What coolant for Dewitt radiator & new engine??
04-28-2008, 07:40 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
What coolant for Dewitt radiator & new engine??
As my 62 Vetterod is nearing completion, I was wondering what type coolant I should use??
My radiator is a new Dewitt and engine is a new ZZ383 Aluminum head,aluminum water pump.No heater.
Any suggestions???
My radiator is a new Dewitt and engine is a new ZZ383 Aluminum head,aluminum water pump.No heater.
Any suggestions???
04-28-2008, 08:59 PM
#4
Drifting
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Depends on where you live and how long the driving season is (assuming you have a winter and garage it for it). In my 67, I used a 30/70 mixture (anti-freeze to water) with my Dewitt factory repro. I live in Southern New England and temps hit the high 90's about 10 to 15 times/summer. Never had a problem running a 180 deg thermostat.
Some guys go with distilled water (I never did as I was religous about flushing the system). But, if the car is running well, isn't overbored too much, etc. then 50/50, as suggested above (like any passenger car), is fine...I'm in the the water-wetter as a placebo camp, but it makes some people sleep better...to each their own.
Some guys go with distilled water (I never did as I was religous about flushing the system). But, if the car is running well, isn't overbored too much, etc. then 50/50, as suggested above (like any passenger car), is fine...I'm in the the water-wetter as a placebo camp, but it makes some people sleep better...to each their own.
04-28-2008, 09:44 PM
#6
Race Director
Let me quote ole Tom..
It's funny how some myths just never die. No matter how many times we discuss them and prove otherwise, it just keeps coming up again and again.
The reason you have people claiming it works is because when you follow the directions, and run 100% water, with wetter water, you will most likely see a reduction in temperature. Sometimes this reduction could be as much as 20 degrees however you would have the same results if you ran straight water and two bottles of food coloring. It isn't the additive that is making the system run cooler but rather the fact water cools better than a 50/50 mix, everytime.
I challenge anyone that thinks otherwise to prove me wrong. Drain your system and fill it back up with straight water without the wetter water and tell me how much the temperature goes up. It won't!
If there was a magic fluid, don't you think the chemist at Prestone would have figured it out by now? Wouldn't they put the same thing into their coolant package? Guess what, they do! They have a surfactant and an inhibitor, and a lubricant but they are designed to run 50/50 and that simply doesn't run as cool.
If you are running on a track that requires 100% water, by all means use the wetter water. If you have one of these modified frankin motors that run hot no matter what, run on the watery side and throw in a bottle for good luck. But don't let people think they can fix a dead radiator or compensate for some other ignition problem with a $15 bottle of magic. Wetter water has sold millions of dollars of additive that resolved nothing, and no one ever questions the value. Soon, I will just quit arguing this issue and start packaging my own "DeWitts super coolant". I'll buy the G05, add red die 12, come up with a bunch of graphs and curves and I'll be able to retire 10 years earlier.
The reason you have people claiming it works is because when you follow the directions, and run 100% water, with wetter water, you will most likely see a reduction in temperature. Sometimes this reduction could be as much as 20 degrees however you would have the same results if you ran straight water and two bottles of food coloring. It isn't the additive that is making the system run cooler but rather the fact water cools better than a 50/50 mix, everytime.
I challenge anyone that thinks otherwise to prove me wrong. Drain your system and fill it back up with straight water without the wetter water and tell me how much the temperature goes up. It won't!
If there was a magic fluid, don't you think the chemist at Prestone would have figured it out by now? Wouldn't they put the same thing into their coolant package? Guess what, they do! They have a surfactant and an inhibitor, and a lubricant but they are designed to run 50/50 and that simply doesn't run as cool.
If you are running on a track that requires 100% water, by all means use the wetter water. If you have one of these modified frankin motors that run hot no matter what, run on the watery side and throw in a bottle for good luck. But don't let people think they can fix a dead radiator or compensate for some other ignition problem with a $15 bottle of magic. Wetter water has sold millions of dollars of additive that resolved nothing, and no one ever questions the value. Soon, I will just quit arguing this issue and start packaging my own "DeWitts super coolant". I'll buy the G05, add red die 12, come up with a bunch of graphs and curves and I'll be able to retire 10 years earlier.
Dave
Last edited by Hitch; 04-28-2008 at 09:58 PM.
04-28-2008, 11:10 PM
#7
Coolant for a C2?
Has anyone used Evans NPG in their cars? I had a 427 Cobra with a Side-Oiler that seemed to benefit from it plus no corrosion.
I am working on my C2 Pro Street Roadster that will have a 555 All Aluminum ZL1 (Brodix) motor.
I thought about using Evans in it as well to avoid corrosion issues.It is run in 100% concentration---no mixing.
Not cheap---is it a waste of time?
I am working on my C2 Pro Street Roadster that will have a 555 All Aluminum ZL1 (Brodix) motor.
I thought about using Evans in it as well to avoid corrosion issues.It is run in 100% concentration---no mixing.
Not cheap---is it a waste of time?
04-28-2008, 11:38 PM
#8
Le Mans Master
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I don't disagree, I had heard from several old hot rod racers that Red Line wetter and 50/50 coolant was a good combination for street rods. Never ran straight water with wetter though. I would think that would not be a good idea in the long run. Seems the coolant has lubricating and inhibitors that are needed?
04-29-2008, 12:36 AM
#9
Burning Brakes
Just use a 50/50 mix of your fav. coolant. I use prestone.
I also just finished installing a new Dewitt's BB Al. Rad and a BB Al. 427.
