deminerlised or distilled water that is the ?

[Robo]

I have just replaced a cracked head and a heap of other stuff etc.

Visit my parents today, talking with Dad over lunch as you do, (he has a degree in chemistry).
mentioned to him in the coolant I use deminerlised water not tap water.
he said that would be a little acid , mild but still a soft acid possible enough to still clean a softer metal.
the iron block would be ok but other metals ???
WT hell I'm thinking.
the process--- well the one he knows about.
the water is put through a special filter to absorb the minerals in it.
but as someone said every action has !
and the spin off is minerals are replaced with positive hydrogen irons.
hydrogen is one part of hydrochloric acid.
now this is where it gets interesting
to make it hydrochloric it needs negative charged calcium irons to make it hydrochloric acid and that is missing here.
so he said don't think you need to worry.
that said I was a little surprised to see how clean the old head was, so that may explain something.
thought I'd pass it on, take from that what you will.
Using Distilled water overcomes this problem. :icon_driving:
cheers.

[MEGOMONSTER]

I have just replaced a cracked head and a heap of other stuff etc.

Visit my parents today, talking with Dad over lunch as you do, (he has a degree in chemistry).
mentioned to him in the coolant I use deminerlised water not tap water.
he said that would be a little acid , mild but still a soft acid possible enough to still clean a softer metal.
the iron block would be ok but other metals ???
WT hell I'm thinking.
the process--- well the one he knows about.
the water is put through a special filter to absorb the minerals in it.
but as someone said every action has !
and the spin off is minerals are replaced with positive hydrogen irons.
hydrogen is one part of hydrochloric acid.
now this is where it gets interesting
to make it hydrochloric it needs negative charged calcium irons to make it hydrochloric acid and that is missing here.
so he said don't think you need to worry.
that said I was a little surprised to see how clean the old head was, so that may explain something.
thought I'd pass it on, take from that what you will.
Using Distilled water overcomes this problem. :icon_driving:
cheers.

Cheers for the info. Very interesting to hear from a different perspective.

[BigRAWesty]

I have just replaced a cracked head and a heap of other stuff etc.

Visit my parents today, talking with Dad over lunch as you do, (he has a degree in chemistry).
mentioned to him in the coolant I use deminerlised water not tap water.
he said that would be a little acid , mild but still a soft acid possible enough to still clean a softer metal.
the iron block would be ok but other metals ???
WT hell I'm thinking.
the process--- well the one he knows about.
the water is put through a special filter to absorb the minerals in it.
but as someone said every action has !
and the spin off is minerals are replaced with positive hydrogen irons.
hydrogen is one part of hydrochloric acid.
now this is where it gets interesting
to make it hydrochloric it needs negative charged calcium irons to make it hydrochloric acid and that is missing here.
so he said don't think you need to worry.
that said I was a little surprised to see how clean the old head was, so that may explain something.
thought I'd pass it on, take from that what you will.
Using Distilled water overcomes this problem. :icon_driving:
cheers.

Could the negative charge come from the negatively earthed setups we all run via the alternator and batteries???

[threedogs]

Certainly don't want to be running CAT coolant through it then lol

[MudRunnerTD]

So that's why I only run coolant!!

[Robo]

Could the negative charge come from the negatively earthed setups we all run via the alternator and batteries???

reason radiator is supported by rubber mts is to isolate the weak metals in it and stop electrical "electrolysis" corrosion.
never do away (remove ) the radiators insulation.

[Robo]

So that's why I only run coolant!!

Humm, so what do the manufactures use in their pre mix ?

[MudRunnerTD]

Humm, so what do the manufactures use in their pre mix ?

Hopefully the Right fluid or what is the point?

[BigRAWesty]

I have read of some people do earth there radiators to stop corrosion which is made from static..

[Parksy]

I have read of some people do earth there radiators to stop corrosion which is made from static..

I have heard this and was recommended by a few to do this to my alloy radiator. But doing abit of research on it and it seems it does more harm than good. From what I gather, by earthing the radiator, this only completes the anode/cathode circuit which then corrodes the lesser metal which is usually the radiator. But there have been some unique cases where bonding has been beneficial to the radiator. My 2c.

