I have read several posts of people seeing benefits of water wetter. I added a bottle this week. Coolant was recently replaced with peak green coolant.

Temps are basically the same as they were before adding water wetter. What am I missing? I expected to see a small decrease in temps.

 

You may noy see a change until outside temps get warmer. From their web site:

Does not lower cooling system below the thermostatically-controlled temperature

It also won't help much if half of radiator is clogged with sludge left over from desxcool or infrequent coolant changes.

If measuring temp by Mark 1 eyeball on the heat gauge, in a D2 that is computer generated by the ECU. You can get a more accurate pix with a scanner or Ultra Gauge that reads the OBDII port and shows the digital temp. The stock stat on a D2 starts to open at 180F, and is full open at 204F - but that is temp at the stat, which is remote from block. Water circulates through metering holes in the top of the stat to mix with radiator water and warm up stat to open. I am running a 180 stat in yy D1 (in the block, where they should be), and I cruise at 55 at 180-183, 75 at 183-185, off the freeway and into bank drive thru line, crawl up to 192, then back down to 180. 85F yesterday outside.

 

If you didn't use a scanner to read the actualt engine temp instead of the temp. gauge that is not even close to accurate, yoiu will not see any difference.
Both Water Wetter, Purple Ice and B&G's Super Cool will help disipate heat faster while lubing the water pump and making the coolant sliperyer, not a real word, for more coolant flow.

 

I have new radiator, thermostat and fluid.

Monitoring temps with the UltraGauge.

Temps have been in the upper 80's lower 90's.

In traffic I run at 203-206, on the highway runs a 199-201.

I guess I was hoping it was keep everything below 200 all the time.

 

Pretty normal readings for an 04, this time of year.
If you want to lower those numbers, might want to go to the LRO and read the long thread regarding other t/stats that we can use that come set with both lower opening ranges and higher volumn of flow.
A number of people using t/stats that open at 170 and some using what they are calling soft spring t/stats from other Rover cars as well as Freelanders.

 

Might have more of an effect when hotter outside, in that it keeps you from getting hotter. Also see Purple Ice® – Radiator Coolant Additive - Royal Purple for a similar product that has some published test results. But if you have a 350 GM engine, 160 F thermostat, and you are at 225F at normal operting conditions, I would question the condition of the rest of the cooling system. When I have run a 160 in my 4.0 it has run at 160 -163. With a 180, 180 - 190 ish. With a 195, I was hitting peaks in the 229 range. I'm just not comfortable with that, I like it under 200F, I'll pay the fuel penalty. As far as engine wear, most internet stuff on that links back to a similar report on old tech engines with carbs. My Kia has 211K, 180F nailed up like a rock.

At least you are under 200 some of the time. From Rover's viewpoint, you need extra cooling starting at 212F (electric fan comes on), and you don't need it at 202F (fan goes off. With the remote stat, I think that the number of holes in the top or their size might be adjusted to flow a little more, and open sooner. But you are measuring inside the intake manifold at the top, and the stat is some distance away, with air blast cooling off the water hose. Probably the only way to get lower temp easily is the in-line stat modification.

You are doing better than this pix.

 

I read the thread about the lighter spring thermostat. I am waiting a little longer till more people post up more results.

Thanks for the input guys.

On a seperate note, either one of you use Total 10w50 oil in your rover? I use it in my Audi with great Blackstone results and pondering using it in the rover down here in the summer.

 

im running 185-190 with plain distilled water. it had been around 210 before I started my cooling system overhaul.

i did the inline t-stat recently to be able to use a standard t-stat and hopefully lower temps. i think it helps. 180 t-stat. i took out the throttle heater today.

do you ever have to add more coolant?

it's always hot here.

 

I think if you read the labels on these products, they state that the maximum benefit (in terms of temperature reduction) comes with use with plain water. When used with regular 50/50 coolant, I think the benefits are minimal - certainly not observable on the dash temperature needle...

I use Water Wetter in my truck, only because it's so cheap and I figure what the hell - what have I got to lose? Whether its going to make my truck get .05 mpg better mileage or preserve the engine such that I get another 100 mies out of it is up for debate. Hey, I'm a sucker for snake oil just like everyone else!

DRW

 

Well I intend to go 50/50 green plus WW as soon as I determine where I'm losing liquid. I'm trying to avoid the snakeoil stuff but there seems to be a consensus here that the WW works.

I can check off the t-hose as I switched to the in-line and it's not showing any leaks there. I can check off the throttle heater now as I just bypassed that and put new hose in. Both showed signs of leakage before the mods.

So, it's either somewhere else, or the distilled water is evaporating or I have a head gasket problem. I haven't bled the system yet either so maybe it's that it wasn't really all filled to the line like it appeared. But I'm crossing off things one by one. Lastly will be the pressure test and then chemical HG test.

My temps are great tho as long as I keep adding d.water.....so I hope that's minimizing the chances of HG failure.

Fondly, Highjackasourus.