Water Wetter - Does it work?
09-30-2006, 11:03 AM
#1
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Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Denton, Texas
Posts: 32
Water Wetter - Does it work?
I have read that using Water Wetter will bring down cooling temps about 7% ( 7% would equal 14 degrees). This would keep the fan from kicking on during my commute (usually gets to 219-224). Has anyone had success using this type of product.
09-30-2006, 11:26 AM
#2
Hmm?
SuperBike
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: San Gabriel Valley
Posts: 2,069
I use WW on all my bikes. It's great, as long as you don't get into freezing temps. Our bikes still run hot, though. I don't believe the 7% claim, but there is a noticeable drop.
Just be sure to flush the system a few times.
Just be sure to flush the system a few times.
09-30-2006, 05:56 PM
#7
swinging member
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: masshole
Posts: 114
water wetter
I`ve been using it for years in the race bike.I figure if its good enough for a SV thats being flogged on a racetrack its good enough for the superhawk on the street. As was stated above beware of temps below freezing.
09-30-2006, 09:47 PM
#8
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World Champion
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Fulton, MO
Posts: 105,287
I use WW and distilled water on both the 1000RR and the VTR, though both have been to the track, and it was used for that reason. Now that I'm up North with an unheated garage and potential temps below 0°F I will be draining and going to Prestone Long Life (orange stuff) which is silicate free and safe for our water pumps and mechanical seals. If you're wondering, you can still use Water Wetter without draining the antifreeze. I don't think it changes the efficiency of the stuff. The only reason folks use it for the track is because they have to have some kind of coolant that does not have ethylene glycol or similar and the Water Wetter provides increased heat transfer as well as lubrication to the pump.
10-01-2006, 12:20 PM
#11
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MotoGP
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Montreal
Posts: 5,631
"I know the fan comming on is not an indication of a heating issue but I do not like to hear it."....bingo!!!
When I am riding on a congested freeway or boulevard at say, 50 mph, and the temperature keeps coming up to the point that the fan comes on, I consider that a problem. I have owned other bikes in the past and have spoken to other bikers (non-VTR guys, you know, the guys with the bikes whose rads are actually perpendicular to the wind) and they do not run into this situation even though most bikes are in a higher state of tune. Granted this happens only on warmer (read: muggy) days but I still can't see it being good for the engine. Also, even at normal temps, the bike does not like low-speed riding. While the the side mounted rads has its benefits (narrowness), it also makes for an arrangement that requires decent speed in order to create the necesary air pressure conditions to force the air through the rads. So maybe I am worrying over nothing, but I gladly spend the few dollars needed on WW to help alleviate/reduce this problem. If some of you are ok with your fan coming on in these conditions, well, more power to you
Long live free countries
When I am riding on a congested freeway or boulevard at say, 50 mph, and the temperature keeps coming up to the point that the fan comes on, I consider that a problem. I have owned other bikes in the past and have spoken to other bikers (non-VTR guys, you know, the guys with the bikes whose rads are actually perpendicular to the wind) and they do not run into this situation even though most bikes are in a higher state of tune. Granted this happens only on warmer (read: muggy) days but I still can't see it being good for the engine. Also, even at normal temps, the bike does not like low-speed riding. While the the side mounted rads has its benefits (narrowness), it also makes for an arrangement that requires decent speed in order to create the necesary air pressure conditions to force the air through the rads. So maybe I am worrying over nothing, but I gladly spend the few dollars needed on WW to help alleviate/reduce this problem. If some of you are ok with your fan coming on in these conditions, well, more power to you
Long live free countries
10-01-2006, 06:21 PM
#12
Member
Squid
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 68
**** ! I just put a paragraph full of reply, and found out I was not logged-in and got flushed....
In a nut shell: I live in the same city as you and I do not have the same symptoms as your bike. My bone stocker will run without the fan until I have stopped for a bit, or in stop and go traffic. Any resonable amount of fwd movement will keep the fan off.
Perhaps you are running lean jetting ? (this is pure speculation, but have you considered this ?) Was it the same before your mods ?
Do any other readers of this thread have to deal with this type of heating issues since installation of pipes / jetting ?
In a nut shell: I live in the same city as you and I do not have the same symptoms as your bike. My bone stocker will run without the fan until I have stopped for a bit, or in stop and go traffic. Any resonable amount of fwd movement will keep the fan off.
Perhaps you are running lean jetting ? (this is pure speculation, but have you considered this ?) Was it the same before your mods ?
Do any other readers of this thread have to deal with this type of heating issues since installation of pipes / jetting ?
10-01-2006, 08:02 PM
#13
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Montreal
Posts: 5,631
my bike was jetted on the dyno (after mods) and runs perfect. It has been running this way (in terms of heat) from day one (when stock too) and I spoke to my dealer about it who confirmed that VTR's run hot. While not alarming (fan works fine, ...), I can't see it being especially good for the engine for the temp to go up and having the fan kick in. Heat management is also the one of the reasons I have heat wrapped my exhaust (from the manifold right up to the Y on both cylinders, also to keep the shock cooler, and to keep the heat in the pipes for better exhaust flow). Somehow the idea of a hot exhaust pipe heating up the oil in the sump doesn't (especially in slow riding or when stopped at a light) doesn't lead me to believe that it is doing the engine any favours (heat = premature thermal breakdown of oil = reduced lubrication). I realize I am probably "overreacting" according to some, but I like to take care of my stuff and would rather put the odds in my favour.