[Col.T]

G'day Robbo
A coupla thorts.
Hydrogen and chlorine make the acid so even with 'hard' water you shouldn't get an actual acidic effect in the radiator, I think. The 'eating away'/cleaning effect on metal is an electrical effect. In boats they overcome this by building into the hull a sacrificial (usually) Zinc bar or plate. That gets wasted leaving the hull, if metal, safe.
Dunno about cars though. Got to admit I wasn't aware of radiators being insulated or earthed. The addition of an additive helps overcome bodgy effects, particularly scaling as well as lubricating the water pump. The additive used to be glycol and I think it's still used.
Keep a good quality coolant in the system and you should never have a problem. My old 4.2D GQ went 450K without pump or radiator trouble and I reckon would be still going.
Luck
Col

[Robo]

Yeah I'm no saying everyone change their fluids, just a little food for thought.

the hydro needs to be "positively charged ions".
and the other has to be" neg charged" ,to make hydrochloric acid.
so we are fairly safe that way.
I just noticed my old cyl head was very clean inside compared to block.
and when Dad mentioned how water is processed to make de-mineralised water, well this thread.
I simply wanted other to know the possibilities.
I'm not saying run for the hills, just a moment to stop and ponder what's going on if ya with me.

engines do have sacrificial anodes just not like boats do.
ever wondered why engines are fitted with steel barbed water fittings instead of say brass.
cast alloy covers, plenum's or valley cover etc are expensive to make and replace but a steel barbed fitting is cheap.
replace that cheap steel fitting with a brass fitting and your expensive cast alloy cover may-be the part that corrodes instead.
the most easily eroded part will/should always erode first.

boats create their own problem around themselves.
long story short.
current given off by the motor does enter the water via the grounding circuit of how the engine works and if salt is present it helps electron flow. this combines to create the electrolysis process acting to eat/strip the expensive metal parts on the boat that are in contact with this water "usually that 20k motor".
so the easy fix is to have a softer metal ( sacrificial anode) in contact with motor and water, well earthed to the piece your trying to protect and it corrodes instead.

that's why radiators are mounted on rubber to insulate then from the engines grounded circuit and this stops electrolysis taking hold in the radiator.
I know that acid and current go hand in hand when it comes to stripping metal its how the metal plating industry works.
plating metals is post to neg.
the material you want to transfer is pos and the item you want to plate is attached to the earth side of things.
and you do the opposite to strip old plating only this time the part is immersed in an acid bath to accelerate the process.
That's another reason I posted the thread I have first hand experience in plating and have seen how fast acid and electricity can do damage.

humm,
mercury had blue and red band motors yrs back.
blue was for salt water, made of more resistant materials.
red band were for fresh water only, not so tuff materials or paint protection.

rambling, enough said.

Hope I got that right, if not, sure I'm going to here about it. lol

[Robo]

I have read of some people do earth there radiators to stop corrosion which is made from static..

I'm not the chemist Dad is.
I would suggest I know some about electro plating.
I have a plating kit for zinc, copper and nickel-cobalt
chemicals are needed for the electrolysis process to happen agreed.
Water and the minerals in it, are the carrier, so if you have PURE water and I stress PURE you may-be safe but.
the problem lies in the simple fact for electrolysis to happen current needs a path to follow, so adding a earth strap only completes the circuit.
but that does not stop chemical corrosion that's why having PART of hydrochloric acid component is the reason I started the thread.

lets put it another way, I'm not a fan of the electrical rust protection systems as you need to immerse your car in water for the system to work, similar to plating.
remove the vehicle from the bath and that's were electro rust protection stops completely,
and chemical corrosion continues.
the panels need complete water coverage for the current to pass over it to cancel out the electrolysis process.
electricity flows over metal surfaces not through it, that's why it erodes from the outside first.
I'd be as bold as to say electro protection may even accelerate the stripping process if the right conditions exist
But I'm only a novice just putting 2&2 together.

[BillsGU]

Use rain water to mix with the coolant.

[Robo]

Use raisn water to mix with the coolant.
wonder why it took so long to say the obvious, lol
yeap if you can take out all the pollutants.
may of been ok 30+ yrs ago.
don't remember the sky being as blue as when I was a kid.
or is it my eyes have turned with age!.

but a good call none the less.
cheers