Water Wetter without Antifreeze?

[EarlyPorsche]

Gents - I hope someone can help me figure this out...

I just did head gaskets and freeze plugs in my old truck because one of the freeze plugs on the back of the head had let go.

Can I run pure water and something (not antifreeze) to prevent boil over while I check for any leaks?

Don't want anti-freeze or "low-tox" antifreeze coming out if there is still a leak or if another freeze plug issue arises.

I was thinking of running water with a bottle of water wetter? Will that raise the boiling point of the water sufficiently to prevent boil overs?

The key to me is not boiling over and creating that steam pressure that hurts more things. The idea of water wetter and just H2O makes sense if anyone else can confirm that boil overs won't happen. I would drain and add antifreeze before winter.

[Porchdog]

Are you running a thermostat and a pressure cap? Do you know the thermostat setting and the pressure cap setting? Do you have a temperature gage?

You can run with just water, for a while. Long term, you won't have the lubricity for your water pump seals, you will tend to have more corrosion and you will be more prone to overheating.

If you have a pressure cap I can supply a boiling temp for pure water at that pressure. Then, if you have a temperature gage, you will know your "safe" temperature.

I don't know of a good substitute for antifreeze.

If I were you, I'd run it for a week or so on straight water, watching for overhheating or leaks. If it doesn't leak in a week you should be OK.

[stomachmonkey]

If your radiator / thermostat / water pump and fans are all in proper working order and it's not too hot out plain h20 should hold up long enough to detect leaks.

[EarlyPorsche]

Originally Posted by Porchdog

Are you running a thermostat and a pressure cap? Do you know the thermostat setting and the pressure cap setting? Do you have a temperature gage?

You can run with just water, for a while. Long term, you won't have the lubricity for your water pump seals, you will tend to have more corrosion and you will be more prone to overheating.

If you have a pressure cap I can supply a boiling temp for pure water at that pressure. Then, if you have a temperature gage, you will know your "safe" temperature.

I don't know of a good substitute for antifreeze.

If I were you, I'd run it for a week or so on straight water, watching for overhheating or leaks. If it doesn't leak in a week you should be OK.

My cap is 13PSI and brand new and my thermostat is 180* and also brand new. I don't have a temp gauge but the engine doesn't "overheat" so if my boiling point is above 200-215* I won't run anything but water at first.

[DaveE]

I run water and water wetter in my race car, no issues.

[RANDY P]

I always fire up on straight water after a Head gasket. Saves one hell of a mess if something is wrong. You are fine going at it with straight water until you know things are good.

rjp

[Porchdog]

With straight water and 13 psi your boiling point is 242°F.

You can go ahead and test with water.

[EarlyPorsche]

Originally Posted by Porchdog

With straight water and 13 psi your boiling point is 242°F.

You can go ahead and test with water.

Nice thanks!

[T77911S]

test with water.
keep an eye on the T stat.
always squeeze the rad hoses to check for pressure. open caps slowly. most should have a stop that lets pressure off but the cap will not blow off.

i went thru a LOT of work to convert and swap a spare 93 volvo motor into my 95 volvo. of course just a FEW pain in the hiney things different. got it in, ran it for half hour 45 minutes, no problems. walked out to get something to charge AC, came back in and it over heated. blew head gasket. then to make matters worse, when i went to remove the head, a head stud broke down inthe block. i was done. ithru in the towel.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by Porchdog

With straight water and 13 psi your boiling point is 242°F.

You can go ahead and test with water.

At sea level...

Here, that cap gets the BP up to about 220 F.

the OP doesn't say where he's located, but should be OK.

[EarlyPorsche]

Sorry east coast only a little above sea level.

[slow&rusty]

Water Wetter is more effective without adding antifreeze

[Porsche-O-Phile]

IMHO water wetter is crap. I changed to it from regular antifreeze + water in my 944 a few years ago and a week later the water pump seals failed. Used per instructions, blah blah blah... Coincidence? Maybe but I haven't used it since and also haven't had any pumps go bad. Draw your own conclusions.

[EarlyPorsche]

Originally Posted by DaveE

I run water and water wetter in my race car, no issues.

So what percentage are you running? If my cooling system is 7-8 gallons I'm thinking a full 12oz bottle of water wetter will give me lubrication and raise boiling point a little?

[aigel]

Straight H2O (DI) for me on all major cooling system repairs. Drain half - fill with antifreeze, done. I never understood this water-wetter stuff. Not going to touch it.

G

[LWJ]

A few careers ago, I worked with analytical chemists. One of them ran stock cars. He shot water wetter through a gas chromatograph or similar to see what it was made of. Answer? Soap.

Soap decreases the surface tension of water, hence increases the surface area and heat transfer. This is his answer. He just ran soapy water in his race car.

[Hydrocket]

Originally Posted by LWJ

A few careers ago, I worked with analytical chemists. One of them ran stock cars. He shot water wetter through a gas chromatograph or similar to see what it was made of. Answer? Soap.

Soap decreases the surface tension of water, hence increases the surface area and heat transfer. This is his answer. He just ran soapy water in his race car.

Very interesting. Curious as to how many drop of soap (and what kind) he used to make his water wetter.

FWIW, Amsoil Coolant Boost is superior to Water Wetter

[s_morrison57]

Originally Posted by DaveE

I run water and water wetter in my race car, no issues.

Same here, anti-freeze was not allowed, not sure if it was an environmental thing or safety issues, the track was by a river so might have been environmental but AF is really slippery so it could have been for a safety thing.
I think water wetter has an anti-foaming additive, I'd be worried about cavitation with soap.

Finn