Wednesday 2nd June 2004

WaterWetter

Keep your cool in hot weather

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As summers looms, the cooling system in your car will face its biggest challenges. Flushing the crud out should be the first answer, but after that what can you do to ensure your cooling system operates at peak efficiency?

Wetter water would be a start - or "WaterWetter". This is a product which both improves cooling and inhibits corrosion within the system.

Water has twice the heat transfer capability when compared to 50% glycol antifreeze/coolant in water. Most passenger cars have a cooling system designed to deal with sufficient heat under normal operating conditions using a 50/50 antifreeze/water solution.

However, in racing applications, the use of water and WaterWetter enables the use of smaller radiator systems. This creates less frontal drag and whilst ensuring the engine operates at its optimum temperature.

So how does it work?   Water has excellent heat transfer properties in its liquid state, but very high surface tension makes it difficult to release water vapour from the metal surface. Under heavy load conditions, much of the heat in the cylinder head is transferred by localized boiling at hot spots, even though the bulk of the cooling solution is below the boiling point.

WaterWetter reduces the surface tension of water by a factor of two, which means that much smaller vapour bubbles will be formed. Bubbles on the metal surface create an insulating layer which impedes heat transfer. Releasing these vapor bubbles from the metal surface can improve the heat transfer properties in this localized boiling region.

Want more info on WaterWetter? Contact www.leventechnology.co.uk

[DustyC]

Is it as good as it sounds? Any experiences?

I heard that you need to drain and start from fresh as it doesnt work so well with antifreeze. Needs to be just water and WW.

Worth draining the system and going for it?
My temp guage stays on 90 for regular drivng but have seen 100 on a circuit.

[edc]

DustyC said:

Is it as good as it sounds? Any experiences? I heard that you need to drain and start from fresh as it doesnt work so well with antifreeze. Needs to be just water and WW. Worth draining the system and going for it? My temp guage stays on 90 for regular drivng but have seen 100 on a circuit.

Is that oil or water temp? I'd be more concerned about the former.

[blueyes]

Used TWO bottles in my T350c and it made no difference. Supposed to work well on Griffs and chims though.

[BogBeast]

Worked well on my griff.

Also used Millers Rad Hib wihich seem to work as well and was about £6 a bottle from my local Motorists Discount.

[BogBeast]

Worked well on my griff.

Also used Millers Rad Hib wihich seem to work as well and was about £6 a bottle from my local Motorists Discount.

[ErnestM]

Well, I can just say this:

In, arguably, the hottest place on the planet, at times, to run a performance car, I have used it and will continue to use it.

I have a favourite run with the Lotus. It's about 10 miles long with a nice straight highway run over a 3 mile bridge. After completing the run without watter wetter, the cooling fans stay on for what feels like an eternity. Also, when you shut of the engine, the fans stay on (and coolant recirculates) for quite a while. With the watter wetter, the temperature is lower and less cool down is required after shut down. It makes driving in stop and go city traffic less of a heated affair as well.

It's going to be about 37/38 c here today, and the summer is not quite here yet. Water wetter in all of my vehicles is something of a must.

ErnestM

[mrmaggit]

Dr. Joolz puts it in Wol's system. If its what Dr. Joolz recommends, then that's good enough for me.

[N17 TVR]

there is a lot of the 'scientific' detail about WW and how it works, how it was tested on Redlines web site. Its effectiveness is increased as the ratio of anti-freeze/water is reduced. To the bes of knowledge the optimum ratio is about 15% anti-freeze coolant.

You will need a 330ml bottle for an engine that holds 11-12litres of coolant.

[cccscotland]

Yep, it transformed the cooling on both a 70's Aston and series 2 Esprit. Bear in mind that you will have to flush and replace with your normal antifreeze mix for winter, as WW doesn't drop the freezing temp.