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Date:         Wed, 17 Jul 1996 09:24:03 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Tom L." <rarely@sirius.com>
Subject:      Re: water wetter??

Here is what I've found regarding Water Wetter: I recommend contacting Redline for additional information.

>From a talk to Dema Elgin's High Performance Engine Class DeAnza College, Cupertino, California

By Roy Howell, Chief Chemist, Redline Synthetic Oil Company Formerly of Lubrisol

Talk given 07 April 1992

Notes taken by Jack L. Poller

Red Line Water Wetter is a surfactant - reduces the surface tension of the water. Allows the water to more intimately contact metal. When the water boils, the surfactant makes smaller bubbles, which makes it easier for the bubble to be pushed away from the metal surface, and allow more water to contact the metal.

Water Wetter has a high Ph, but also has silicates, so it can be used in aluminium radiators. However, if left for a long time, the silicates are depleted, and damage will occur. The liquid versions of Water Wetter do not have phosphates.

Discovered by Roy Howell. Some engineers were begging Roy to develop a corrosion inhibitor to add to straight water for racers, since racers rarely use AntiFreeze. He did some work, developed Water Wetter simply as a corrosion inhibitor, and gave it to Huffaker. Huffaker immediately noticed lower operating temperatures, and Roy started to investigate why.

You *can* cool an engine to much. The ideal temperature for coolant is 190 F.

AntiFreeze has 1/4 heat transfer capability of straight water.

Temperature recordings at block water jacket exit, after stabilizing:

Water Anti-Freeze Water Wetter Temperature (F) 50% 50% No 228 50% 50% Yes 220 100% 0% No 220 100% 0% Yes 202


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