to an end just by going to Walmart and picking up some Prestone 50/50 pre-diluted antifreeze that works in all makes and models.

True because you will be getting the exact same mixture:

http://www.finalcharge.com/finalcharge5050.html

"Pre-Diluted with deionized water. No need to add water at initial fill or when topping-off."

http://www.amazon.com/Prestone-50-Antifreeze-Coolant-Gal/dp/B000GKTYNI

"Blend Of 50% Antifreeze/Coolant For Temperature & Corrosion Protection & 50% Demineralized Water For Heat Transfer Protection"

Dan

[opethmike]

All of this distilled water debate could be put to an end just by going to Walmart and picking up some Prestone 50/50 pre-diluted antifreeze that works in all makes and models.

Yeah, if you don't mind paying twice as much :)

[SamHill]

I have a slight overheating problem in my daily driver that i have been discussing on another forum. Currently I run a 70/30 mixture (Coolant to Water), much like my Dad does on the same model car with no problems, be it summer or winter. They want me to dump ALL of my coolant and put in only distilled water to see if it solves the problem. I'm getting viciously attacked for suggesting that this will most likely do nothing to solve the actual problem. That and the whole 'burping the radiator' controversy.

[David T]

A 70/30 mixture will not give you full protection from boiling and freezing. RO water should be fine.
David Teitelbaum

[stevedmc]

Yeah, if you don't mind paying twice as much :)

Its $8.50 for a gallon for the stuff at Walmart. I get the convenience of not having to search for empty containers to mix the stuff in and I can conveniently carry a gallon of this stuff, premixed and unopened, in my car for emergencies.

[DMCMW Dave]

Why? In my industry I work with boilers and stills. We have only 4 grains hardness in our tap water and you wouldn't believe the scale and crud left behind from tap water. I don't want it in a boiler and I sure as hell don't want it in a radiator!


Big difference - in a boiler or distillery you are "using up" the water so the minerals get left behind in the system. In an automotive closed cooling system you put in 2 gallons and the same two gallons is there until you flush the system again. The amount of particulate in two gallons of tap water is pretty inconsequential. But using cleaner water certainly won't hurt, but I don't think drinkable tap water will hurt anything either.

[sean]

but I don't think drinkable tap water will hurt anything either.

Been mixed in with my antifreeze for years without issue.

[82DMC12]

Big difference - in a boiler or distillery you are "using up" the water so the minerals get left behind in the system. In an automotive closed cooling system you put in 2 gallons and the same two gallons is there until you flush the system again. The amount of particulate in two gallons of tap water is pretty inconsequential. But using cleaner water certainly won't hurt, but I don't think drinkable tap water will hurt anything either.

Yes that is true. The point I was making is that tap water , though it looks clean, does have some bad stuff in it, even in a part of the country with relatively soft water. Given the choice of distilled water or tap water, I would always choose distilled water. Maybe if nothing else than peace of mind!

Andy

[Canon20DFan]

Very timely discussion...go see my thread titled "Wide Ride of late..." and look at some coolant-related damage in an engine.

[rddmc]

I prefer to stay with the green antifreeze which is Ethylene Glycol. I have not been able to find it premixed. The premixed Prestone 50/50 is an antifreeze which is claims to be safe for engines origionally using Ethylene Glycol as well as those which use red antifreeze (Dex Cool). It may indeed be fine for our cars but I prefer to stick with the green.

I have trouble understanding how this universal antifreeze can be mixed with either green or red antifreeze without problems, but mixing the red and green with each other results in disaster.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Rod
10921

[content22207]

Your household plumbing will tell you if your tap water is OK to put in your car. If your hot water heater fills up with calcium, if sand rubs holes in your plumbing elbows, if you get weird stains in the bathtub and toilet, if the washing machine changes the color of your clothes -- don't put tap water in your radiator.

Bill Robertson
#5939

[stevedmc]

Your household plumbing will tell you if your tap water is OK to put in your car. If your hot water heater fills up with calcium, if sand rubs holes in your plumbing elbows, if you get weird stains in the bathtub and toilet, if the washing machine changes the color of your clothes -- don't put tap water in your radiator.

Bill Robertson
#5939

Its good to know the orange ring in my toilet bowl isn't because I forgot to flush a while back.

[WelmoedJ]

I have trouble understanding how this universal antifreeze can be mixed with either green or red antifreeze without problems, but mixing the red and green with each other results in disaster.

Can anyone enlighten me?

Rod
10921

You only have to check the product of your choice.
It should be for engines with aluminium blocks.
The wrong product eats your aluminium, the right product will protect it.
Manufacturers have to provide the specifics of their product on the container.

In my engine - I mentioned it previously - has been the green stuff and after partially draining the system, I started using the (red) VAG G12+ which is for aluminium blocks of Volkswagen/Audi. The mix doesn't result in problems.
G12+ is a bit more expensive but doesn't need to be replaced as often as the original coolant in our cars.

Hope this will help you in your research.

[David T]

Bill is right about what hard water does to household plumbing. You will also know because it is hard to lather up and you must use special soap. I dislike having to pay $8-10 for a 1/2 gallon of water. That is what you are doing when you buy pre-mixed anti-freeze. Convenience isn't cheap! One way is to catch some rain water. Another way (expensive) is to use bottled water. Another way is to go to the supermarket and get a water filter used to fill steam irons. For people living in areas where the water is hard all they have to do is ask around and see what everyone else is doing. In most areas of the US the water isn't so hard that you can't use it directly. Especially if you get municipal (city) water. If you have a private well you do have to be careful.
David Teitelbaum