This is an old wives tale from back when glycol was a main ingredient in coolant as anti freeze. alot of coolants dont contain glycol now and you can buy some which specifically are aimed for using at the track. I just buy a local auto shop brand one now which is glycol free and designed for "use on circuits".

I tried demineralized water and motul mocool once as i was told you have to use de min water with it. questioned where that would be appropriate in an aluminium head but told to use it anyway. Didnt last long with it as it went brown super fast so ditched it all went back to traditonal tap water

 

You should always use distilled water in the cooling system.

Mist coolants still have glycol, and it's difficult to clean up. Track cars should have water and some form of water wetter product in them.

 

No type of coolant has better heat capacity than water, but some additive is needed to fight off corrosion and keep the cooling system from forming an anode/cathode relationship between the iron and aluminum parts.

If you're not running a radiator with plastic end tanks you can also raise your boiling point with a higher pressure rad cap. I can't remember if stock is 1.1bar but that's pretty typical and there are 1.3/1.5 and higher caps out there. I wouldn't go higher than 1.5 unless you have a beefy radiator that you're confident won't balloon.

 

You ever get to do any testing of the water wetter type additives in a dyno cell?

 

I have not, only different types of coolants. Don't mix OAT and POAT coolants, you get some pretty nasty fallout and it can start gelling.

I've also seen firsthand what tap water alone will do to a cooling system, it's not pretty. And I've seen it chew through 1/4" thick steel flow control valves on water brake dynos too.

 

I need to find a source of RO water locally. Filtered well water is what I have here, though the Evo is still on Tap from my old house with water wetter. Ive been torn on just going back to antifreeze since I dont track the car.

 

tap or distilled?

and I agree though, should be using some form of water wetter. I use rl's, they have a full coolant also, boilguard, but I'm not sure about what kind of additives and acidic kinda stuff they have in there

 

I use this for my marine aquarium: RO Buddie Cheap, easy, wall-mountable. Deionizing cartridge is clear to monitor filter life and replaceable cartridges.

 

Yeah, OAT and non-OAT or whatever will **** you up.

And yeah, depending on the region, tap water can be extremely hard, then they add chlorine to it. Just absolutely does not belong in an engine. Especially when you can get distilled water for $1.50/gal at any grocery store.

 

I use pure tap water (whole-house filtered) for track days, then go back to bulk-anti-freeze. I use it as an opportunity to flush and inspect whatever. I just make sure its swapped out before the winter freeze! (that happened to my Audi 1.8t)
while we're on this topic, my engine builder used a green coolant that turns "salty white" when you have a leak somewhere. what is that crap? I had a slight leak while putting break in miles and the underbody and drivetrain is covered with salty white residue. the idiot used brake cleaner everywhere to remove them too

 

That sounds like a standard green coolant. Probably the OEM Mitsubishi stuff

 

cant be standard green. I drain cheapo green stuff and even random brands from truck stops and none of them are like it. Maybe theres a specific brand and I would like to avoid it. it looked like it would clog my radiator

 

All coolants have stuff in them. Evaporate all the liquid out and a powdery/chalky substance will be left behind.

 

Ok its just strange, maybe it was a concentrate/not diluted? I just let (cheapo) coolant drip on my trans/floor when working on the car and it doesnt dry up or leave residue. coolant on my driveway seep into the concrete with no residue also

 

Where is the go to to buy Ohlins these days?