Drinking Distilled Water good enugh as Coolant Mix ?

[snipfer]

Assuming car still being serviced regularly, isn’t that a part of the service package? (Esp service from AD for newer cars)

Flush/draining off coolant don't think is part of the service package.

Whenever I come across people who wants to use water instead of coolant...... Have they even think of how much a radiator Vs coolant costs?

Sent from Xiaomi MI MAX 2 using GAGT

 

[liquidh]

Not worth it. Coolant only costs $20-30.

Flush/draining off coolant don't think is part of the service package.

Whenever I come across people who wants to use water instead of coolant...... Have they even think of how much a radiator Vs coolant costs?

Sent from Xiaomi MI MAX 2 using GAGT

 

[liquidh]

Of course better, but expensive lah. $30 more. If you drive a Jap car no need to do that lah.

Always use Pre mix from start. Not distilled water.

 

[joshua182]

you know you should really watch your sentence structure. it seems that youre asking which is better for drinking

 

[Byakuya]

yes distilled water is ok. coolant is used to increase boiling temp (and decrease freezing temp which we don't need to care in sg)

you can also achieve the same effect by using a higher pressure radiator cap

 

[Asure7]

yes distilled water is ok. coolant is used to increase boiling temp (and decrease freezing temp which we don't need to care in sg)

you can also achieve the same effect by using a higher pressure radiator cap

Yup, it’s perfectly ok to top up coolant level using distilled water also.
If u use a lot of water u may need to top up more often as it evaporates faster.

Another reason to use coolant is due to Anti-rust property.
(Distilled water is recommended as normal water contains minerals)
Not a big problem if u don’t use your car more than 10 years.

I’ve even seen old cars using just plain tap water w/o coolant for years...

PS: those workshops u go to... they top up your coolant level using normal tap water actually. Just that u may not know. When the Color turns too light then they will say need to change coolant.

 

[hachi]

Yup, it’s perfectly ok to top up coolant level using distilled water also.
If u use a lot of water u may need to top up more often as it evaporates faster.

Another reason to use coolant is due to Anti-rust property.
(Distilled water is recommended as normal water contains minerals)
Not a big problem if u don’t use your car more than 10 years.

I’ve even seen old cars using just plain tap water w/o coolant for years...

PS: those workshops u go to... they top up your coolant level using normal tap water actually. Just that u may not know. When the Color turns too light then they will say need to change coolant.

Other than that, coolant also serves as a lubricant for the water pump.

 

[keenklee]

IMHO, in local context, I rank the most important aspect of the "coolant" to be the rust inhibitors. IIRC, I ran for a short while with only distilled water and brownish sediments appeared in the overflow tank.

Tap water contains mineral and chloramine. Just like a water airpot - scaling. Chloramine may affect seals and corrode metal. IIRC, I've used coolant mix with tap water. After sometime, the radiator had a microsopic leak between the radiator top (plastic) and the body (metal).

Everytime someone has a radiator leak issue, I would casually ask if they have done a timing belt change recently.

 

[trento]

How does belt change affect?

IMHO, in local context, I rank the most important aspect of the "coolant" to be the rust inhibitors. IIRC, I ran for a short while with only distilled water and brownish sediments appeared in the overflow tank.

Tap water contains mineral and chloramine. Just like a water airpot - scaling. Chloramine may affect seals and corrode metal. IIRC, I've used coolant mix with tap water. After sometime, the radiator had a microsopic leak between the radiator top (plastic) and the body (metal).

Everytime someone has a radiator leak issue, I would casually ask if they have done a timing belt change recently.

 

[keenklee]

How does belt change affect?

When the water pump is also changed during timing belt service.

 

[human1969]

So where you guys get the distill water if those in Guardian/Watson (mainly for drinking) is not good enough ?

I need to top-up 50-100ml every mth,
If keep adding coolant,
afraid the coolant too thick.


Tks

 

[keenklee]

So where you guys get the distill water if those in Guardian/Watson (mainly for drinking) is not good enough ?

I need to top-up 50-100ml every mth,
If keep adding coolant,
afraid the coolant too thick.


Tks

Those generally available are good enough.
NTUC Fairprice should have too.

Maybe your cooling system have microscopic leak? The coolant has to go somewhere.
Did you do timing belt change recently?

 

[tatsit]

So where you guys get the distill water if those in Guardian/Watson (mainly for drinking) is not good enough ?

I need to top-up 50-100ml every mth,
If keep adding coolant,
afraid the coolant too thick.


Tks

something is wrong if you have to keep topping up 50-100ml every month

 

[Mogan23]

If you're adding pre mixed coolant then no problem, but your problem is a leak somewhere. What vehicle and do you operate it hard?

So where you guys get the distill water if those in Guardian/Watson (mainly for drinking) is not good enough ?

I need to top-up 50-100ml every mth,
If keep adding coolant,
afraid the coolant too thick.


Tks

 

[Asure7]

50 ml is v little leh.... I think he just like to see the coolant in the spare tank at the max level. Drop a little bit also cannot

 

[Alphas]

Get those premixed coolant, also quite cheap. If there is a leak, should fix the leak instead of adding coolant since the leak can get worse.

 

[tatsit]

50 ml is v little leh.... I think he just like to see the coolant in the spare tank at the max level. Drop a little bit also cannot

50ml per month leh, 1 year 600ml, 5 years 3L. that is a considerable amount

 

[Matjes]

Hi,

Trying to get some reasonable priced Distill Water as Coolant mix.
Are those bottled Distill Water sold in pharmacy (primarily for drinking water) good enough ?
I believe these are via reverse osmosis rather than distillation process.

Or anyone know if the NamWah Battery water (the only brand sold in most pump stn) is distill water ?

eg.
http://www.polar.com.sg/polardistilled
http://www.watsons-water.com/en/watsons_water.html


Thanks

Yes, distilled drinking water is good enough.

But it is recommended to buy the vehicle maker sanctioned coolant mix. Sometimes they mix it for you before hand already.
Check the label on the coolant mix and find out what sort of water should you mix it with.
Don't use battery water. Battery water should stay as battery water. coolant fit distilled water is not battery water. There is a reason why we differentiate them. Follow what the manufacturers' recommends and not some internet rumour.

 

[human1969]

Appreciate all the inputs.

Yah...after my last servicing/top-up from AD,
i suck out the coolant to exactly the Max level on the next morning. (they slightly over top-up)

But after 2mths, the level drop 2inch below Max.
Lazy to always go back AD for the top-up even though its FOC.
So top-up with distill water myself most easy until the next svc.

Fact is, my AD do not sell coolant,
you have to do the servicing there to get the coolant.
The sparepart guy can only advise me to get extra coolant during my next servicing.

The JP factory fill is 1 color, the AD is another color.
I do not want to add another 3rd party coolant,
else my coolant become rainbow liao

 

[Mogan23]

Most use the green type of coolant. Can get that from petrol station or supermarkets. Brand doesn't matter.