Water Wetter - Does it work? Long

[Mike Millsap]

I'm looking into the subject of radiator additives anticipating some 100+ degree riding this summer. On this forum Water Wetter seems to be a popular additive so I did some reading on the Internet.

I am aware that "The Internet contains huge volumes of information, and only some of it is accurate." But anyway, if yoiu are riding in a hot climate, here is an interesting article (slightly condensed) you may enjoy reading:

"Does it work? I cannot give a conclusive answer to that question. But I like "Water Wetter" and have been using it for many years now.

What I can say with conviction is that the person who wrote Redline's Technical Information brochure on "Water Wetter" knew what he or she was talking about. I have a Ph.D. in Heat Transfer and have taken a graduate course in Boiling and Condensation. Based on my training I can say that Redline's explanation of their product makes good scientific sense.

First we must dispel a common misconception: "Water Wetter" is not designed to lower bulk coolant temperature.

"Water Wetter" is designed to reduce hot spots in your cylinder head. It does this by reducing the build-up of water vapor in any superheated areas. The bad thing about having hot spots in your cylinder head (read combustion chamber) is that they can promote pre-ignition - definitely a bad thing.

These areas of the combustion chamber can then form local hot spots in the cooling passages. Thus, even though your bulk coolant temperature is well below its boiling point (i.e. your gauge reads just fine), there may be localized boiling in some regions of the coolant tract.

This localized boiling can cause a layer of water vapor to form over the hot spot. This vapor forms an insulative blanket and prevents heat from leaving this area, thus making the hot spot even worse. But reducing the surface tension of the water makes it easier for vapor bubbles to leave the surface of the cylinder head and allows the bubbles to convect heat away from the area.

Something that changes the surface tension of a liquid is called a "surfactant". It does not take very much surfactant to significantly change the surface tension of water. Hence, you do not need to add very much "Water Wetter" in order for it to do its job.

An additional benefit of using "Water Wetter" (in conjunction with 100% water) in you cooling system is that water has an extremely high heat capacity. Thus a gallon of 100% water can carry more heat away from you engine than an equivalent gallon of 50/50 water and coolant.

Water also has a high thermal conductivity which increases the convection of heat away from the coolant passage walls and into the free stream of the liquid flowing through the passages.

"Water Wetter" does not increase the boiling point of water. Standard automotive coolant does increase the boiling point of the mixture above that of 100% water. But remember that if your cooling system is operating properly, it should never get hot enough to boil (I mean BOIL, not just localized boiling).

In performance engines the primary duty of the cooling system is to keep the engine in its optimum temperature range. This is best accomplished with 100% water, because its high heat capacity makes it very efficient at transferring heat."

[bajjer9]

well all i can say is last summer my bird would get to 3/4 on the temp gauge on a 90+ degree day...this year although we havent had a lot of 90+ days we have had some and my gauge is barely over the halfway mark. I havent had a chance to test in heavy stop and go traffic yet but over all I have been pleased. I didnt want to take off my ignition advancer. I cant remember, is water wetter the pink stuff?

[GriffXX]

I cant remember, is water wetter the pink stuff?

That would be affirmative.

[bajjer9]

I cant remember, is water wetter the pink stuff?

That would be affirmative.

well then thats what i used...seems to have worked well, wished I had the digital gauge

[Furbird]

Well according to that article, this opens up a whole new discussion. If using 100% water with Water Wetter is the best way to cool your bike, then why is the general consensus I've heard on here been to still use 50/50 with the Water Wetter? Lord knows 90 is a cool day down here, as I'm sure Bajjer will admit. Today was 96 with a heat index of 105, and we aren't even at our peak temps yet!

[AZITPRO]

Make sure to use deionized water in your bike to avoid corrosion. I just bought a product called Engine ICE, it does not require any mixing, but was kind of expensive $16.95 per bottle and it take more that one bottle to fill the cooling system. Also Water Wetter will not protect from freezing temps, engine ice does.

[bajjer9]

Well according to that article, this opens up a whole new discussion.  If using 100% water with Water Wetter is the best way to cool your bike, then why is the general consensus I've heard on here been to still use 50/50 with the Water Wetter?  Lord knows 90 is a cool day down here, as I'm sure Bajjer will admit.  Today was 96 with a heat index of 105, and we aren't even at our peak temps yet!

I had the same thoughts after reading the bottle but I stuck with the 50/50 with the measured amout of WW in it

[BDAZ XX]

Also Water Wetter will not protect from freezing temps, engine ice does.

Ya, you and Carlos need to worry about freezing temps. :wink:

FWIW........... If your doing a trackday on the XX, antifreeze is not allowed. If you go down, the cleanup crew plays holyhell trying to get it off asphalt.

[azxr]

Well according to that article, this opens up a whole new discussion.  If using 100% water with Water Wetter is the best way to cool your bike, then why is the general consensus I've heard on here been to still use 50/50 with the Water Wetter?  Lord knows 90 is a cool day down here, as I'm sure Bajjer will admit.  Today was 96 with a heat index of 105, and we aren't even at our peak temps yet!

I had the same thoughts after reading the bottle but I stuck with the 50/50 with the measured amout of WW in it

If I remeber right it has something to do with the lubrication in the antifreeze. Water Wetter alone doesn't do it. I think at one time there was a Water Wetter pro or extra or something like that which included lubrication.