Since only putting on about 150 miles so far the temp has not crawled over 180* either sitting in traffic or driving.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Don't need the water wetter.
Good Luck.
65-StingRay
I also just finished installing a new Dewitt's BB Al. Rad and a BB Al. 427.
Since only putting on about 150 miles so far the temp has not crawled over 180* either sitting in traffic or driving.
[IMG]
[/IMG]Don't need the water wetter.
Good Luck.
65-StingRay
04-29-2008, 09:48 AM
#10
Safety Car
ZEREX G05 50/50 in the '65 with ZZ4 and Dewitt's
I do use Wetter Water for the intercooler in my '99 in the summer then switch to Antifreeze in winter. I don't know if it helps or not but that was the recomendation and it hasn't hurt anything.
George
I do use Wetter Water for the intercooler in my '99 in the summer then switch to Antifreeze in winter. I don't know if it helps or not but that was the recomendation and it hasn't hurt anything.
George
04-29-2008, 10:46 AM
#11
Melting Slicks
Since it is a new system, you might as well use a modern antifreeze like Dexcool. This will give your antifreeze a longer life span. I do not believe tap water vs distilled has any impact, but if it give you piece of mind then go ahead and use it. Distilled water is not very expensive anyway.
That said, if it were my car and I just rebuilt the engine and installed a new radiator, I'd be using straight water until I broke the engine in and made sure there were no leaks. Would suck to drain all that purty colored coolant into your dirty oil pan because of a leak or other issue.
Just my $.02
That said, if it were my car and I just rebuilt the engine and installed a new radiator, I'd be using straight water until I broke the engine in and made sure there were no leaks. Would suck to drain all that purty colored coolant into your dirty oil pan because of a leak or other issue.
Just my $.02
04-29-2008, 12:12 PM
#12
Team Owner
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GM finally settled one of the Dexcool class-action lawsuits last week for a BILLION dollars, with several others still in litigation. GM is the only manufacturer on the planet that uses the Dexcool formulation.
04-29-2008, 12:16 PM
#13
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Has anyone used Evans NPG in their cars? I had a 427 Cobra with a Side-Oiler that seemed to benefit from it plus no corrosion.
I am working on my C2 Pro Street Roadster that will have a 555 All Aluminum ZL1 (Brodix) motor.
I thought about using Evans in it as well to avoid corrosion issues.It is run in 100% concentration---no mixing.
Not cheap---is it a waste of time?
I am working on my C2 Pro Street Roadster that will have a 555 All Aluminum ZL1 (Brodix) motor.
I thought about using Evans in it as well to avoid corrosion issues.It is run in 100% concentration---no mixing.
Not cheap---is it a waste of time?
04-29-2008, 12:33 PM
#14
Instructor
Roger that. I'm running an L88 in my 67, and was constantly overheating with the stock BB radiator. I switched to a Dewitt's #955 and, presto, overheating problem gone. All this without a shroud as well!
Last edited by 67L88; 04-29-2008 at 03:10 PM. Reason: spelling
04-29-2008, 01:06 PM
#15
Former Vendor
Distilled water is a must
RGGregory, if you don't use distilled water you void the warranty of the radiator. We have had customers ruin a new aluminum radiator using city water in less than one year due to the levels of calcium and sodium. Tap water is no better than using rusty well water because aluminum and minerials do not mix. The older copper radiators were a lot more forgiving and people that used tap water for years may not buy into this logic, but when we see a 8 month old radiator come back with multiple pin holes, we know there is only one thing that can cause that.
04-29-2008, 06:13 PM
#16
Melting Slicks
RGGregory, if you don't use distilled water you void the warranty of the radiator. We have had customers ruin a new aluminum radiator using city water in less than one year due to the levels of calcium and sodium. Tap water is no better than using rusty well water because aluminum and minerials do not mix. The older copper radiators were a lot more forgiving and people that used tap water for years may not buy into this logic, but when we see a 8 month old radiator come back with multiple pin holes, we know there is only one thing that can cause that.
04-29-2008, 07:04 PM
#17
Le Mans Master
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I have always used distilled water in all my vehicles. Figured it can't hurt and that way I know there is not a bunch of ???? in the tap water. I don't drink tap water either, just bottled. But distilled water is cheap so why not?
04-30-2008, 12:06 AM
#18
Drifting
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RGGregory, if you don't use distilled water you void the warranty of the radiator. We have had customers ruin a new aluminum radiator using city water in less than one year due to the levels of calcium and sodium. Tap water is no better than using rusty well water because aluminum and minerials do not mix. The older copper radiators were a lot more forgiving and people that used tap water for years may not buy into this logic, but when we see a 8 month old radiator come back with multiple pin holes, we know there is only one thing that can cause that.
Tom - thanks for the heads up. the 67 is sold (I'll pass it along to the current owner). I should have clarified, that even though I didn't/don't use distilled water, my house is on well water, and I have a 9$k water filtration/purification system that puts all municipal and everything short of a distillation plant to shame.
04-30-2008, 12:07 AM
#19
Drifting
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Suggest you go with the distilled water in whatever ratio you end up choosing, if you want to keep your warranty (see Tom DeWitt's post, above.
04-30-2008, 01:26 AM
#20
I have a new Dewitts restoration radiator, just put it in a month ago.
So, the Dexcool is out, so what is the anti-freeze to use?? The Yellow stuff?? Or good ol Green ???
I was running the Yellow, and have filled with distilled water to flush the system.
Mark
So, the Dexcool is out, so what is the anti-freeze to use?? The Yellow stuff?? Or good ol Green ???
I was running the Yellow, and have filled with distilled water to flush the system.
Mark