Is purified water from Tesco, Big C etc. Good to put in the coolant tank?

[transam]

Those of us who have completely stripped engines to rebuild soon spot engines that have not been using anti-freeze/coolant to the correct spec.

 

Removing the block/head core/freeze plugs to look inside the water jacket reveals all. 

The worse case I had was a Chevy V8, the bottom of the jacket was just a pile of rust, took ages to blast the stuff out, the corrosion was that bad that black spots could be seen down the cylinder walls, rust. 

Things like alloy add-ons, thermostat housings, seen those corroded away internally.

To keep the stuff protecting the water jacket it is advised to flush it out every couple of years or so...

  https://www.mlchryslerdodgejeepramlexington.com/signs-vehicle-needs-coolant-flush/

[mrfill]

On 9/3/2021 at 8:21 AM, Will B Good said:

Coolant could be leaking through the cylinder head gasket into the cylinder.(s)....do you get whiteish exhaust smoke?

Easier to remove the oil filler cap and see if it has white stuff anywhere. A sure sign of water in the oil.

[Montnoveau]

If you need to add a coffee cup of water every second month, then use whatever water you find, no problem.

The problem is if you need to add every day, then the coolant fluid will eventually be 'watered down'.

Should it become watered down to pure water, the damage is still long term, rather than short term...

[thefactoryoutlet]

No car needs adding coolant if working well.

 

 

[KhaoYai]

On 9/2/2021 at 7:00 AM, Thomastm said:

My Chevy eats the coolant, it's quite problematic. I recently got the radiator replaced so trying to be carful with it. 

Possible head gasket problem - have the system pressure tested.

[KKr]

If there is a Chevy workshop where you are, that would be my first place to go!

[onekoolguy]

Did you know that the water that drains from your air conditioner unit and refrigerator/freezer is "distilled water" ? Of course if you are going to save and use it you first need to clean the drain pan and drain line. Then its just distilled water. When I had a restaurant the freezer defrosted itself a couple times a day. Was easy to save the water for use in Steam machines, Irons, etc.

[KhaoYai]

On 9/2/2021 at 6:27 AM, Will B Good said:

Probably fine as long as you add the appropriate additives.

Which is exactly what most garages do - I worked in them for 30 years.

 

Yes, officially the water used in the cooling system should be de-ionised but that's rarely what's used.  Antifreeze/Summer Coolant contains inhibitors that go a long way to preventing the potential problems caused by minerals in the water. Using neat water without and Antifreeze/Summer Coolant will cause you problems however - that should only be done in emergency situations and drained as soon as possible.

 

As to whether using tap water with Antifreeze/Summer Coolant causes damage long term - I can only quote from personal experience.  I bought a VW Golf with a wrecked engine and rebuilt it.  I sold it after covering almost 150,000 miles on the rebuild and never had a problem. During that time I changed the cambelt and water pump twice and didn't find any mineral deposits either time.

 

 

[misterphil]

I use distilled water and Red Line water wetter additive in my drift car as it helps keep it cool. 
 

You can boil the tap water then let it cool and use but always make sure you use an additive to prevent any corrosion. Homepro have the additive or just use lazada.co.th to help not spreading the virus. ????

[lopburi3]

6 minutes ago, misterphil said:

You can boil the tap water then let it cool and use

That would increase mineral content and likely cost more than just using RO drinking water or distilled water.  But it should kill the virus.  

[canthai55]

Going to Homepro causes Covid ? Who knew !

555

[brianthainess]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:00 PM, Thomastm said:

That's what i thought from doing some research. I will look into the distilled water at Tesco, that's what i was after.

 

I bought some coolant mixture. But the instructions are in Thai. 

 

My Chevy eats the coolant, it's quite problematic. I recently got the radiator replaced so trying to be carful with it. 

For a start normal drinking water is fine,  car manufactures, repair shops don't use anything but tap water. New radiator; I had to fit a new one to an old car of mine after i had put coolant in (diluted correctly) it started leaking around the top hose neck. When I fitted the new after sales one, there was a label stuck on it, that read translated as

"DO NOT PUT YAR OF ANY KIND" i.e. coolant, after researching  i discovered that a lot of these new plastic/aluminium radiators can not take the acid in the coolant as it attacks the glue, and especially at the top hose neck where the hot water enters at full pressure which was precisely where it started leaking! . YIKES i was a registered mechanic for more than 40 yrs before plastic rads and had never known this. So if i hadn't put coolant in the old rad it wouldn't have leaked. bummer!

[Grusa]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:07 PM, Thomastm said:

Hmm, where can i buy premix. Any big car shops in Thailand that would sell it? My Thai isn't so good, so it is hard to explain to the clerks. 

 

The car has been a problem honestly. Had it repaired 3 times this year, more trouble then it's worth. 

Toyota premixed coolant is available in gallon containers from Toyota dealers, AutoBoy, some filling station forecourts, and on Lazada. 

 

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.4WAi0

 

Don't use the fluorescent green stuff from the supermarkets! and don't use mineral water. RO water is ok for occasional topping up only, distilled (battery) water is better.

 

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by Grusa
added link

[lopburi3]

3 minutes ago, Grusa said:

RO water is ok for occasional topping up only, distilled (battery) water is better.

While distilled may be closer to 100% - normal RO filtration removes 99% of solids so not much of a difference.  

