Engine temperature and coolant question?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,007
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
Engine temperature and coolant question?
My Corvette is fine, but I just want to ask a question about any vehicle.
Everytime I have replaced coolant in the Corvette, I drained it out, refilled with distilled water, drove car some to circulate and warm up (or when it was hot weather just let car idle in garage to not risk overheating), let cool off then drain, keep draining and refilling with distilled water until it drains out clear, to try to get all old coolant out.
Then mix up 50/50 of new coolant with distilled water.
First time was cool weather and drove a few miles from home, 2nd time doing it years later it was still over 100 out, so just let car idle in garage to circulate distilled water, and kept draining and refilling until clear.
Let's say I was doing this on another car, it's 95-105, running distilled water only, after flushing with water hose with tap water through a Prestone T installed in heater hose, letting water flow out of neck where radiator cap goes, then draining.
Would having only distilled water make the coolant "distilled water" temperature higher than if it was 50/50 coolant and distilled water?.
Everytime I have replaced coolant in the Corvette, I drained it out, refilled with distilled water, drove car some to circulate and warm up (or when it was hot weather just let car idle in garage to not risk overheating), let cool off then drain, keep draining and refilling with distilled water until it drains out clear, to try to get all old coolant out.
Then mix up 50/50 of new coolant with distilled water.
First time was cool weather and drove a few miles from home, 2nd time doing it years later it was still over 100 out, so just let car idle in garage to circulate distilled water, and kept draining and refilling until clear.
Let's say I was doing this on another car, it's 95-105, running distilled water only, after flushing with water hose with tap water through a Prestone T installed in heater hose, letting water flow out of neck where radiator cap goes, then draining.
Would having only distilled water make the coolant "distilled water" temperature higher than if it was 50/50 coolant and distilled water?.
Last edited by 1999corvettels1; Jun 7, 2019 at 02:45 PM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,007
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
The reason I drove with only distilled water, was a time issue, had to get car to emissions test, and had a temporary permit just for that reason.
Car had been sitting and just replaced leaking water pump, timing belt, motor mounts, belts, new electric fan, etc.
Car had been sitting and just replaced leaking water pump, timing belt, motor mounts, belts, new electric fan, etc.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 369
Likes: 59
From: North Georgia
It's the other way around. The more water, the cooler running it is. The reason for the coolant is to protect the aluminum, seals to the water pump and hoses. There maybe other things I have missed, but essentially the more water, the cooler it will run. In racing, most sanctioning bodys require only water and Water Wetter to replace the lubrication factor of the antifreeze. Oh yea, I'm an idiot, the coolant, aka antifreeze, helps it keep from freezing.
Bottom line: you are OK to run in hot temps with just water for a short while.
Spaggs
Bottom line: you are OK to run in hot temps with just water for a short while.
Spaggs
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Wisconsin
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 275
Likes: 21
From: North Carolina
Sorry, I just now read the part about 'Non Corvette'. What I stated was what worked for me on just my 04 Base Manual Corvette.
Last edited by nmbsun; Jun 8, 2019 at 08:46 AM.
