BMW Coolant

[wan520i]

Does anybody know exactly how much to mix this "Anti-freeze & anti-corrosive" coolant with water? The coolant is in 1500ml bottle..., it says 1:2 ratio for temp -20. Our temp is +-32, so maybe 1:5 kuk? Do we need to use distilled water? why? an I just use filtered drinking water..

 

[viewfinder]

I've always done 50% water + 50% coolant which is the correct chemical formula for cooling. Same as you, I'm using normal filtered drinking water. I see no harm if you put distilled h2o.

 

[knyaz]

Only distilled water should be used. The tap water is a NO GO. I have tested it in the lab and the quality is very bad.

 

[2cents]

Only distilled water should be used. The tap water is a NO GO. I have tested it in the lab and the quality is very bad.

what u say seems interesting, would u care to share your findings?

 

[KL2DC]

+1 on the distilled water...we don't know how hard our tap water is.

 

[knyaz]

what u say seems interesting, would u care to share your findings?

The acceptable rate of water PH is 5.5-7, the tap water had PH 11. That means too much alkali. Thats what causes the corrosion.

cheers

 

[wan520i]

knyaz,

Thanks for the info, any idea what is the PH for filtered drinking water?

And after adding coolant to the tap water, will the PH change? Coolant is anti-corrosive agent, right?

 

[tongsatriani]

Err...if that's the case why all, I mean all workshops is on tap water! Even the most reputated ones are on it....

 

[KL2DC]

Err...if that's the case why all, I mean all workshops is on tap water! Even the most reputated ones are on it....

...err because 1) tap water is cheap/free, 2) they need the repeat business

j/k

 

[tongsatriani]

That case I'll bottle 2 or 3 on my own when coolant need changing.

 

[KL2DC]

That case I'll bottle 2 or 3 on my own when coolant need changing.

I recommend minimum Evian ... LOL

 

[leforte]

EVIAN??? that;s courting for throuble....

what you should be using is distilled water and not spring water which is loaded with disolved minerals thats harmful to your engine. disolved minerals in the water will act as a bridge for the electrical current and with that comes electrolisis that will over time corrode your cylinder head and block which is made out of highly reactive aluminium alloy.


becareful when you shop for bottled water at the supermarket. read the label and make sure its stated as distilled water and not any other. RO water may be fine but distille would be the best.

 

[KL2DC]

EVIAN??? that;s courting for throuble....

what you should be using is distilled water and not spring water which is loaded with disolved minerals thats harmful to your engine. disolved minerals in the water will act as a bridge for the electrical current and with that comes electrolisis that will over time corrode your cylinder head and block which is made out of highly reactive aluminium alloy.


becareful when you shop for bottled water at the supermarket. read the label and make sure its stated as distilled water and not any other. RO water may be fine but distille would be the best.

LOL that was just a tongue in cheek comment...of course we know distilled water is best as per my previous posts on this very thread.

 

[viewfinder]

Where to get distilled water? I don't think I notice any on the shelve supermarket here in PG.

Battery water is not distilled water, right?

 

[knyaz]

knyaz,

Thanks for the info, any idea what is the PH for filtered drinking water?

And after adding coolant to the tap water, will the PH change? Coolant is anti-corrosive agent, right?

Lets have a chemistry lesson here :

What is pH?
Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Neutral water is given a pH value of 7.0. It contains equal amounts of hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-). Dissolved chemicals and minerals change the balance of those ions from a perfectly neutral state. Increase the amount of hydrogen ions (H+), and the water becomes more acid ("low pH"). Increase the amount of hydroxide ions (OH-), and the water becomes more alkaline ("high pH"). The further these values rise or fall, the more acid or alkaline the water becomes.


So to bring the PH to normal value you have to filtrate the water. Use distilled water or bottled water at least.

 

[manjit]

To bring the pH value to normal, u have to distill or demineralize it. pH don't change by filtration. Measure of water conductivity is the best but only available in water plant. The unit is UMHO or microS/cm. Hard water introduces scaling and corrosion inside the water. Hard mineral such as Na, K, Ca and also nitrate salt is removed via anion and kation bed, or we call them water softeners.

regards
manjit

 

[knyaz]

RO flitration will improve the PH....I did not mean the normal household filter

 

[Jules]

The acceptable rate of water PH is 5.5-7, the tap water had PH 11. That means too much alkali. Thats what causes the corrosion.

cheers

PH11?????? what have we been drinking if this is true???

 

[KL2DC]

PH11?????? what have we been drinking if this is true???

Don't worry, the acidity of the spicy foods we ingest in large quantities daily will neturalize the alkaline in the water

 

[Victor320]

Err...if that's the case why all, I mean all workshops is on tap water! Even the most reputated ones are on it....

Easy, it's not their car. Only you love your car. The mechanic in the workshop, no matter how reputable, has so many cars to work on daily. He's not going to waste time and money putting distilled water in. Plus how many customers know better? Wait 2 years, and when the customer's radiator goes bust from corrosion, and they send it in again, then charge them for a full job. And then the customer will say BMWs are unreliable...