Ok, now I know its bad to run tap water in the rad because of the minerals and stuff, and I also know that you need antifreeze to keep it from freezing, but if you were running say 80% water and 20% coolant, is it possible that it evaporates? I had trouble with my water pump as you know, and after I got it fixed, the water seemed to be disapperaing. I know youre all gonna say bad water seal, but it doesnt smoke THAT much...Just a little at start up like a normal car, and it drips out the tail pipes like condensation in the exhaust, then its gone after its semi-warm. So where was my water/coolant going? I say was because now that I have the right mixture, it hasnt gone down at all, so I was wondering if maybe it was just that the water was evaporating or what? I dont know, sound stupid?

~T.J.

 

i seriously doubt it. if the system is airtight like it should be then whatever evaporates would condense when cooling down and pool back into the system.


do i sound halfway intelligent, lol?

 

I don't understand the question. Straight water? You need the antifreeze to lubricate the water pump.

 

I agree with jeremy. If you evaporate water in an airtight enclosure, the water expanding into steam will increase the pressure in the system. You would then notice the overflow tank being full (if you check it while engine is at operating temp) due to the pressure pushing fluid into it, sorta the opposite of the way vaccuum pulls water out of it when the system is low. Also, the radiator pressure cap would possible be venting fluid if the pressure was high enough.

 

he want to know where the water is going if the engine isn't burning it and it is not leaking.(is it?)

 

That's only one of the reasons you need antifreeze. The others are to provide lubrication for your water pump and anticorrosion chemicals for your cooling system -AND- to raise the boiling point of your coolant. If you use plain water, it will simply boil away over time. (Get it?) That's why they recommend never going below a 50-50 mixture - even in the summer.

 

first of all,

burning a gallon of gas will produce a LEAST a gallon of water.

my car using water and i couldnt tell where it was going either. it happend after I put in the larger radiator.

 

Let me get this straight. You burned 1 gallon of gas, and out of nowhere, the engine produced 1 gallon of water, (at least)

 

Let me get this straight. You burned 1 gallon of gas, and out of nowhere, the engine produced 1 gallon of water, (at least)

 

Here's a place to look. After yuor car has been sitting, check the top of the intake manifold for leakage. My 1st 7 would leak there. I read about a bunch of other people with that problem. One of the water O rings is prone to leak, it will allow water to seep out and puddles on the top of the manifold. Check you cap, when you shut of the engine, listen for boiling sounds. If you can hear boiling coming up through the hoses and out into the overflow bottle, then you've got gases escaping into the coolant. Piston engines that have been overheated will do this as the head gasket seeps.

Also, check your cap. You could also peak inside the car and make sure your heater core's not leaking, although you could probably smell the water.

 

He's no longer losing coolant...

 

okay, this will make it more feasable.

for every gallon of gas burned, 19000 gallons of air is being used,

there is at least a gallon of water in that air. in the form of hydrogen and oxygen.

when it is burned in the engine, it makes water.

make sense???

 

If you could just seperate and combine those, then you would have a car that runs on air. Did you guys know we can make fast missle that run on air? They do just that. Unfortuneately, Mach 5+ missles aren't two easy to build or practical considering the long distance range and chance of blowing up the wrong target.

 

I got it now. First you said a gallon of gas would make a gallon of water. Now its 19000 gallons of gas. That number, with your explaination are a lot more feasible and understandable. Its also would be a pretty revolutionary idea if one could harness this water and put it to use, although its a lot of gas to go through to get a gallon of water.

 

catalytic converter equipped cars do that a lot too... every so often you see a pencil-thin stream of water literally pouring out their tailpipe as they drive.

 

Yes, but with a clarification, if I may.
It's not just that the engine produces water from hydrogen and oxygen, there is water vapor in the air inducted into the engine as well. Humidity also plays a role. Water is expelled out the tailpipe as an exhaust gas product where it evaporates, forming clouds that drift idly by while we mutter and curse as we bang our knuckles and cut our fingers on jagged sheetmetal.

Or is that just me?

 

Thats what I thought, but then, like someone said earlier (which was my EXACT thinking), if it boils, it just changes to moisture/steam, which then should just condensate back to water if the system is sealed...

Also, noted this morning that my STONE COLD engine still had pressure in it when I lifted the lock to check the water level...Related?

~T.J.

 

this is also what causes black ice on roads in cold seasons

 

I know a guy who races motorcycles and owns a motorcycle shop. Because of the rules there's only water in the radiator. (coolant would be dangerous when leaking on the track, as it's slippery) Every couple of races (very often) the engine is pulled appart. I've done that together with him when i was still at school, and I know how it looks in that engine... The water will cause corrossion to all pipes and lines that can be corroded... So you end up with a brown mess inside. But other then that: it does work. The coolant will keep the engine from freezing, and makes the water less prone to boiling and probable lubricates the waterpump. So it is wise to use it. But other then that, without it your water shouldn't dissapear. Normally the system should be closed, so steam will becomes water again. So using just plain water would not be problem on the short term, it's just on the long term you'd get problems, because of all the reasons allready mentioned.

 

i don't know if anyone knows, but NHRA rules require you to run water only if you race on a NHRA regulation track. Your car will run coller with straight water than it will with antifreeze. don't ask me why its just known racing fact. i guess thats why its called antiFREEZE... so my point if you drag race you must be running straight water or any win you've gotten isn't a good one...
:P:

 

true, i run a 30/70 af to water split in the winter to bring down temps. alwasy use distilled water too.

whats with the clouds, jagged metal, cut fingers and bold text? my hands and eyes hurt now.

 

So uhhhh...Why would my engine still have pressure in it after sitting ALL night?

T.J.

 

your gerbils diet is off. give it a little gas-x and the give it the right formula.

 

Thanks Jeremy...I knew I could count on you to get a realistic response .

~T.J.

 

With all this talk about cooling, why would someone run Redline Water Wetter, when antifreeze seems to do the same thing?