[Grusa]

6 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

While distilled may be closer to 100% - normal RO filtration removes 99% of solids so not much of a difference.  

It's the 1% of mineral salts in solution that cause the problems - corrosion and in the case of batteries, contamination.

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, Grusa said:

It's the 1% of mineral salts in solution that cause the problems - corrosion and in the case of batteries, contamination.

That is not 1% of liquid - it is 1% of minerals which is but a tiny fraction.  Unless you are in the multi million mile club do not believe there will be any discernable difference.  

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, Grusa said:

It's the 1% of mineral salts in solution that cause the problems - corrosion and in the case of batteries, contamination.

Complete different scenario, in a battery the minerals form a sludge on the bottom shorting out the plates inside. Most battery's now are sealed.

[Kwasaki]

No science teaching required all you need is this. ????

 

 

[johng]

8 hours ago, brianthainess said:

lot of these new plastic/aluminium radiators can not take the acid in the coolant as it attacks the glue,

Plastic  glued to aluminium ?   why the heck would they do that ?

I have seen some coolant that specifies it is ok to use  with aluminium/all engine block and radiators.

[Lancashirelad]

4 minutes ago, johng said:

Plastic  glued to aluminium ?   why the heck would they do that ?

I have seen some coolant that specifies it is ok to use  with aluminium/all engine block and radiators.

Many modern radiators have ally cores with plastic header and footer tanks.

[Kwasaki]

5 minutes ago, johng said:

Plastic  glued to aluminium ?   why the heck would they do that ?

I have seen some coolant that specifies it is ok to use  with aluminium/all engine block and radiators.

I think his winding you up. ????

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, Lancashirelad said:

Many modern radiators have ally cores with plastic header and footer tanks.

Not my Ali motorbike radiator, if it is where is it visible.? 

[Lancashirelad]

On the other hand, I've never seen a top hose connection glued on, they are part of the tank moulding.

 

Example: Aluminium radiator with plastic tanks.

[canthai55]

Cars, trucks have had aluminum radiators with plastic top and bottom tanks for years. Since the 90's it has dominated the market, due to its being cheaper to produce, as well as being inferior in cooling, subject to corrosion.

Perfectly fine to use with coolant - antifreeze - whatever.

 

Common failures include cracks occurring on the top tank, leaks at the gaskets and pinholes in the core. The pin holes in the core are due to internal corrosion eating away at the aluminum. These radiators are not repairable under any circumstance and must be replaced if deficient.

It is important to change the antifreeze according to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation to avoid the corrosion problems inherent with an aluminum radiator.

https://waterpumpu.com/blog-evolution-of-the-automotive-radiator/

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by canthai55

[Lancashirelad]

37 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Cars, trucks have had aluminum radiators with plastic top and bottom tanks for years. Since the 90's it has dominated the market, due to its being cheaper to produce, as well as being inferior in cooling, subject to corrosion.

Perfectly fine to use with coolant - antifreeze - whatever.

 

Common failures include cracks occurring on the top tank, leaks at the gaskets and pinholes in the core. The pin holes in the core are due to internal corrosion eating away at the aluminum. These radiators are not repairable under any circumstance and must be replaced if deficient.

It is important to change the antifreeze according to your vehicle manufacturer’s recommendation to avoid the corrosion problems inherent with an aluminum radiator.

https://waterpumpu.com/blog-evolution-of-the-automotive-radiator/

 

inferior cooling?

[canthai55]

2 hours ago, Lancashirelad said:

inferior cooling?

Copper is a much better heat conductor than aluminum

all info in the link

"The brass and copper radiator is by far the best at dissipating heat and has very few problems, less for the occasional leaky solder joint. Should this happen, the leak can be easily repaired."

[Leveraged]

Some cooling system basics because it looks like it’s needed:

 

Water cools the engine, not “coolant”. “Coolant” is added to the mix to resist corrosion and provide some lubrication, but it isn’t cooling the engine. Water is doing that. You can actually run 100% straight water in your system straight from the garden hose and the engine will stay cool just fine, but won’t last long as corrosion will set in etc. 

 

Coolant AKA ethylene glycol does raise the boiling point of water slightly, but the real workhorse of the operation is the radiator system pressure that raises the boiling point. Leaky cooling systems run hot because they don’t seal and can’t maintain pressure which lowers the boiling point and inhibits heat transfer. 
 

Either buy branded pre-mix or just make your own own at around 50/50 or 60/40 or read your owners manual for the appropriate ratio and rating. 

[brianthainess]

On 9/7/2021 at 7:09 AM, misterphil said:

I use distilled water and Red Line water wetter additive in my drift car as it helps keep it cool. 
 

You can boil the tap water then let it cool and use but always make sure you use an additive to prevent any corrosion. Homepro have the additive or just use lazada.co.th to help not spreading the virus. ????

Boiling water ? Why? it does not make it distilled or remove minerals. First year science at secondary school age 12. 

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Copper is a much better heat conductor than aluminum

all info in the link

"The brass and copper radiator is by far the best at dissipating heat and has very few problems, less for the occasional leaky solder joint. Should this happen, the leak can be easily repaired."

Ha, try buying a modern vehicle without plastic tanks and aluminium core.

[brianthainess]

14 hours ago, Lancashirelad said:

Cars, trucks have had aluminum radiators with plastic top and bottom tanks for years. Since the 90's it has dominated the market, due to its being cheaper to produce,

And a lot lighter.