Distilled or Deionized water for coolant

[Redtail]

Hey guys, I always use distilled water to mix with my coolant, but last time around I picked up deionized water by mistake and didn't realize until everything was mixed and the job was done. I have heard some say that deionized water will cause corrosion because it wants to absorb ions from the metal to create a balance. However good coolant has anti-corrosion additives that should protect the engine components.

 

Should I change the coolant out again and use distilled water? Or am I worrying about nothing?

 

Thanks!

[tups]

You're worrying about nothing - for all practical purposes there is no difference between distilled and deionised water. Neither contains a significant amount of ions. Anti-corrosion additives and whatever ions are present in the other half of the volume (concentrated coolant) you added more than make up for that. This whole "ion-hungry" discussion might be somewhat more relevant for ultra-pure water that is absolutely ion-free, but the commercial stuff you buy in a shop is nowhere near the level of purity you're going to see causing corrosion issues. Running *just* deionised or distilled (or, for that matter,  just plain tap) water in a cooling system is not a good idea though-  you'll find it cools much better, because water has a much higher heat capacity than ethylene glycol, but there will definitely be corrosion when oxygen gets in - and it always does.

[Redtail]

Yea I figured it was no big deal.

 

I started worrying after I discussed this issue with my father-in-law who owns a 1930 Ford Model A. Most of the Model A guys will run straight distilled water in the summer with a bottle of Redline Water Wetter to prevent corrosion. 

 

Thanks for the advice, it saved me $40 of new coolant!

[jimk]

Additional info:

 

TSB PS-2012-01-02_CoolantBoost.pdf

[TobyB]

Water wetter is not all that good at preventing corrosion, I found.  I ran it for years in the race car,

and the aluminum jackets always showed significant discoloration and rust-colored staining.

 

Kool- It, from a company called LubeGard, seems to do far better.  In my car, with distilled water...

http://www.lubegard.com/C-201/Kool-It+Supreme+Coolant+Treatment

 

Both seem to do a pretty good job of reducing surface tension- as does dishes soap...

 

Just what I found,

t

 

 

Edited June 5, 2017 by TobyB

[halboyles]

23 minutes ago, TobyB said:

 

Kool- It, from a company called LubeGard

I am definitely going to get some based on Toby's advice and the ad below.

 

[jimk]

What are the numbers for the above.  Here is what I have for Amsoil Coolant Boost

 

DOMINATOR Coolant Boost is formulated with proprietary tiered-surfactant technology, providing quick and effective heat transfer inside radiators and cylinder heads and resulting in reduced operating temperatures, more efficient operation, increased horsepower and significantly reduced engine warm-up times in cold weather and before a race. Coolant Boost also contains a robust mixture of corrosion inhibitors that protect the radiator, heater core, water pump, cylinder heads, engine block and intake manifold from the damaging effects of corrosion.

Engine Warm-up Reduction Test
To test DOMINATOR Coolant Boost's ability to reduce engine warm-up times, the product was added to an antifreeze/water mixture in a V-8 test engine. The engine was run at idle until it reached a prescribed temperature of either 120ºF or 180ºF. Ambient temperature was maintained at 30ºF to simulate winter conditions.

Engine Warm-Up Time Reduction	30°F to 120°F	30°F to 180°F
Warm-up with 50/50 Antifreeze/Water Only	6.3 Min.	11.3 Min.
Warm-up with Coolant Boost Added	3.2 Min.	5.3 Min.

Temperature Reduction Dynamometer Test
To test temperature-reduction capabilities, controlled engine dynamometer (dyno) tests were performed on a 350 cubic inch Chevy* engine with an aluminum block and cylinder heads. In each phase of testing, the engine was operated at 4,500 rpm until coolant temperature stabilized. As benchmarks for the test, straight water stabilized at 220˚F and a 50/50 antifreeze/water mixture stabilized at 228˚F.

Temperature Reduction (in degrees Fahrenheit)	DOMINATOR COOLANT BOOST
Mixed with 50/50 Antifreeze/Water	8°F reduction
Mixed with Straight Water	25°F reduction

Cast Aluminum Alloys Corrosion Test
The Cast Aluminum Alloys Corrosion Test (ASTM D4340) measures corrosion protection properties in modern automobile and high-performance race engines with aluminum cylinder heads. A cast aluminum puck was heated to 275˚F at 28 PSI and exposed to the test coolant mixture for one week. Weight loss of less than 1.0 mg is required to pass the test.

ASTM D4340	DOMINATOR COOLANT BOOST (in straight water)	Water Only
Weight Loss in mg (1.00 max)	0.06	3.97

* All trademarked images are the property of their respective owners and may be registered marks in some countries. No affiliation or endorsement claim, express or implied, is made by their use. All products advertised here are AMSOIL-engineered for use in the applications shown.

