With warmer weather approaching (though it's supposed to snow tomorrow, WTF?), I've decided to add Redline water wetter to my coolant. I did it to my prelude with good results. I just need to know if it is necessary to drain change the coolant when doing this. Thoughts, anyone?

 

Water Wetter will create a nasty sludge in your overflow tank unless you really flush your coolant system out well. I installed a Prestone back-flush kit in my Miata to do this. I drained the coolant and refilled with just water and radiator flush. I ran the car for a day like that, back-flushed again, refilled with distilled water, ran that through the system for about 10 minutes, drained and then refilled with more distilled water, about 25% anti-freeze and a half-bottle of Water Wetter. BTW, you can also put one or two drops of Dawn dish detergent in there instead of Water Wetter for the same effect. WW is just a surfactant, like any detergent. A few drops will not do you harm (like foam up). I'd still use about 35% anti-freeze. Really, if your cooling system is working fine and you don't track your car, Water Wetter is not going to do much for you.

Kris

 

You can also use a teaspoon Kodak Photoflow as an alternative. It is a surfactant used in film processing to stop streaking on negatives. You can get it from photographic processing suppliers who sell developer and fixers.

Speedracer

 

PilotKD is right about WW - the reason it leaves sludge is that the phosphorous in it react with the latest coolant formulations.

 

Even in the Arizona heat is doesn't help much?
-Lee

 

Just curious. Are your cars overheating? What makes you think you need WW? What makes you think it is "helping" your car? Does your engine heat up beyond the thermostat opening temp and then stay high?

I used to use the stuff in Hi-po british sports car engines to help prevent overheating. I would not use it in the S2000

 

I added water wetter a while back and it's sludgy in the coolant reservoir, should I worry about it or will it do no harm?

 

The label on WW states that it is compatable with ALL coolant types. I have been using it with TypeII for the last year, and have noticed no sludge. I use it because I do track my car, and I use an 85% water / 15% anti-freeze mixture.

 

I run water wetter, as well, but that's because I'm FI and had to switch to an aftermarket radiator in order to bring my temperatures down to a reasonable level. I thought the water wetter would help (and still do), but I can't calibrate the impact as I did both the radiator and the water wetter at the same time. I've noticed no "sludge" but I added the water wetter to the coolant mix before I poured it into the radiator.

CB

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C. Bender
2001 Silver/Black
AEM EMS, Fuel Pressure Regulator, and Wideband O2 Sensor; RC Engineering 550 Injectors; Turbonetics TO4B 60:1 Ball Bearing Turbo; Tial 46mm Wastegate and 50mm Blowoff Valve; GReddy EGT and Boost Warning Gauges; Auto Meter Oil Temperature Sensor; Holly 250 Forced Induction Fuel Pump; CM 6" Remote Canister Oil Filter with Stainless Steel Lines; C&R Custom Radiator with Integrated Oil Cooler; Mugen Radiator Cap, Thermostat, and Fan Switch; Speedcraft Front Mounted Intercooler, Mandrel Bent Tubing, 3" Down Pipe, and 3" Stainless Exhaust; A'PEXi N1 Mufflers; Clutchmaster Stage 3 Clutch; Toda Lightweight Flywheel; Upgraded Oil Bolts; Elda Engineering Rollbar; Recaro SPG Competition Seat; Sparco 3" Six Point Harness; Spoon X-Brace; HeCash Brake Ducting; Comptech Stainless Steel Brake Lines; WorkMeister S2R 18" Wheels; Lucid's Front and Rear Speakers; 2002 Stereo Head Unit; Rick's Front Badge; JDM Clear Side Markers and Shaved Badges; Muz Shift Knob; Uber Cool Nurburgring Decal

 

I think WW is really supposed to be used in a track car with just water in the system to provide some lubrication for the water pump and to soften the water up for better heat transfer.

Kris