coolant flush

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Jan 25, 2023 | 09:07 PM

#21

atljar

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Joined: Jul 2006

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From: Mason Ohio

Quote:

Originally Posted by C7.R 004

The info above is very good .
I use distilled water not tap water.
Our tap water contains lots of calcium.
I use red dye in the rad and blue dye in the intercooler to
identify each system in case of a leak.

I don't know if there's a total correct answer there. Most manufacturers, GM included, say to just use drinkable water. Obviously that means a wide range of water qualities in different parts of the country/world. If you really go down the rabbit hole, distilled water can be very imbalanced and actually contribute to corrosion as the water wants to pull ions out of whatever it's touching to stabilize.. Tap water, like you said, can have tons of minerals it from the start. Some people swear by softened water where it has many minerals removed but is better balanced. Who is correct? Does it really matter?

I suggest tap because that's what GM says. But my personal opinion and what I see day to day professionally in the automotive world, is it really doesn't make any difference with the newer coolants that are being used like the oat / hoat varieties including dexcool (not the old green colored stuff!) . There are enough additives in the newer coolants that a scaling and mineral buildup is almost non-existant, regardless of the water base used.

I do like the dye idea! Well thought out plan for easy future diag as needed

Jan 26, 2023 | 10:59 AM

#22

C7.R 004

Racer

Joined: Apr 2021

Posts: 362

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atljar.
I understand.
I have had calcium build up using DexCool/tap water.
I have installed 2 DeWitts radiators and their Tech/website recs distilled water.
Some folks rec de-ionized water.
Dis water works for me.
Thanks.

Jan 26, 2023 | 11:03 AM

#23

atljar

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Joined: Jul 2006

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From: Mason Ohio

Quote:

Originally Posted by C7.R 004

Sorry, wasnt trying to correct you, hope it didnt come off that way! Just not sure there is a one size fits all answer there. That could likely take up a few pages of info on another thread sometime. Take care!

Jan 26, 2023 | 12:06 PM

#24

Bill Dearborn

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Joined: Oct 1999

Posts: 40,995

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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)

Quote:

Originally Posted by atljar

Some people swear by softened water where it has many minerals removed but is better balanced. Who is correct? Does it really matter?

I think softened water could be very damaging to use unless you know for sure how it was softened. Basically, distilled water is soft water since there are no minerals carried through the distillation process. However, softened water that comes from salt-based water softeners can have a small percentage of salt dissolved in the softened water. From personal experience, I know that salt in softened water can kill plants when used to water them. Since it can kill plants it more than likely isn't something people or animals should consume on a regular basis and it more than likely can be corrosive inside an engine cooling system.

Once I realized the water softener in our new house was killing my wife's plants I rerouted the cold water supply to the kitchen sink and to the outside taps. All of our cooking and heating water came from the cold water tap in the kitchen and there was no need to spray softened water outside the house. With that change, the plants stopped dying.

Bill

Apr 24, 2023 | 09:44 PM

#25

corvet786c

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Joined: Sep 2007

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From: Port St Lucie Florida

Question, when the air is totally bled out of the intercooler air charge resevor what kind of performance gains are we talking vs air being in the system from the factory Thanks Chris.

Apr 25, 2023 | 04:09 PM

#26

atljar

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Joined: Jul 2006

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Likes: 407

From: Mason Ohio

Quote:

Originally Posted by corvet786c

Question, when the air is totally bled out of the intercooler air charge reservoir what kind of performance gains are we talking vs air being in the system from the factory Thanks Chris.

The quality of the fill done at the factory varies WIDELY and so would the power. The power loss will also become more pronounced depending on how many back to back pulls or hard accelerations are done, with a well bled system giving up less than one containing air. It could be anywhere between a couple HP to a couple hundred HP (honestly)

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