Corrosion Test in Glassware
In the Corrosion Test in Glassware (ASTM D1384), six metal coupons constructed of the most common metals in automotive cooling systems were totally immersed in aerated coolant mixtures for 336 hours at 190˚F. Each test was performed three times to determine the average weight change for each metal. The ASTM sets the allowable weight loss maximums for each metal.

ASTM D-1384
	ALLOWABLE	DOMINATOR COOLANT BOOST (in straight water)	WATER ONLY
Copper weight loss (mg)	10 max	1	25
Solder weight loss (mg)	30 max	0	62
Brass weight loss (mg)	10 max	0	23
Steel weight loss (mg)	10 max	1	18
Cast iron weight loss (mg)	10 max	0	29
Cast aluminum weight loss (mg)	30 max	0	91

Simulated Service Corrosion Test
In the Simulated Service Corrosion Test (ASTM D2570), six metal coupons constructed of the most common metals in automotive cooling systems were exposed to ASTM corrosive water designed to simulate hard and corrosive water in degraded coolant for 1,064 hours at 190°F. Coolant was maintained at a temperature and flow rate equivalent to the operating conditions seen in most passenger vehicles. Corrosive weight loss suffered during the test determines the additive’s corrosion protection properties. The ASTM sets the allowable weight loss maximums for each metal.

ASTM D2570
	ALLOWABLE	DOMINATOR COOLANT BOOST (in straight water)	WATER ONLY
Copper weight loss (mg)	20 max	3	66
Solder weight loss (mg)	60 max	0	120
Brass weight loss (mg)	20 max	2	59
Steel weight loss (mg)	20 max	0	54
Cast iron weight loss (mg)	20 max	0	117
Cast aluminum weight loss (mg)	60 max	0	89

[OriginalOwner]

Redtail wrote,  "....  I have heard some say that deionized water will cause corrosion because it wants to absorb ions from the metal to create a balance."

      I read the same thing a few years ago.  Something about deionized water being chemically unbalanced ...... and one place it can find "balance" is to take ions from the metal rings on the head gasket ...... thus leading to a blown head gasket and/or coolant leakage.  As best I understand, this problem is not related to the topic of "corrosion."

 

A reason to use coolant:  it has anti-corrosion additives.  So here's some reading on the topic of Electrolysis Corrosion in the cooling system and why using coolant is important .....

    http://www.aa1car.com/library/cooling_system_electrolysis_corrosion.htm

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2017 by OriginalOwner

[jimk]

De-ionied and distilled water were called "aggressive water" by the water doctors at where I worked.  Look at the corrosion test results above.  Aerated water or coolant is not good either, it just gobbles up the corrosion inhibitor.

Avoid peeking in the radiator more than necessary, it lets air in that is absorbed in the solution.  When the solution is heated the air comes out of solution.  Let the corrosion inhibitors take care of the initial amount of air in the tank but all that fresh air depletes the corrosion inhibitor.

if the tank (upper tank on the 02 radiator that is, not a catch tank) is properly filled it won't suck in air thru the cap when it cools and burps air when it heats up.  The air volume in the tank accepts the coolant expansion volume without over-pressurizing and burping air.

[Redtail]

19 hours ago, TobyB said:

Kool- It, from a company called LubeGard, seems to do far better.  In my car, with distilled water...

Thanks Toby, I'm going to give this a shot in the Model A.

 

Certainly a lot to think about here guys. thanks for all the great info.

[esty]

jmo but i think it's all bunk...so far in my life i've used water straight from the hose wherever i've lived and never had any cooling or rust problems with any car i've ever owned

 

[jimk]

If you have a good water source, distilled water is not needed.  I've never used distilled water, just tap water to cut Prestone to 50/50 but added some Coolant Boost 2 years ago.  It wasn't a week ago that I tested the coolant with a test strip, the same kind that OriginalOwner pointed to and it was ok.  I wanted to see if it needed a shot of Coolant Boost.  So no worries.  My radiator cost $1K and it's ahead of a S14 with 20K miles on it and I am not about to dink around with corrosion.

Edited June 6, 2017 by jimk

[TobyB]

Quote

 water straight from the hose

 

I've taken apart too many engines with heads that looked like swiss cheese to ever do that again

(when I was younger, yes...)

 

an aluminum- iron battery is going to eat the aluminum, if there's an electrolyte.  The additives in 

coolant and some of the other treatments make the coolant into a 'non- electrolyte'.

 

Otherwise you get 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion

 

and eventually, the head starts leaking...

 

t

 

 

[PaulTWinterton]

Plus I think water-only wreaks havoc on the water pump.  Screeching on start up is the clue.

[TobyB]

The old pumps wanted a bit of lube.  I wonder if a modern one cares, or just uses well- sealed bearings...

 

t