Thread: Redline WaterWetter - opinions for Rover V8

It would appear that you have done many of the correct things, but have you replaced the thermostat and viscous coupling hub?

While I do not have a calibrated gauge my RRC 3.9 never moves over just under half even in 40C plus and towing, as well as slow work.( which is a max of say 100-105)

I understand water wetter works well, but maybe you wiill just be masking another problem which will come back and bite you eventually.
Regards Philip A

Thermostat functions and was replaced only a few months prior to the cooling system overhaul. My temp gauge sender is after the thermostat so I see it open when it hits 88-90 deg C. The factory gauge is rock solid but I have more faith in my vdo gauge. I get the impression that extended periods over 100 deg C are not good for the engine so I am trying to avoid this.

Viscous was replaced with a thermofan (AU setup) that gave 3 years of trouble free service and its only this summer that the temps started going up which prompted me taking it in for an overhaul.

The thing that concerns me is that even at 100km/h on a freeway, if its a warm day the needle starts moving up and staying up (even post overhaul), which it never did before. That to me indicates a blocked radiator. I've been told that my recent offroad journey after the overhaul could have dislodged more scale from the engine but I didn't notice things go this bad this quickly when the radiator was replaced 3-4 years ago, but that's why I'm fitting a filter in the top hose too.

Basically I'm tempted to drop the coolant out completely, give the radiator and engine a flush with the hose, run the eingine with distilled water, drop it again and refil with distilled and water and waterwetter.

What I'm liking about the waterwetter is that you can mix it with normal coolants and it wont cause any gelling or corrosion issues. That means if I dont get every last drop of the toyota coolant out I *shouldn't* have a major problem on my hands. It may be that the shop didn't flush the engine properly and I'm having these coolant mix problems now??

The only other problem I can think of is a slightly cracked head gasket or something along those lines but I'm ignoring that until it comes and smacks me in the face in which case I'll probably take a match to the car.

But anywho, anyone ever heard of anything bad about Waterwetter??

In my experience , one thing that can cause a car to overheat on the highway is the headgaskets leaking combustion into the valley.
The other is a blocked radiator.
I have mine out at the moment after being recored 10 years ago, as I am doing my head gaskets, and I am also agonising whether to just look inside with a borescope or have it rodded, even though I am pretty sure it is clean as I have used distilled water and Nulon Longlife for the entire period.
Regards Philip A

When I used the redline water wetter I was told it should NOT be mixed with other coolants.

When I had my radiator rodded it was noted that 30% of the lower section was blocked by what the radiator bloke said was the result of mixing coolants?




BTW a water wetter will not cure a cooling problem.

Have you looked at your water pump?

High temps at speed may indicate that it is not operating well.

Water wetter lowers the surface tension of water.

So does adding ethylene glycol (and I would imagine other coolants).

People I have heard of who use water wetter add it to pure water. Pure water (with or without water wetter) is a better coolant - in terms of heat transfer ability, than any commercial coolant.

AFAIK water wetter is mainly used in race engines, either because they need the extra cooling that pure water provides, or because the racing regulations prohibit glycol coolants for environmental reasons.

If you have an engine like a rover V8 which needs a quality corrosion inhibitor, I can see little benefit in adding water wetter.

Water wetter does work with toyota coolant because half the toyota's in Kalgoorlie run it.I would not use it if you are having cooling issue's,rover V8's have very big rads and should not overheat,if it is find the problem.As posted above WW should not be used as a bandaid solution. Pat

Originally Posted by scott oz

When I used the redline water wetter I was told it should NOT be mixed with other coolants.

When I had my radiator rodded it was noted that 30% of the lower section was blocked by what the radiator bloke said was the result of mixing coolants?




BTW a water wetter will not cure a cooling problem.

Redline state it can be mixed with radiator coolant mixes as it contains no anti-freeze.

I am still unsure of the cause of the cooling problem, either a leaking head gasket as PhillipA has suggested or blocked radiator again (possibly because the radiator joint didn't flush the engine properly causing the old and new fluids to mix together). I have been told many times that the water pump either works or it doesn't. It may well be the problem but I'm looking down other avenues first. Alternatively it could be the Toyota coolant has a larger percentage of antifreeze in it which reduces heat transfer.

Basically I'm going to be dumping the fluid out of the car anyway (to check the radiator myself) and flush and refill with either Tectaloy or Redline Waterwetter. I'm leaning towards refilling with the Redline because of its ability to be mixed with other coolants and not cause problems.

Please note I'm not trying to mask the problem with the waterwetter but seeing as I'm going to have to refill the car anyway I'm putting the feelers out there to see what people think of the product. I'm pretty set on it either way unless someone has something bad to say.

Their product data sheet explains the product well.
http://www.redlineoil.com.au/Uploads...ter%20Pink.pdf

Also I'm very grateful for the advice on other possible causes of the heating issue so if you have any other ideas keep them coming please. Another reason for resolving the issue is that the car is running very rich at the moment, and when I get the new MAF I will be leaning it out a bit which will make it want to run even hotter

edit* The waterwetter also has corrosion inhibitor.