[Healeys] Coolant

[Bob Spidell]

A controversy! Just what I was hoping for (WARNING: Friendly needling follows). 

re: "I ran 50-50 coolant and purified water for years with no cooling system 
corrosion." 

Obviously, you needed to change something (ps. I like to experiment, too). 


re: "Then I switched to purified water with water wetter. In a couple of years my 
radiator clogged with rust flakes and the car started to run hot." 

Why would you do that? Even in the temperate CA SF Bay Area we get a freeze now and then. Why chance it? 


re: "There are online forums ..." 

Where only qualified engineers and scientists are allowed to post, of course. 


re: "I called RP's tech support and the engineer told me "filtered" drinking 
water is the best and even tap water is better than distilled water, which 
he said encourages corrosion." 

Of course, you asked him what his engineering degree was in? Also, I'm sure the TS guy gave the theoretical and empirical justifications for this commentary, and wasn't just reading from the 'company script?' 

Why bother using filtered drinking water? I have a water filter in my house--the kind with 5 cartridges--and all it's supposed to do is remove halogens (chlorine, fluorine, bromine), some heavy metals (mercury, lead) and biological stuff (wouldn't want your engine catching a virus). 

You can make a case that 'hard' water is best, as it will form scale on the engine which, theoretically, could protect the iron until it accumulates and flakes off, blocking passages in the radiator, etc. 

re: "Supposedly the person who designed it no longer works at Red Line." 

Because people never leave a job unless they've screwed up? Haven't heard of RL settling any class actions, and I use their lubricants with good results. 


My point: All this 'info' is ancedotal--including mine--and useful as long as you consider the source and take it with a grain of salt (or filtered tap water). 

Others have said it, distilled--or, better yet, deionized--water mixed with antifreeze PROBABLY works best (though there's lots of people trying to tell/sell otherwise). 

Bob 


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