Distilled water

[bcossa2001]

I have been reading in the coolant section and found most of the members favor using distilled water when changing/flushing coolant.

We are experiencing a severe drought here and have been using the water produced by the air conditioner for watering plants. According to my brother-in-law (PhD in chemistry) this is distilled water.

We usually get 3-5 gallons per day. Water for free!!

 

[G-MAN]

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I have been reading in the coolant section and found most of the members favor using distilled water when changing/flushing coolant.

We are experiencing a severe drought here and have been using the water produced by the air conditioner for watering plants. According to my brother-in-law (PhD in chemistry) this is distilled water.

We usually get 3-5 gallons per day. Water for free!!

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Well, theoretically he's correct. However, unless you can figure out a way to keep the evaporator coils "operating room clean" so that the water that comes off of them has no contaminates whatsoever, there is no way I'd use it in the radiator of my car.

 

[Gremil]

You can pour the "distilled" water from your A/C through a large ball of cotton or use some cloth to filter it clean.

I drove a Mitsubishi pickup 2.6 Liter 4 for 330,000 miles and never had a overheat ever. I used distilled water and ethylene glycol coolant changed ever 100,000 miles which was about one year of driving for me at that time. With that sort of coolant I wouldn't leave it in past two years even with distilled water. I did change my hoses at the 100,000 mile interval too. I know this may be hard to believe, but I changed the water pump at 270,000 miles and it still wasn't leaking! I was getting worried about it. My radiator cores were clean and flowing great up until I sold it.

I use propylene glycol coolant now, but still used distilled water. Every time I take off the hoses from the washing machine and see those deposits I realize tap water won't do for my cooling system. Distilled water can't hurt anything, so what have to got to lose?

 

[bcossa2001]

Well, rats. If I can't use it in the car I guess I'll have to buy some more plants.

 

[Gremil]

The best distilled water to use is the "Steam Distilled" I've been told. I wonder if there's really that much difference? After all, it's going in a radiator. Not like I'm going to drink it! Anyone have any good information on this?

 

[Dr_No]

Splurge and spend 8 dollars for peace of mind.

 

[Gremil]

I met a truck driver once who claimed to have filled his 18 wheeler tractor with synthetic hydraulic oil because he lost all of his coolant and had no water. He claimed it worked great. I've been told doing this in a car would be a disaster though.

I believe heat transfer is better with water/coolant. Big rigs have such big radiators they can get away with light oil in the cooling system.

I'll just stay with my steam distilled water and coolant. Never had any problems yet.

 

[alreadygone]

By all means use distilled water. Everyone needs a perfect cooling system when the seats have springs poking through, floorboards rusted away,blue cloud of smoke, and paint worn away.

Bob

 

[alreadygone]

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I met a truck driver once who claimed to have filled his 18 wheeler tractor with synthetic hydraulic oil because he lost all of his coolant and had no water. He claimed it worked great.

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Probably laughed his arse off hoping you'd go for that! Auto, or truck hoses aren't oil resistant. Would turn to jello and bust in short time.

Bob