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Can I run straight water in cooling system?

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Old Jun 13, 2011 | 09:26 PM
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Can I run straight water in cooling system?

My truck has sat now for 2+ yrs and for the first year there was a freeze plug missing in the back of the block so the cooling system was exposed to the outside. So I wanted to run water in the system forr a week or 2 to try to rinse it out. Or I am open to suggestions. Thank you
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 12:15 AM
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get some flush , check this out
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/d...d.php?t=208530
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 12:21 AM
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No! NEVER run a coolingb system on Any engine long term.
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 05:11 AM
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Hey techman, that link isn't working
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 07:13 AM
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You can run straight distilled water with no ill effect, as long as it isn't going to freeze. Water actually cools better than antifreeze. You will have to run an additive in your cooling system for pump lubrication and anti-scale. I prefer Water Wetter by Redline.

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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 07:15 AM
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Originally Posted by ARbowhunter7
You can run straight distilled water with no ill effect, as long as it isn't going to freeze. Water actually cools better than antifreeze. You will have to run an additive in your cooling system for pump lubrication and anti-scale. I prefer Water Wetter by Redline.

This is not the best way to clean your system, though. A good flush like the one linked above is best.

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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 09:33 AM
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Run 100% antifreeze like I do officially waiting for the vicious attacks......Mark
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 09:45 AM
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Originally Posted by maybe368
Run 100% antifreeze like I do officially waiting for the vicious attacks......Mark
vicious attack
I never heard of doing such a_____. You are going to ruin your ____engine. That will ____ everytime.
Fill in blanks
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 10:04 AM
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IIRC the max freeze protection is 60% A/freeze. And for water an episode of "Car Talk" quoted a chemist saying tap water was better with antifreeze corrosion inhibitors than distilled. I forget whether it was Click or Clack that said that
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 10:14 AM
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Man you guys are easy, I didn't use any bait Mark
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Old Jun 14, 2011 | 06:39 PM
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https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=208530
sorry, try this
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Old Jun 15, 2011 | 10:45 AM
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Tap water in most parts of the country is pretty hard and will scale up the tube entrances and exits in the radiator. And NEVER use softened water, the salt will ruin the engine. I jsut buy the 50-50 pre-diluted stuff, then I don't have to worry about it.
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Old Jun 15, 2011 | 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by mhuppertz
I jsut buy the 50-50 pre-diluted stuff, then I don't have to worry about it.
There now, that takes all guesswork out of it, and any time I've checked it's around the same price as mixing your own.
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Old Jun 15, 2011 | 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by mhuppertz
Tap water in most parts of the country is pretty hard and will scale up the tube entrances and exits in the radiator. And NEVER use softened water, the salt will ruin the engine. I jsut buy the 50-50 pre-diluted stuff, then I don't have to worry about it.
Mark. you surprise me. Why would you pay 4 dollars a gallon for water? That is what you are doing by buying the pre mix. Better to save an empty gallon container, buy the 100%, pour half into the empty and fill both with water. Or, even better IMHO, just skip the water and just run the anti freeze (said as I take cover under a table)...Mark
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Old Jun 15, 2011 | 11:08 AM
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Originally Posted by ppiggppenn
There now, that takes all guesswork out of it, and any time I've checked it's around the same price as mixing your own.
I don't know, here the pre-mix is around 8 dollars and the 100% is around 9 dollars...sounds like 4 dollars a gallon for water, by my math anyway ...Mark Edit: I knew my math was off, that is 4 dollars for a HALF gallon of water, that would be 8 dollars a gallon for the water YIKES!!!! Mark
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