I need some quick opinions...Shootout, or no Shootout?

[ApexHunter]

Probably the right call. Maybe it would have been fine, maybe not. After all the hard work you've done, it would really suck to find yourself in a desperate spot where you have no choice but to use the careless asshole tow guy and/or retard repair shop, because you need to be at work Monday morning. I went from OC to Mammoth a few years ago and had two separate incidents on that trip. This was in a stock 1995 Honda Accord as well, and the thing was tip top before the trip. Man it sucked.

RE: Water Wetter. Reason #1 WW works well is it acts as a corrosion inhibitor so you can use 100% distilled. Straight water has ~20% more heat capacity than 50/50, so those big temp drops they advertise on the bottle is assuming you're using 100% water. The other important part of the equation is heat transfer. Another problem with straight water is that it has a lot of surface tension and the heat has some difficulty being transferred from the water. The WW has really good transfer properties and helps the water with heat transfer. Obviously straight water has a lower boiling point than a glycol mix, and the WW helps bump that up. That and increasing system pressure. WW is not as effective if you are using a glycol mix, but will probably help a few degrees.

 

[Steve885]

I didn't read all the posts to see if anyone answered but with triple aaa I have 500 miles of towing...up to five times a year for around $120 good investment if your driving old cars...lol

 

[FlyingEagle]

Quoting ApexHunter:
Probably the right call. Maybe it would have been fine, maybe not. After all the hard work you've done, it would really suck to find yourself in a desperate spot where you have no choice but to use the careless asshole tow guy and/or retard repair shop, because you need to be at work Monday morning. I went from OC to Mammoth a few years ago and had two separate incidents on that trip. This was in a stock 1995 Honda Accord as well, and the thing was tip top before the trip. Man it sucked.

RE: Water Wetter. Reason #1 WW works well is it acts as a corrosion inhibitor so you can use 100% distilled. Straight water has ~20% more heat capacity than 50/50, so those big temp drops they advertise on the bottle is assuming you're using 100% water. The other important part of the equation is heat transfer. Another problem with straight water is that it has a lot of surface tension and the heat has some difficulty being transferred from the water. The WW has really good transfer properties and helps the water with heat transfer. Obviously straight water has a lower boiling point than a glycol mix, and the WW helps bump that up. That and increasing system pressure. WW is not as effective if you are using a glycol mix, but will probably help a few degrees.



Seen pictures of the grey sludge in some cooling system, guys were running distilled water, and it was pulling out/eating up the metal in the system. I gather there was a also a ground issue to go along with that too, but be careful if not using an antifreeze product in your cooling system.

 

[ApexHunter]

^Need more info. I know a lot of people using this combination successfully out here in no-season land.

EDIT- Just noticed you were referring to straight distilled, no additive. Please disegard my response.

 

[G]

You are better off with a toyota red/ distilled combo.

 

[prove_it]

Why toyota Red?

 

[coyotes]

what's wrong with straight distilled? There's nothing in it to corrode anything. I run a coolant/distilled mix, but known plenty of people running straight distilled with no problems.

 

[GVR4kauai]

Since in Hawaii it's really hot all the time. I run straight distilled water and bottle of royal purple ice. Coolant temps always stay around half or under on the stock gauge even during and after a pull. I also have a 2g mani with heat shield, but I'm only running one fan and have it wired always on high. Works great for my setup so far!!

 

[prove_it]

Quoting coyotes:
what's wrong with straight distilled? There's nothing in it to corrode anything. I run a coolant/distilled mix, but known plenty of people running straight distilled with no problems.



Straight distilled has a harder time removing the heat, plus the boiling point is much lower. Need to have some sort of additive that promotes heat transfer.

 

[coyotes]

I know that, I meant as far as corroding the cooling system like the guy above suggested. Just curious

 

[ApexHunter]

Two dissimilar metals (iron block, aluminum head) + electrolyte(water) = chemical reaction. Let the corrosion begin!

edit- Galvanic Corrosion

 

[manikbastrd]

Distilled with green coolant is what we run at the shop. The benefit of distilled water is that you minimize the salts and other crap in tap water in your cooling system, all of which promotes corrosion.

 

[coyotes]

Quoting ApexHunter:
Two dissimilar metals (iron block, aluminum head) + electrolyte(water) = chemical reaction. Let the corrosion begin!

edit- Galvanic Corrosion



yes yes, but distilled water only contains trace elements of electrolytes, why is why you use it instead of say, tap water.

 

[G]

The toyota red that toyota developed has better corrosion protection than the green especially iron. Their are a bunch of articles on it floating around. Some of my vehicles sit for a long time so I prefer the toyota coolant.

 

[GSTwithPSI]

Water is the best coolant you can use. Straight water transfers heat far better than antifreeze, or a water/antifreeze mix. The boiling point of water is raised by placing the system under pressure, made possible by the radiator cap. Although water is the best possible coolant, it sucks at lubricating the cooling system. Straight water also promotes electrolysis, which leads to corrosion and metal part failures. And, obviously, water freezes when it gets too chilly.

Antifreeze has a higher boiling point, and lower freezing point than water. It lubricates the system and helps combat electrolysis. Typical ethylene glycol or propylene glycol based coolants still don't transfer heat as effectively as water, though. That's why most people use a 50/50 mix, for a compromise between the two.

 

[ApexHunter]

^Nice summary, and would like to clarify something. Water absorbs heat better, but it is not so good at the transfer part. That is why a surfactant like water wetter is so beneficial. It breaks up the surface tension and helps heat transfer.

Good point on the lubrication, that is an important benefit to anti-freezes and water wetter type additives.

 

[1dvsdsm]

Quoting coyotes:
Open up those hood vents and runnit. Although personally I wouldn't go, would not want to be stranded far from home. Take your other G ride. Shake down the VR4 more before you feel safe driving it that far. Or throw up tow coverage on your insurance before your trip. Mine costs me 20 dollars per policy period.

I drive with all my tools in my car when I take it around. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Better to be safe than sorry.



AAA premium FTW 100 miles towing included with free gas and a cool gold car.
But glad you 2 made it out and the car looked great. I didnt catch if you made it back with out problems. I just got back to texas after a short trip to new york to visit family. 4100 miles round trip 32mpg avg