Which is better for my cooling system and why?

 

Realistically they would both probably be about the same. Deionization removes polar ions (calcium and such), which could reduce any buildup in your cooling system, but distillation is made to remove solid material or liquid of differing volatility, which will also remove many of these ions. Distilled, then deionized water would be the best, but that is something used in a laboratory, not in engines. Also, the quality of either depends on the equipment used to make it, so one may be better than the other based on that. The difference between the two would be minimal. Any water you put in your engine will lead to some kind of corrosion. Deionized or distilled, probably doesn't matter as long as you don't use tap water.

 

anyone else?

 

Well, if your that **** about it(hehehe) id go with distilled. Id say its cleaner then deionized water just because of the proccese of distilation.

 

Texaco who invented Dexcool for GM states and I quote"good quality tap water" when they give filling instructions. In the scheme of things it really makes no difference unless you have water that a spoon will stand up in. Certain areas of Europe have water like that and I know that Honda for thier liquid cooled cycles warns owners not to use tap water in products marketed there. I don't worry about it one way or another, if the cooling system is in good shape and properly maintained you should be fine with what you put in your belly.

 

I use Shell pre-mixed coolant, two things on the label that I like:

1.) low-silicate formula
2.) diluted with deionized water

-Kevin

 

i just use tap water since the water here doesnt have any heavy deposits.


besides, i reverse flush and fill my car more often then once a year..


when you work on the car(heads, intake, anything that opens the cooling system) you end up replacing it anyway....

 

The next question would be where can you get deionized water?

 

anywhere. I just drank a gallon of it yesterday and i got it from Target. 79 cents and I was set.

 

damn, all the grocery stores around here only carry distilled. Sometimes I really dont like virginia.

 

Try an autoparts store.

 

Check the baby section of the grocery or drug store. Super-pure water tends to be there, paranoid new moms just can't get clean enough water for mixing powdered formula.

 

i remember someone peeing in his rad on the side of the highway one day, i guess he had no water

 

I bet the steam from that smelled good

Yeah, if the grocery stores by you don't have it try the autoparts store. The ones by us keep it by the batteries, I guess for if by some chance you have one of the old non-maintnence free batteries.

 

I use good old Chicago water!! The best TAP water in the country!!

Kevin