Personally I use Water Wetter, water and squeeze in a good dose of Astroglide. :wink:

No, please don't try that. I used the 50/50 recommendation and the couple ounces of Water Wetter.

[Rider99XX]

Hey James, I can MAIL you some Water Wetter if you need some :twisted:

Just buy Charles' XX and you'd have a digital guage.

I haven't forgot about the trailer pics, just been busy busy busy, will try to get them to you this weekend.

[bajjer9]

Hey James, I can MAIL you some Water Wetter if you need some :twisted:

Just buy Charles' XX and you'd have a digital guage.

I haven't forgot about the trailer pics, just been busy busy busy, will try to get them to you this weekend.

damn man if i need something from you I will drive up there and GET it!! geez...oh by the way, wanna finance charles's bike for me? Thats the only way I could afford it!! that or winning the lotto but thats not likely as I dont buy lotto tickets!! besides I got the water wetter here at the local "fast and furious" shop

[ZeeBeast]

Drained the "normal" coolant and placed the recommended mixture of WW and antifreeze with distilled Aich two Oh back in. See no difference in the digital readout. Slow moving traffic and stop lights, she kicks on the fan around 212-215 and it cooks at around 217 until I get rolling again. No change from previous mixture. :roll:

[jblackbird2000]

I agree. Although I have the 2000 with the needle gauge, my temp rises to about the same level as it always has. But I think it might cool a bit quicker as I bring it back up to speed. Or maybe it's just me "hoping" to see some improvement. :roll:

But the bottom line is, it hasn't hurt my performance, and the bike is still running great.

Jay

[Furbird]

Has anybody tried running two fans? I've been looking for another XX fan so I can mount it on the front side and have it hooked up to a weatherproof switch. After it hits operating temps, you could just turn it on and leave it on all the time. Around here, op temp is hit in about 3 minutes

[cbrxxquad]

i have mounted a switch and ran to ground and to the temp sensor wire on the radiator so i can turn the fan on all the time when i run in the sand hills on hot days and while i am working with lean mixtures on the fuel. will kick coolant out if i dont.

but i run 100 percent antifreeze ,,,,no water so your results will varieeeey

[cbrxxquad]

i have another fan i am going to mount to blow into the radiator also

[Rider99XX]

damn man if i need something from you I will drive up there and GET it!! geez...oh by the way, wanna finance charles's bike for me?

Damn, James, I had my box turtle and duct tape ready to send you something:twisted:

As for financing Charles' XX...hmmm, I'm sure that two enterprising riders like ourselves can come up with a way to con I, I, I mean acquire his XX. I figure all we need to do is go over to Monroeville and get the pony ride outside that gas station and take it over to him. I'm quite sure he'd swap the XX for that. Maybe leave him a roll of quarters. I have an old box fan he can plug in and blow on him so he would feel like he's actually going somewhere. He would have to make his own varoom varoom sounds. :gotgas: :gotgas: :gotgas: What do you think?

[Ronnie]

I have a 2002 XX with digital readout and have used water wetter in the past. Made no difference at all in temp readings....I don't use or sell this product but it may or may not work its called Two2Cool. Here is a test result.

While at bike week 2004 a friend showed up after cruising Daytona in the stop and go traffic on his 2003 Honda RC 51. He was complaining about his bike overheating. He had been cruising the ocean side strip which is essentially sitting on your bike with it idling and walking three miles. He was experiencing water temperatures of 240 degrees plus. He then stated that he was running one of the top premixed performance coolants on the market. We then added the proper amount of Two2Cool and the water temps. never reached 180 degrees. The bike stayed below 180 degrees even after cruising the strip the second time in a hotter part of the day and taking over two hours. We didn't have any way to check the oil temps but since the water temps dropped approximately sixty degrees we know we lowered the oil temperatures dramatically. Another way Two2Cool can work for you. One thing to keep in mind the hotter an engine gets the better Two2Cool works. Don't mistake progress for innovation!

http://www.two2cool.com/tests.htm

[azxx]

i have mounted a switch and ran to ground and to the temp sensor wire on the radiator so i can turn the fan on all the time when i run in the sand hills on hot days and while i am working with lean mixtures on the fuel. will kick coolant out if i dont.

but i run 100 percent antifreeze ,,,,no water so your results will varieeeey

The more antifreeze the hotter they run.

[cbrxxquad]

i have mounted a switch and ran to ground and to the temp sensor wire on the radiator so i can turn the fan on all the time when i run in the sand hills on hot days and while i am working with lean mixtures on the fuel. will kick coolant out if i dont.

but i run 100 percent antifreeze ' date=',,,no water so your results will varieeeey[/quote']

The more antifreeze the hotter they run.[/quote

That is correct. The reason I do is Corrosion Prevention in aluminum engines. Has been a problem most people would never notice as they dont keep their equipment as long as I do. The cooling difference in 50/50 over straight may make a difference for those who have another problem but has never been the problem. The use of distilled water is also a corrosion problem in aluminum. All this is over time, years. Distilled water is mineral hungry. Also diaelectric corrosion will set in and disolve aluminum.

The problems assoiated with 100 % over 50/50 cause me to build a motor and cooling system with many of the above mentioned cures and others related to fuel or useage such as how I ride.