is putting water in the radiator bad?

[MiniTruckinScene]

i think i messed up the pressure or something like that?

[nti06]

um. the ideal coolant mixture is 50% coolant and 50% distilled water. if your radiator cap isn't holding the 16lbs of pressure its rated for then that can give you problems.

[MiniTruckinScene]

i gotta check on the pressure asap
i remember a while back on my old truck the last thing i touched was the radiator and i put water in it to fill it up. next thing i know i started the truck and the truck didnt work for a while

[bryanking11]

no it shouldnt cause any problems mechanically. my truck used to have a bad rad leak at the top, and over time it would spray outin a fine mist. so in the summers ONLY i would more often than not just top off with water. so by the end of summer the fluid was probably 90% water. i have never heard of it causing a problem. just to be sure your not near freezing weather or it will cause the block to freeze and crack!!! and if your worried shell out 7 dollars for a jug of coolant

[neo71665]

Ran 100% water in mine all last summer cause I was too lazy to go get some antifreeze.

Sounds like you need to replace the cap or have a leak.

[lesterl]

Water will rust and cause excess corrosion inside the block.

[dimerunner88]

lol,no you won't harm anything with water.

[lesterl]

No harm, except excess rust and corrosion. Antifreeze has corrosion inhibitors in it for that specific purpose. You can buy them separate from what I hear.

[neel2008]

Quote: Originally Posted by lesterl

No harm, except excess rust and corrosion. Antifreeze has corrosion inhibitors in it for that specific purpose. You can buy them separate from what I hear.

Yea I herd something about that too. Theres an additive you can add that has the corrosion inhibitors in it so you can safely run straight water. If I lived in a climate that never got below freezing I would just run water.

[terryl]

Now we can't run water in the radiator? Wow

[dngrous_dime]

Nothing slippery in the crankcase, either....

[lesterl]

Quote: Originally Posted by terryl

Now we can't run water in the radiator? Wow

Run what ever you want in the radiator, just keep in mind it is connected to the block, which on most motors is Iron, Iron rusts, straight water will increase this process, water with additives like an Antifreeze mix or the additive will keep this from being bad.

[SH-60B]

Quote: Originally Posted by terryl

Now we can't run water in the radiator? Wow

^^
and don't forget to replace ALL your sensors - one might be getting ready to die on you.

[dngrous_dime]

Quote: Originally Posted by SH-60B

^^
and don't forget to replace ALL your sensors - one might be getting ready to die on you.

I know a guy that wanted to do that in his truck...



Plus he thought his transmission needed a rebuild because his NSS was going bad.

[lesterl]

Quote: Originally Posted by SH-60B

^^
and don't forget to replace ALL your sensors - one might be getting ready to die on you.

Dont forget to post only sarcasm and no real effort into answers, and by all means take an idea (of what might be needing testing) and just go the easy way and replace.

[83blazer28]

if you run distilled water you wont even have problems with corrosion, I got an uncle who lives in Alabama and since it never gets below freezing he just uses straight distilled water

[SH-60B]

Quote: Originally Posted by lesterl

Dont forget to post only sarcasm and no real effort into answers, and by all means take an idea (of what might be needing testing) and just go the easy way and replace.

[Drewchillin]

doesnt antifreeze lub the water pump?

[bobditts]

Make sure you use distilled water over tap water

[SH-60B]

Tap water is ok to use. I've been doing it for thirty+ years with no problems.

[terryl]

Damn, you're old.

[SH-60B]

Hence my avatar.

[dngrous_dime]

Quote: Originally Posted by terryl

Damn, you're old.

lol, this is amusing for some reason....

[Mattpyle]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniTruckinScene

i think i messed up the pressure or something like that?

Just pee a little in the radiator. It'll increase the pressure back up to factory specs

[dngrous_dime]

yep, and the salt in your urine will simulate soft water.

Shouldn't need to change out your fluid for at least 4 years, that way.

[DJDAudio]

stupid question, has anyone contemplated a very light oil instead of water antifreeze?

[dngrous_dime]

uhh, oil and water don't mix, and I don't think the ethylene glycol will mix with oil too well, either....


I may be wrong, tho. This warrants further investigation, just because I'm bored.

[Mattpyle]

Quote: Originally Posted by dngrous_dime

uhh, oil and water don't mix, and I don't think the ethylene glycol will mix with oil too well, either....


I may be wrong, tho. This warrants further investigation, just because I'm bored.

I think he means straight oil and NO water/antifreeze.


Guess it'd kind of depend on what the boiling point and all that good stuff would be. lol I'm not thinking it would build up much pressure at all when it gets hot though.

[dngrous_dime]

ohhh.... I know way back when, guys would run wood alcohol blended with water for their coolant. pop a headgasket, and hold the fvck on..... VROOM

[DJDAudio]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mattpyle

I think he means straight oil and NO water/antifreeze.


Guess it'd kind of depend on what the boiling point and all that good stuff would be. lol I'm not thinking it would build up much pressure at all when it gets hot though.

That is my question it may never built to pressure, but do you need it to? or is that just a by product of the expanding water?

Also Oil will not Freeze or boil under normal engine environments.. also no way it can rust and would help lube everything.

[neo71665]

A light oil would make sense but will it cool as well and hold up to heat? As oil heats up it thins out and will this affect the cooling properties any? Oil is used to cool some types of things but with automobiles being around so long you would figure if it was superior to water at all somebody somewhere would have thought it up already.

Also the cooling systems in trucks are designed to build pressure to raise the boiling point of the water so I guess in theory if you run it unpressurized it just might work.

[SpYnOnU]

that would definatly suck when the heater core goes bad though.