You don’t need to use bottled water. This means its essential to get the problem that caused a low coolant level fixed as soon as possible, and the radiator filled with a 50/50 ratio of coolant to water. Nip into Natrad to get the right coolant for your vehicle. The Ready to Use formula can be added to your coolant reservoir directly from the bottle, whilst the concentrated alternative will need to be mixed with water prior to use. 1 decade ago. There are many different types of bottled water available. Bottled water that has gone thru several different stages of water treatment and is essentially pure water is generally good for use in PC water-cooling systems. We understand that a lot of drivers like to save on the cost of motoring, and one such cost-cutting measure is to ditch screen wash in favour of plain old water. This can prevent pets from drinking the fluid. To add water, allow the entire car to cool, then begin adding water through the reservoir. ), Free Shipping for Loyal Forum Members - CLICK HERE. Coolant is typically a 50-50 split between antifreeze as well as water. While we do need water that has been removed of these minerals for the coolant system, the process of distillation actually will leave the water ionically imbalanced. At 100 celius water boils and seperates into H and O2, steam may vaper lock your cooling system. Natrad provide you with exceptional coolant products and advice. On the contrary, this does not mean that you can’t use water at all. It’s important to always use coolant in your car, not pure antifreeze, as antifreeze has a much higher freezing point of around -20°C. Here are the steps to take to safely top up the coolant in your radiator with water: While it’s not ideal, adding water is better for your vehicle that no fluid at all. A Natrad technician can diagnose a radiator problem, repair and flush your radiator. Is it okay to use tap or bottled water for coolant? This site uses cookies. http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-903-mot...ng-liquid-anti-corrosion-and-anti-freeze.aspx, (You must log in or sign up to reply here. 26 May 2012 at 15:16 #2. Make sure that your engine is off and cool, and the vehicle is in Park or Neutral, with the parking brake on. Clarkey. Gangster . 0 0. The minerals in the water we have from the tap can cause corrosion etc. Usually distilled water is purer (has more of its minerals and organisms removed) than deionized water. You can use water as a coolant for your engine in place of antifreeze, but you should replace the antifreeze at the earliest possible opportunity. You can also use bottled water or tap water. This use ends up generating rust and sludge, which can damage the cooling system. One thing straight, always mix water and coolant in equal consistencies. Otherwise, expect regular trips to the shops. The answer to “Can I use water as engine coolant,” is definitely no. No, you cannot. Mineral Water. I make sure I use the deionized water anytime I add coolant or water. Ideally, this would be distilled water. Thermostat. Discussion in 'Motors' started by lemonade, 26 May 2012. Some bottled waters have minerals and/or flavorings added and these are not well suited for use as a coolant. With the Mercedes turned off, the coolant reservoir cap can be opened and the coolant can be added as necessary. Once the radiator has been thoroughly flushed you should fill it with a 50/50 mixture of the coolant specified by your vehicle manufacturer and distilled water. If it’s really low or actually empty, you need to add fluid to your vehicle. However if the coolant user manual says to use distilled water I advice you to use distilled. Joined: 13 Jan 2010 Posts: 119. It also does not boil until it gets much hotter than water. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. I'm sure the inhibitors in the anti-freeze would stop it, but would using de-ionised water cause corrosion seen in PC water cooling systems using de-ionised water, interesting. Always follow the vehicle manufacturer’s directions when using anti freeze and coolant. Coolant needs changing because chemicals in the coolant break down and become less effective over time. Ideally, this would be distilled water. Bottled mineral water is basically the same as bottled spring water. Overflow bottle. Step back and allow the pressure to release before removing the cap completely. Check out the video below. You can also use bottled water or tap water. Some bottled waters have minerals and/or flavorings added and these are not well suited for use as a coolant. Cheers Trust. Nowadays, the use of deionized water as a cleanser is a new technique. Repairing the radiator as soon as possible will reduce the likelihood of potential extensive damage to the radiator, heater and engine. While you can drive the car for a short time using water in place of the coolant, it won’t effectively protect your engine. Reverse osmosis is great for drinking water. The claim: Water containing calcium chloride is unsafe to drink. The drawback would still be the same as sparkling