Thread: Anti-Freeze Suppliment

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My racing association, A.N.R.A., has a new policy to drain all coolant/antifreeze before coming to the staging lanes. My understanding is that plain water is ok, with NHRA approved additives. Since I have had boiling over issues with plain water, what additive is effective in this case?

Originally Posted by drofdar

My racing association, A.N.R.A., has a new policy to drain all coolant/antifreeze before coming to the staging lanes. My understanding is that plain water is ok, with NHRA approved additives. Since I have had boiling over issues with plain water, what additive is effective in this case?

Water Wetter, is the brand you want. Redline is the manufacturer.

Or you can empty it all, and join the VW Air Cooled drag racers and have some fun.

You mean, I'm not having fun now? Does water wetter help keep the boiling point higher?

Originally Posted by drofdar

You mean, I'm not having fun now? Does water wetter help keep the boiling point higher?

As the story goes, it's claimed to reduce the "surface tension", and therefore allow the water to transfer the heat more effectively. I've seen claims of up to 50 degrees higher boiling point, which would surprise me? Other brands are out also, like ICE. These are common products found in motorcycle shops because the "track day" racers are not allowed to run glycol coolant due to how hard it is to clean up after a crash.

Yeah it does reduce the surface tension but has no effect on the thernodynamic properties of water. This might slightly improve flow rate and thus cooling rate but not a huge factor. I don't know what is exactly in wetter but they probably won't allow anything that you cannot put in your body (ie inert). NASCAR is doing this for example in its concrete pit stalls. They are now using soda syrup to make stalls sticky. If you want to raise the boiling point minus anti-freeze then jack the pressure up. The radiator is generally the weakest link here ................

Kitz

Water wetter does work but it also requires distilled water supposedly to do its best.

I have used water wetter and have noticed a 7-15 degree reduction in maximum temperature. It does work. Car still maintains the normal 180 or 195 temp but when in high temp situations like traffic or long hill it does not get as hot.

Pat

Any of the additives out there are surface tension reducing agents. They make the water more slippery so it flows faster thru the system. They won't in most cases reduce temps. Water will still boil at 212 degF and with a 15 lb cap it will boost boiling to 257 degf. For every pound pressure cap you run it boosts the boiling point of water by 3 deg per lb so a 15 lb cap boost boiling by 45 deg.