Redline Water Wetter and the brown slime problem

Sounds like an awesome product. Care to guess how it might have repaired the bearings in your water pump?

aldo said:

Sounds like an awesome product. Care to guess how it might have repaired the bearings in your water pump?

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My "guess" is: it didn't repair the pump bearing but rather I eliminated the source of the problem (sucked the goo from the filler area / R&R the coolant) and the Lucas product lubricated the pump bearing to prevent any further damage and eliminated the noise. What I noticed with the Redline product is: the brown goo eventually crystalizes and becomes like grains of sand (I could see it on my radiator cap and around the filler neck). Obviously when this material gets to the pump bearing bad things happen quickly (bearing noise). Another BIG benefit to the Lucas product is: the complete elimination of corrosion on aluminum (a good thing for Alfa engines) AND aluminum radiators.!!!!

b

Honestly, at an expected "5-7 degrees cooler in a 50/50 mix" are either of these products worth using? Will that minimal temp reduction truly extend engine life or prevent a catastrophic engine failure? Or are these products just a "bandaid" for an already ailing engine running a bit hot?

I've never had a problem with good 'ol 50/50 mix flushed and refilled every year.

I question the "5-7 degrees cooler" claim. If I have a 180 degree thermostat, then I would expect the engine to run at 180 degrees no matter what is mixed into the coolant. The engine is going to heat the water, when it reaches 180 the thermostat opens and the hot water goes out, the cooler water comes in, the thermostat closes. Then it happens again. What am I not seeing here?

There are scenarios where the cooling system cannot keep it 180F, e.g. track use. Being able to keep it 10F cooler can make a difference whether you can keep pushing or need to back off.
Jes

fangio8c said:

Honestly, at an expected "5-7 degrees cooler in a 50/50 mix" are either of these products worth using? Will that minimal temp reduction truly extend engine life or prevent a catastrophic engine failure? Or are these products just a "bandaid" for an already ailing engine running a bit hot?

I've never had a problem with good 'ol 50/50 mix flushed and refilled every year.

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In the case of my setup every little bit helps. I finally had to go to a massive oil cooler to keep the engine temp down. There is an important point you're missing however: 0 mg corrosion loss of aluminum.!!!

Farace said:

I question the "5-7 degrees cooler" claim. If I have a 180 degree thermostat, then I would expect the engine to run at 180 degrees no matter what is mixed into the coolant. The engine is going to heat the water, when it reaches 180 the thermostat opens and the hot water goes out, the cooler water comes in, the thermostat closes. Then it happens again. What am I not seeing here?

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What happens when the thermostat is all in and the temperature continues to climb?

As I understand it--the "wetter" stuff enhances heat transfer to the rad fins. This is of interest when racing would drive the temp 5 to 7 degrees higher than without the additive.

Engine additives are like religion.

Faith is the most important ingredient.

aldo said:

Engine additives are like religion.

Faith is the most important ingredient.

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Via Con Didos Senor.

b

The rad shop, which mainly does hot rods, tells me that the modern core they put in the rad for my Sprint can handle a 325 hp V-8.

Prolly without the additive.

awesomeBLT said:

What happens when the thermostat is all in and the temperature continues to climb?

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Granted I'm not racing my Spider (nothing in the OP referred to the product in a racing context, so I'm assuming it's meant for everybody), but the one and only time this has happened to me was when I was stuck in a non-moving traffic jam in 100+ degree temperatures somewhere in Pennsylvania on the way to last year's convention. Other than that, my needle is generally rock-steady, only climbing about a half-needle width in very hot weather. Racing, though, I'd agree is a different story.