water, which is, the running costs of using bottled spring water for your plants. Science if you care: If you don’t have coolant available, you should top up your radiator with the highest quality water that you have. Have your radiator checked over by a technician to determine why the coolant was low in the first place. Distilled water will damage the metals in your engine if used repeatedly. In the event that a car has overheated and pushed out coolant, water can be added as a temporary substitute. I do use distilled water in my motorbike, but i care for that like nothing else. I wouldn't want my fish to suffer hampshires heavily treated water, let alone my engine, Am I being thick here? So better choice is distilled, but your will be fine with deionized as well. It does not use any chemicals and as such, cleanser use water instead. In general, using water as coolant is OK for a short time or as a "get you home" alternative, but it does not have the anti-freeze and corrosion inhibiting properties of a proper coolant mix, so should not be left in the engine for any length of time, especially if you live in a cold climate. If you get into a tricky situation where you have to drive your car using water as the coolant, make sure that you get the vehicle to a radiator technician and determine the cause of the coolant loss. Anti freeze is there to raise boiling point of the water, water is the cooling agent and wont freeze when 50 percent antifreeze is used. And others will use a cooler merely to have cold drinking water available without having to run (metered) water for several minutes to get it cold, thus realizing some energy savings. The drink can also be frozen into ice cubes or be used as a mixer with other drinks. Joined: 18 Oct 2002 Posts: 18,093. We stock the highest quality coolant and will refill your vehicle with the manufacturer recommended coolant to ensure your vehicle runs smoothly. I thought you just used coolant in coolant systems... ala this -. Always use deionized water when you are mixing coolant concentrates, tap water contains minerals that can react to the metals within your radiator, engine, and headgaskets and cause corrosion overtime and can lead to premature failure. Ideally, this would be distilled water. Both products are guaranteed to mix with any colour of coolant, so you can add it to your engine’s cooling system with confidence. One should purchase coolant meant for the Mercedes referred to as Mercedes Copland. You can also try testing the acidity by using a very sensitive digital voltmeter – place the positive lead in the coolant and the negative lead to a metal radiator ground. Next, drive to the nearest repair shop so the cooling system can be repaired and the correct coolant mixture can be added. The technician will locate and repair any leaks, replace any compromised parts of the cooling system and flush the radiator before replacing the coolant. 27 May 2012 at 06:50 #21. daisycutter. Also does it make a big difference mixing the anti freeze and water beforehand in a bottle or is it okay to just pour them in to the tank straight in equal measure? Most coolants are already premixed, but occasionally you can buy concentrated coolant. Using non-drinking water . The reason for this is that tap water has minerals that can deform deposits inside the radiator and the cooling system passages of your engine. Anonymous. Myth 2: Don’t use screen wash – water does the same thing. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a nearby spring, then well and good. The coolant acts like electrolyte in the battery and I remember a test where you would use a voltmeter with the + end in the coolant and the - … No, you should use distilled water or better yet, de-ionized water. Click to see full answer. In any case, I bought a small deionizer, one fill of resin for about $40 will do about 200 gallons in my conditions. It is not recommended to use only water in the radiator or coolant system because it may cause your engine to freeze in cold weather, which may damage your engine seriously. Trust. Be this tap water, distilled water, de-ionized water, bottled water, dog water, etc… As long as the cooling system is maintained on a regular basis, the antifreeze at the proper mixture will prevent any corrosion from ocurring. If you spill antifreeze while working on your car, clean up the spill and spray down the area with water. A water and coolant mix is recommended, distilled water even better, mineral water if you have nothing else. Cooling fan. Antifreeze has the main ingredient of ethylene glycol. 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However, if you use Hy-per Lube Super Coolant, you don’t need to use softened water. Bear in mind that tap water or bore water contains minerals that can leave deposits throughout your cooling system, contributing to corrosion and reducing the lifespan of the radiator. Pros/Cons of Using Water. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Intended as a newer and trendier version of Three Legs Cooling Water, it was introduced …