no anti-freeze

[garrett]

I live in Florida and my car sits inside the garage most of the time. I was considering running only distilled water in my system, in case I have head gasket failure. I would like to hear from others who have done this. Do you add Waterwetter or Purple ice, or some other additive to the distilled water to increase the boiling point, or not? I would like to run something that would be totally safe if it contacted bearings.

 

[Squid4life]

None of it is safe if contactinng bearing so try not to blow a head gasket. Try to find RMI-25, plus distilled.

 

[garrett]

What is RMI-25? who makes it? where would I look for it-internet?

 

[TrndAssassin2]

Ive seen what aggressive water can do to pipes. Wouldn't Distilled water be to acidic and to harsh?

 

[Squid4life]

RMI-25 Cooling System Treatment 1Qt. | Batterystuff.com


do a search. This can be found by some of our Buick vendors if I remember correctly...

 

[Ormand]

Distilled water or demin water will be corrosive, if you don't use some additive with it. Need the additive for corrosion protection, and for water pump lubrication. The propylene glycol people claim that it's not harmful to the bearings, but like Squid says, water is not good for bearings, no matter what it's got in it.

 

[Nick Micale]

[.............................................do a search. This can be found by some of our Buick vendors if I remember correctly...

Like here:

How To / Info

 

[Fuelie600]

Good reading Nick. I've been using it for years, because I new it worked----but not how it worked.

 

[ijames]

Straight water, whether it's tap or distilled, will give you a radiator and block full of rust overnight in a hot summer, or maybe 3 days in winter but above freezing. Prestone has a water pump lubricant/corrosion protection product, about one quart for the system, that works well. Or add RMI-25 (my favorite) or waterwetter or one of the other products. They do not raise the boiling point, they lower the surface tension of the water so it extracts heat from the motor better and gives it up better to the radiator. Or even use both the prestone and rmi25. Just do not use straight water. [Okay, use it when you are first firing up a new motor when you need to be sure nothing is leaking, but then after that first 20 minutes when you are changing the oil drain some water and add antifreeze.] Water is pretty bad for bearings but antifreeze is much worse - it basically dissolves the oil and lets metal hit metal much quicker than a water/oil emulsion would. Take an old plastic soda bottle and put in some oil, enough to coat the insides when you shake it up (say 1 cup in a 2 liter bottle). Then add a couple of tablepoons of water and give it a good shake. You get a nice milkshake that still sticks to the sides of the bottle. Then add a couple of tablespoons of antifreeze and shake it up again. See how fast it all runs down the sides? That's how fast your bearings get unprotected. Personally, I don't see how anyone not trying to make the next round or day of racing could not pull the pan and check the bearings after blowing a head gasket with antifreeze in the system and making a milkshake. You are just begging for a rod knock in a few thousand miles.

 

[BAllen86gn]

no antifreeze

Im on the fence to do it again with no antifreeze. I had a blown head gasket and did not have antifreeze. It saved my bearings not having it, but it is getting cold at night even here in Dallas Tx. My car is stored in a 100 by 70 shop with good insulation do you think it could get cold enough to freeze in the shop

 

[Lee_Burough]

Like here:

How To / Info

Great Information source! Thanks Nick, I put that link in the TTA FAQ List.

 

[Hot Air]

BAllen86GN...why not install a block heater? They go in a freeze plug and will keep everything toasty warm in winter.
Conrad