Radiator Water Poll

[Don Coatney]

I see a wide variety of what water everyone uses in there radiator antifreeze mixture. Please comment on why you use what you use and if your choice is not listed in the poll comment on what your choice is. 

[Don Coatney]

I use distilled water as this insures that the level of minerals and other contaminets is as low as is possible.

[William Davey]

I'm betting that in 1955, nobody ever thought of putting demineralized water, rain water, or any kind of "special" water in my old truck.  I'm pretty sure they just used what ever they had available (well or tap water) and called it good.  The truck came from Oklahoma but had a good mix of antifreeze when I got it.  No overheating problems, no radiator problems, why mess with it if it's working?

[Frank Elder]

Tap water has always been my choice. Only a hose length away....

[1950 Special Deluxe]

50/50 Premix

Even though I don't drive them in the winter, the truck sits outside and the garage gets on to about-10 degrees C.

It is cheaper to buy 2 jugs of 50/50 Premix than 1 jug of regular anti-freeze.

[Dave72dt]

It's not cheaper for me.  Our store sells premix for 2 $ less per gallon than straight antifreeze.  My math tells me it costs $4 more for the premix to end up with 2 gallons.  Tap water has always worked for me.  What's distilled cost per gallon?

[greg g]

Ewww and out of the garden hose.  Our water comes from Otisco Lake and or Lake Ontario.

[DJ194950]

want to open a can of worms.? What water to use in a battery?

I do remember one study that concluded that with a new 5 yr. guaranteed bat. that of all the tests that was done the best result was with distilled water that one battery went for 2 weeks longer that most. 3 weeks longer after 5+ years with tap water from the faucets.

From all locations.

Their conclusion was who cares!

Guess I will probably called for of b.s. since I do not now remember the story souuce,

 

But I'm sure it will make for some lively posts and attachments.

 

Have have it if you will.

 

Doug

[Scruffy49]

Swamp water and atf was only because the top tank seam sprung a leak and the title holder was too cheap to get the radiator fixed.

 

I buy whatever coolant/antifreeze is on sale at the tractor trailer parts house, dump in a jug of it, a jug of water, and them make my own 50/50 in those two empties. I usually buy 3 jugs "glop" per sale. Sometimes tap water, sometimes well water, whatever is handy.

 

My 77 F100 overheated going to New Orleans one day and the system got filled back up out of Lake Ponchartrain. Brackish, nasty, filtered the seaweed out through a rag and said good enough. It got a flush and proper fill the next day, along with a new thermostat.

[Don Coatney]

In a roadside emergency most anything will work. Ever watched the movie "Sex Drive"?

[pflaming]

Is a  "sex drive"  a fluid drive or  a stick shift? 

[Plymouthy Adams]

In a roadside emergency most anything will work. Ever watched the movie "Sex Drive"?

 

 

Don..I'm afraid to ask..so won't...this is not one of them premium channel late night movies is it..

 

no on has mentioned de-ionized water....or the process to de-gas your coolant..

Edited August 21, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams

[TodFitch]

Don..I'm afraid to ask..so won't...this is not one of them premium channel late night movies is it..

 

no on has mentioned de-ionized water....or the process to de-gas your coolant..

 

In an open, non-pressurized system like our old cars have, won't they de-gas themselves, or at least come to an equilibrium in dissolved gas content, after the first couple of heat cycles?

 

I am assuming you're not referring to purging the air pockets that might be in the system after its been drained and refilled. . .

[Plymouthy Adams]

it should degas after a few heat cycles to some degree...higher the temp you get the water at first the more it is going to degas..I did this quite often with the 30 gallon ultrasonic cleaner I used in my job many years ago...it is petty with a cooling system but with all the grabbing of straws felt to throw this into the mix...just for giggles

[41/53dodges]

Normally the pickup gets 50/50 with tapwater. But the 41' runs plain filtered pond water (it's all we got!) and when it overheated once swamp water had to do it!