COOLANT OR WATER?

[BMW RACER]

Hey troops. I've been using a typical street mix 50% coolant for years, never had a problem. Maybe I'm just getting a concience but I'm feeling guilty. Thinking of changing to water and water wetter. What is everybody using?
911 and Beetle racers not required to answer.
TIA
John

[ITSRX7]

Go 100% water and the water additive of your choice. Makes for a better situation on track if you puke.

AB

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Andy Bettencourt
06 ITS RX-7
FlatOut Motorsports
New England Region
www.flatout-motorsports.com

[This message has been edited by ITSRX7 (edited March 19, 2004).]

[Tristan Smith]

I thought you were not allowed to run antifreeze/coolant in the car on the track? Thought that was a SCCA rule. But water wetter and water will run cooler than a coolant mix.

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Tristan Smith
Buffalo's Southwest Cafe
ITA Nissan 240sx #56

[its66]

I always run Water Wetter in my Corvair.

[Blix]

As someone who has damaged a car because the guy in front of me left coolant on the track...please use only distilled water and water wetter....it really is less slippery...and to the nameless person who left water wetter and water on the track during the test day at LRP last year...thanks that was much nicer...

Eric
NER SSM #12

[Greg Gauper]

SCCA per say, does not prohibit antifreeze.

Some tracks or other sanctioning bodies may specifically prohibit it.

Plain water & water wetter will give you the best cooling. Distilled water is preferred if you have crummy well or city water with lots of iron or minerals.

The water wetter may or may not work as advertised (I think it helps) but it will provide a slight amount of corrosion protection and act as a lubricant for the water pump. If you're not comfortable, then add a small amount of water pump lube.

[apr67]

I use about 20% antifreeze, and waterpump lube. That way if I see a puddle on the pavement, It has just enough color to be identifyable. Also, It provides a little cool weather protection for the ARRC race.

Alan

[ddewhurst]

Water has 2 1/2 times better heat transfer properities than glyco-based products.

Have Fun
David

[joeg]

40-60 (the car often races in--and is stored in-- cold weather). Why take a chance of forgetting to drain or add coolant?

Cheers.

[RSTPerformance]

Originally posted by joeg:
40-60 (the car often races in--and is stored in-- cold weather). Why take a chance of forgetting to drain or add coolant?

Cheers.

I run the same for the same reasons plus a little water wetter

Stephen

[B Schley]

Distilled water and sometimes Water Wetter. The water in Wisconsin is garbage and does a number on radiators. I'd never use tap water.
-- Bill

[Speed Raycer]

Distilled Water w/ water wetter. I absolutely hate dealing with anti-freeze. In fact, the draining ritual is on tap for this week in preparation for next weekends race. Here in Missouri, you can't do the coolant change until the last minute as you never know what the temps are going to be like from one day to the next.

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Scott
It's not what you build...
it's how you build it

[ITSRX7]

To those of you who run anti-freeze:

Is it that difficult to do a pre and post season drain of your radiator? The results on-track could be far more detrimental to drivers, cars and subsiquent run groups because of your potential puke-age.

We drain in November, add anti-freeze and circulate. In April, we drain again and add the water. Is that way too much work? (BTW: I am in the Northeast)

AB

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Andy Bettencourt
06 ITS RX-7
FlatOut Motorsports
New England Region
www.flatout-motorsports.com

[Knestis]

I confess that I've been using the factory specified stuff - and mix - in the new Golf, since (a) the factory manual makes SUCH a big deal about using the "blue" stuff, and ( I haven't had a chance to do the research necessary to find out if other options are OK.

I'd love to hear from informed VW types about this issue but I have a philosophical aversion - gained by tough experience - to simply ignoring what a manufacturer's engineers say.

K

[Greg Gauper]

It really isn't a pain to drain/fill the system seasonally. I did it recently when I ventured down south to run Sebring in January. Had to refill when I got down there, raced, drained, and came home to the glaciers

Hardest part is bleeding the air out of the system, but I've got have a procedure for that as well.

I've been told that a very weak mixture i.e. 10% will keep from freezing in moderate temps, but doesn't present the cleaning mess. If it's cold enough to need anti-freeze, I suspect overheating won't be an issue.

The main issue of factory specified coolant is the corrosion protection. Distilled water helps. Most of the FF/FC drivers with the cast iron pinto motors run plain water with no problem. You may have to replace your water pump every 4-5 years due to corrosion or lack of lube but that shouldn't break the bank.

FYI - my water pump and T-stat looked fine on my 5-year old motor that ran plain water & water wetter. I drain it every winter.

[This message has been edited by Greg Gauper (edited March 19, 2004).]

[BMW RACER]

Thanks a lot for the many great replies. I've done the deed, flushed out the 50/50 mix and refilled with distilled water and a container of water wetter. Now here's another question. At what point should I concider mixing some anti freeze? Out here in So Cal we start to whine when it drops below 50 degrees, but it can get down to freezing over night during the winter at Willow Springs.
Thanks again for the help. This is a great site.
John Norris

[lateapex911]

Do the drop light trick if it gets cold at the track. You'd be surprised how much heat a 100 watt bulb creates in an enclosed space like that, and with your engine being warm to start with you'll be fine.

Under 25 degrees, or for long periods, you might have to get serious.

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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[RSTPerformance]

I fill my antifreeze when dad isn't looking, I probably have 15-20% antifreeze and the rest is water and iron from the well. I mostly do this because of what people have said on this site. This year I think I will buy distilled water... I re-did the bathroom in the house and wow what iron does to pipes!!!

To answer your second question, water freezes at 32 degrees. If you are really worried leave a glass outside with the same mixture, see what tempature it freezes. I would think the engine has more insulation than the glass. Just an idea...

Raymond Blethen
(The red and silver Audi)

[Eric Parham]

Actually, water has a much better heat capacity than a glycol mix, but the heat transfer generally increases with some glycol. I only use propylene glycol (animal friendly in case of spills), and have never spilled any on the track (on the grass next to and on top of the armco, yes, on the track, no). So, it really depends on your cooling needs, radiator size/material, engine specific output, frontal area & air flow through the radiator, fan wattage, etc. On cars with reduced airflow, I've found some propylene glycol antifreeze to make enough of an improvement in heat transfer (not capacity) to let a marginal system survive. BTW, I've had an engine meltdown ice racing in minus 20 degree weather, so it does matter even in the cold!

Originally posted by ddewhurst:
Water has 2 1/2 times better heat transfer properities than glyco-based products.

Have Fun
David