RUNNING STRAIGHT WATER WITH NO COOLANT? OVERHEAT?

[ECU5.0]

get a new cap if its letting fluid out. you shouldnt overheat...but i wouldnt leave it in there too long because the water doesnt have any rust inhibitors in it and will eventually rust everything

 

[Killer50stang]

I currently had to run straight water this weekend due to having no coolant and having no choice so I could get home. Will running straight water slowly make my car get hot? I noticed when I went up to the track I ran around 190 or so but it was at night and it was cold. On the way back the next day it ran real hot but it had barely no coolant in it. My radiator slowly seems to slowly let fluid out the overflow. Any ideas?

 

[ECU5.0]

wtf? how in the world did that happen?

 

[Cobain03]

pretty weird indeed

 

[HISSIN50]

as said, i would not run it for long like that, but ive been lookin into the same thing. if freeze points are not of concern, E/G coolant under 15 psi of pressure really does not raise the boiling point much at all. then consider that water transfers heat ~2.4 times better than coolant, and it seems like it would work fine, if corrosion and water pump lube are not of concern.

 

[custom89stang]

yes exactly, kinda weird because STRAIGHT WATER cools better than any combination of water and coolant. BUT if i were you i would switch to distilled water, it cools a lot better....(or so my friend with a 347 stroker says)

 

[custom89stang]

i agree with the top also. dont leave it to long...cause it'll rust and mess up ur whole engine... u need at least SOME coolant in thur. I ran straight water for a while ..i was saving up for a new radiator...nothing happened for me..

 

[HISSIN50]

that is the thing - a proper system should cool fine with a customary mix of 50/50 coolant and water. the straight water is kind of a band aid type fix, unless you are at the track. i joke about running straight water, but would not do it in a daily driver. too many other considerations (in driving and effects on the system).

yes, i did not write 'distilled' water, cuz i figure most folks know to use it (where i live, i dont even like to drink the [tap] water, let alone put it in my car. LOL). distilled water wont have all the minerals and additives (does your car need fluoride?), etc. good advice, Custom.

 

[Fastcat]

you can run straight water and a bottle of rust inhibitor and dont have to worry about anything rusting out.

 

[millhouse]

yes exactly, kinda weird because STRAIGHT WATER cools better than any combination of water and coolant. BUT if i were you i would switch to distilled water, it cools a lot better....(or so my friend with a 347 stroker says)

You have to watch out for distilled water though. Because it has no impurities, it will not boil. If any impurities are added while it is at a boiling tempeture (lets say you try to top off the radiator while the coolant is still hot), it will literally blow up (or in this case, out of the radiator fill hole). That is of course of you used straight distelld water.

 

[HISSIN50]

You have to watch out for distilled water though. Because it has no impurities, it will not boil. If any impurities are added while it is at a boiling tempeture (lets say you try to top off the radiator while the coolant is still hot), it will literally blow up (or in this case, out of the radiator fill hole). That is of course of you used straight distelld water.

for real? you got any links or other info - im curious and would like to read more about that.

 

[z9_87]

what? could you back that up with some kind of reasoning?

 

[90mustangGT]

I run distilled water with Redline Waterwetter and a bottle of Prestone Super Anti-rust.

 

[silent_tragedy]

i run water wetter and distilled water on a daily driver, about 20+ miles one way to work in highway traffic in texas heat and i have no problems, nothing rusting or anything. I may want to try some rust inhibitor though, just for safe measure. I also run around 180 degrees.

 

[lonerogue]

Another vote for distilled water with a rust inhibitor, just as long as you don't have to worry about winter.

 

[Js5ohLX]

I want more on the distilled water won't boil, I'm not buying into that. Every substance on earth will boil. Solid - liquid - gas. To go from liquid to gas, it has to boil. (Sorry for the little science lesson.)

 

[millhouse]

I want more on the distilled water won't boil, I'm not buying into that. Every substance on earth will boil. Solid - liquid - gas. To go from liquid to gas, it has to boil. (Sorry for the little science lesson.)

It's not that it wont boil, I was tired and tend to type faster than I can think .

Anywho, it can boil...although at a higher tempeture, and in a different way. When distilled water boils, it can do so in an explosive manner. Adding a foreign substance to distilled water which is already near it's boiling point can create a explosive bubble. Any additives will create impurities and lower the boiling point, and it's ability to violantly boil.

Thinking about it now though, all of the porus and pockets in a radiator...and impurities that are already in there will probably take away the tendancy to "explode" anyways.

 

[IndyBlk5.0]

keep in mind that they make premix antifreeze SAFE FOR ALUMINUM for a reason.
I have seen many lower intake water ports eaten out by just running straight water.

 

[HISSIN50]

ok, Millhouse i know what you are talkin about. remember, as you have, that even pure distilled (deionized) water will theoretically pull material from the metal in the system, to try to balance itself.

i think your thinkin now that you have slept sounds more realistic (believe me, i know what you mean. i often get on here when i cant sleep - at 3 am - and the next day i see what i said and cringe).
a lot of text book scenarios dont transfer into real world applications due to all the variables in the real world. (i enjoy studying water as it defies properties of most other substances in nature). fun stuff.