10-01-2006, 10:26 PM
#14
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Location: Thousand Oaks, CA.
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Just a thought for anyone thinking of using WW in a brand new engine.... If you significantly reduce the operating temp, in what ever manner, then you could ultimately experience the rings not seating and the resulting high oil comsumption. This can only be resolved thru engine disassembly, fly cut the cylinders again, and install new rings.... Spoken from experience.... On a new engine a few years ago, I installed a significantly larger oil cooler, larger sump, WW, thicker core radiator, and thermostat set for 185 compared to the normal 210..... Engine ran super cool just as expected, but never "broke in"....
10-02-2006, 05:43 AM
#18
Junior Member
Squid
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 11
interesting little bit of knowledge about water wetter. it's not just a catchy name, it actually makes water wetter in a way. basically all it does is reduce the surface tension of water without damaging the cooling system and without foaming. allows the water to penetrate deeper into the rough castings inside a factory produced sand casted engine block. the more surface area a given amount of fluid can touch to transfer heat the better the cooling efficency of the bike. kinda neat.
10-02-2006, 08:03 AM
#20
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SuperSport
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Laurel, MD
Posts: 758
Originally Posted by Texassuperhawk
Has anyone considered makeing a "scoop" for the radiators, sort of like they make for the 400ex quad? Something that would force air through the rads.
10-02-2006, 02:14 PM
#24
Junior Member
Squid
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 11
well it can go both ways. yes blowing the fan towards the motor will create more warm air flowing towards the engine. however, cooling efficency isn't going to be comprimised quite as bad as if the bike had a fairing on it. most of the cooling is handled by the liquid cooling system. in a car every radiator i have seen to date dumps fresh hot air on the engine. i say if you are going to put dirt bike style scoops on the exterior of the radiators it would only be common process to make the fan flow air the direction it is being forced in. plus if the radiator has ready acces to cooler ambient air as opposed to drawing air across a 1000 degree exhaust tube i would pick the ambient air any day of the week.
10-02-2006, 02:31 PM
#26
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Squid
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 11
ideally the oil cooler should never be mounted where it has to share air flow with the radiator. if you were to put a scoop on a radiator that uses a vacuum force to draw air from it it will be mostly pointless at anything below highway speeds. ram air is the way to go and i know there is no room for a scoop on the back side of the radiator so that would complicate things. on any liquid cooled internal combustion engine both oil and liquid cooling are important. however, if the engine were merely air cooled with an oil cooler it would be imparitive for the oil cooler to recieve the coolest air possible. i would say this is a trial and error situation that needs to be monitored with the coolant gauge.
10-02-2006, 03:07 PM
#27
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Superstock
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dallas,TX
Posts: 333
i agree, well mostly
i think radiator scoops, at least on our beloved Hawk, is near to pointless. as you said, the force needed to make a difference in cooling is only apparent at highway speeds...where cooling is almost never a problem.
however, when the cycle is at low speeds or stopped (when cooling becomes an issue), if the fans are pulling in you're essentially cycling the heat that the cooling system is trying to expel, back in front of the intake/engine.
maybe im just having trouble seeing the benefit
i think radiator scoops, at least on our beloved Hawk, is near to pointless. as you said, the force needed to make a difference in cooling is only apparent at highway speeds...where cooling is almost never a problem.
however, when the cycle is at low speeds or stopped (when cooling becomes an issue), if the fans are pulling in you're essentially cycling the heat that the cooling system is trying to expel, back in front of the intake/engine.
maybe im just having trouble seeing the benefit
10-02-2006, 03:15 PM
#28
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Squid
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 11
well i see your point but at the same time a liquid cooled engine isn't really affected by outside temperatures like an air cooled engine is. since the external castings of a liquid cooled engine are smooth it is much more difficult for air temperature to play a deciding factor in cooling. if hot air from a radiator was such a deciding factor in cooling systems i would think every car on the planet would have the air from the radiator directed away from the engine instead of having a fan blow it directly on it.
10-02-2006, 03:27 PM
#29
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dallas,TX
Posts: 333
not to debunk your theory, because i do agree in the differences in air vs liquid cooled
but i do know of several guys who run push fans in thier cars. (they are, however, by no means stock.)
i guess in my mind, it only makes sense to expel the heat away from the machine you're trying to cool
but i do know of several guys who run push fans in thier cars. (they are, however, by no means stock.)
i guess in my mind, it only makes sense to expel the heat away from the machine you're trying to cool
10-02-2006, 03:34 PM
#30
Junior Member
Squid
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 11
well i have a 450 wheel horsepower 240sx nissan that i built myself sitting in my garage about 10 feet from me. when i wired my radiator fan backwards by mistake (blowing away from the engine) it boiled over. i'm not trying to start anything but i would dare not go on a forum and be a newbie and start posting ideas if i didn't have past experience to back me up.
