quick coolant question
 

When replacing the coolant, do i need to use store bought distilled water or will water from the garden hose do? thanks

Depends somewhat on the nature of the water coming out of the hose. If it is very hard (i.e. lot of minerals), I would suggest either using distilled or at least diluting the tap water with distilled. Some will say distilled is corrosive (which it is), but the coolant provides plenty of ions to deactivate the corrosiveness (sp?).

I would NEVER put tap (or garden hose) water in my cooling system. Look at any of your faucets or in the water pipes... there's mineral build-up. I don't care where you live or what kind of water treatment you have... it's not distilled!

I'd only put distilled water in it.

Don't use Washington, D.C. water. It will cause mineral deposits and scaling in/on anything it touches.

We lost a water heater to minerals! Never forget to drain 'em once a year!

i use sparkletts

thanks I'll put some distilled safeway water in there.

adiaw83,

I don't put any water in some of my MB cooling systems. I use Evans waterless coolant. So I don't have to worry about any corrosives or contaminants in the water.

P E H

Then what kind of water do they recommend? I can't believe they say use tap water... What's wrong with distilled water?

haha I wasn't thinking. Any question regarding any sort of fluid will always get all sorts of different responses

One of the biggest breaks Castrol and several other coolant companies here in India has given is the availability of ready mix 50:50 coolant where the problem of contaminated water is no longer the problem. Maybe other manufacturers elsewhere should follow this suit.

Gurka,

I thought that was just a ploy to get more of your money, I.E. sell you water at antifreeze prices.

P E H

How does regular bottled water sound or tap water filtered through one of those brita filter putchers. Also does the large upper radiator hose that goes to the engine block take coolant to the engine or to the radiator? thanks

adiaw83,

The coolant flows from the engine to the radiator thru the large upper hose connecting the engine to the radiator and visa versa in the lower radiator hose.

I've read that if the water is good enough to drink, its good enough to put in your radiator.

P E H

:D Thats is what I thought initialy but the pre-mix is around 50% cheaper than the full strength and having used it for around four years on all my vehciles I can tell you that there has been no problem of mineral deposits.