Deionized versus Distilled water?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 949
Likes: 1
From: Rainier Oregon
Deionized versus Distilled water?
I just recently bought a bottle of Royal Purple "Purple Ice" to add to my radiator, & on the back of the bottle it said not to add distilled water in an aluminum radiator system, so does that mean that what's left is either tap, or deionized water? And so, what IS deionized water?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,267
Likes: 40
From: Phoenix AZ
Its pretty much what I thought. I just called the tech line and asked them why not to use distilled or deionized water. (was bored at work)
They say that if you only use water and the additive without antifreeze, the deionized or distilled water lacks all minerals and will "dissolve" the metals in the cooling system system till the water and surrounding metals are "equal".
They say that if you only use water and the additive without antifreeze, the deionized or distilled water lacks all minerals and will "dissolve" the metals in the cooling system system till the water and surrounding metals are "equal".
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Fort Smith AR
Deionized vs distilled
As the name implies deionized water is water
that has been passed through a column or membrane to remove ions present. A de-ionizing column will not remove nonionic
organic substances from the water.
In contrast, distilled water is actually boiled in a still and the
condensate collected and distributed. Distillation removes both ionic and
nonionic organic contaminants.
that has been passed through a column or membrane to remove ions present. A de-ionizing column will not remove nonionic
organic substances from the water.
In contrast, distilled water is actually boiled in a still and the
condensate collected and distributed. Distillation removes both ionic and
nonionic organic contaminants.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 763
Likes: 1
From: Oceanside Ca
Beavis and Butthead
As the name implies deionized water is water
that has been passed through a column or membrane to remove ions present. A de-ionizing column will not remove nonionic
organic substances from the water.
In contrast, distilled water is actually boiled in a still and the
condensate collected and distributed. Distillation removes both ionic and
nonionic organic contaminants.
that has been passed through a column or membrane to remove ions present. A de-ionizing column will not remove nonionic
organic substances from the water.
In contrast, distilled water is actually boiled in a still and the
condensate collected and distributed. Distillation removes both ionic and
nonionic organic contaminants.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
I have always used distilled water and a 50/50 coolant mixture. From the description above, distilled water is more pure than de-ionized water that only has the anions and cations removed. Prestone used to sell deionized water, but I have not seen any in the stores in years.
Either one is bound to better than the tap water here with all the minerals to solidify inside the radiator.
I think the recommendation is never use just pure water. It has better heat absorption capacity, but has none of the corrosion inhibitors. The three functions of the antifreeze are 1. to lower the freezing point, 2. to raise the boiling point, and 3. inhibit corrosion.
Either one is bound to better than the tap water here with all the minerals to solidify inside the radiator.
I think the recommendation is never use just pure water. It has better heat absorption capacity, but has none of the corrosion inhibitors. The three functions of the antifreeze are 1. to lower the freezing point, 2. to raise the boiling point, and 3. inhibit corrosion.
Last edited by TEXHAWK0; Sep 7, 2007 at 09:30 PM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,995
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From: Fort Wayne IN
50/50 antifreeze and distilled water is what I've always used in both my vette and DD. DD is 20 years old and still has the original heater core in it (radiator was replaced but not due to corrosion). 
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,498
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From: Brentwood TN
Charlie
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,269
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From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'09-'10
Sounds like a techie that needs to try to put back some of his $5.85 an hour pay and take a correspondence course in chemistry. It is true that DI water will react with certain types of stainless steel, but does not with other metals, in particular aluminum, iron, and non-stainless steel.
Charlie
Charlie
And another reason not to use regualr tap water is that it may contain high levels of minerals like calcium carbonate (limestone) which leave deposits that can imped cooling.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 293
Likes: 1
From: Omaha, NE USA
This web site answers this question:
http://www.no-rosion.com/faq.htm
Scan about 2/3 way down the page, and it goes into some good detail on the topic.
http://www.no-rosion.com/faq.htm
Scan about 2/3 way down the page, and it goes into some good detail on the topic.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,251
Likes: 16
From: Phoenix Arizona
This web site answers this question:
http://www.no-rosion.com/faq.htm
Scan about 2/3 way down the page, and it goes into some good detail on the topic.
http://www.no-rosion.com/faq.htm
Scan about 2/3 way down the page, and it goes into some good detail on the topic.
http://www.no-rosion.com/faq.htm
Scan about 2/3 way down the page, and it goes into some good detail on the topic.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,498
Likes: 4
From: Brentwood TN
Distilled water.
And what No-Rosion conveniently fails to mention is that straight water has higher heat transfer coefficient but freezes. If you live north of the Florida border, don't drive without antifreeze.
Charlie
And what No-Rosion conveniently fails to mention is that straight water has higher heat transfer coefficient but freezes. If you live north of the Florida border, don't drive without antifreeze.
Charlie
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,470
Likes: 1,170
From: Dyer, IN
I don't think so! Unless Chevy changed the service manual after 1999!