Hey guys, what are you all using for coolant in your radiator at the track? I've been using distilled water, but I think I need some sort of additive to prevent rusting. The water gets pretty rusty looking pretty quickly. So what do you guys use? Thanks.
Just add rust inhibitor - distilled water is usually used in battery top ups. Using a proper mix of antifreeze, which contains a rust inhibitor, will also raise the boiling point of the coolant. :TU:
Yip, it does just that. the addition of solute (antifreeze in this case) extends the temperature range over which a liquid (water) can exist. It will boil at a higher temperature and it will freeze at a lower temperature. Note that as the concentration of the solute increases, so does the effect on both the freezing point and the boiling point.
Don't get caught using antifreeze at the drag strip...... most tracks hate it! If it's a street car you will be allowed, but if it's a drag only car they will not like it. When a car spills antifreeze on the track it takes a lot of work to try to remove it/ clean it up. It's very slippery!! Not good at a drag strip!! They prefer water. Water with Redline "water wetter" added will cool better than any water antifreeze blend and not be a hassle to clean up on the track. It's also a very good lubricant for the water pump and rust inhibitor.
Distilled, and de-mineralized waters are so mineral starved, they consume other minerals, like iron, aluminum, gasket materials. Filtered tap water for the cooling system is just fine. Regards, Milton
Steve is correct, don't get caught with antifreeze at a dragstrip. If the track officials don't throw you out ( and many will) the other racers will lynch you.
There was a series of posts on here a while back about using distilled water in the radiator. The gist of it was DO NOT USE IT WITHOUT ANTIFREEZE because the distilled water will pull minerals out of the radiator and engine block and so on and cause trouble. It was OK with antifreeze however because the antifreeze will supply the minerals the water is looking for. Antifreeze water mix in race only cars like the guys said is bad news at the track. I run straight tap water. Peace, Mike D.
Thanks for the posts guys, antifreeze has never been a consideration for track only. We all get pretty steamed when someone pukes the green stuff on the track, then the wait begins for the time consuming clean up. I'll try the water wetter with tap water. I've been looking for the thread about distilled water, but haven't found it yet. Hey Mike D, have you had any rust problems using straight tap water? Thanks again guys.
Dave, I am full of hard block so the water is only running thru the heads (aluminum) and radiator (also aluminum). If you shine a light down the radiator cap there is a very thin film of rust on the very top of the water but the light shines right thru it and the rest of the water is clear. Hope this helps. Peace, Mike D.
I have the rusty water problem from when I was running water only in the car. What rust-inhibitor do you use and where do I find it. Even with a 50/50 mix now I seem to have a little film of rusty crap in the radiator.
David, didn't realize you were having that severe of a problem. You may want to add a sacrificial anode (zinc-think marine here) to the cooling system along with the surfactant. I do know the tap water(deep-well water) we have around here is extremely high in mineral content and will plate out in the cooling system. You might consider surface water(Waco or Mart water systems) as an alternative to the well water. Jay
