The Ford Barn

Barney · 07-19-2012, 03:25 AM

Hello,
in may last year I installed a new radiator (Brassworks HD) and a new water pump. I filled the system with fresh water and a product called "Water Wetter". Since then I've driven about 700 miles and had no problems. No overheating even in hot weather. No loss of cooling water for one year after the water was still up in the radiator.
Yesterday I looked again if there is enough water in the system. This was true but the water had a very strange strong orange color and was very sticky.
I have flushed the system twice and topped up with fresh water and normal anti-freeze.
I was most disturbed that it left a slimy, sticky plaque back into the system. In the top tube, I found this plaque.
Has anyone had similar experience with "WaterWetter" Is this product recommended at all?

Greetings from Switzerland
Barney

Joop · 07-19-2012, 04:55 AM

What kind of waterpump are you using.

Original or leakless?

Barney · 07-19-2012, 06:48 AM

Hi, i have a leakless style pump from Snyders.
I suspect this product(Water Wetter). This has been in the bottle a bright pink color. However, the color of the water was more into glossy orange. Like a German Curry-Sauce.
Barney

Benson · 07-19-2012, 07:11 AM

Did you use tap water or distilled water?

Tap water can have high amounts of calcium, sometimes called hard water.

The calcium (which looks like plaque) is deposited on radiator insides when heated and clogs tubes and whatnot.

I always use distilled water with antifreeze for that reason. Since I started doing that radiators will go for years with little or no deposits.

The orange sticky situation might be something to do with Waterwetter. I never used it before as cars are driven year round.

Another thought: Maybe there is some bacteria or chemical in the tap water that combines with Water Wetter to make the sticky substance??

Barney · 07-19-2012, 08:23 AM

Hi, i used fresh water. We have very "soft" water here. In the washing machine / dishwasher or in the hot water boiler, we have never been large deposits.
I can really rule out bacteria as well. But a good idea, I had not thought of it.
I must now look like once the new water behaves.
Anyway, I've never seen that in a car of mine. But I have never used WaterWetter before.

Barney

pat in Santa Cruz · 07-19-2012, 08:27 AM

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I've experience the same thing. The orange is rust. Water wetter does not have enough inhibitors in it. The slime actually starts to get a bad smell after a while. I flushed it out and added clorox to kill the bacteria causing the slime, then flushed it again and added Sierra anti freeze. NO more rust after that.

Benson · 07-19-2012, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pat in Santa Cruz

I've experience the same thing. The orange is rust. Water wetter does not have enough inhibitors in it. The slime actually starts to get a bad smell after a while. I flushed it out and added clorox to kill the bacteria causing the slime, then flushed it again and added Sierra anti freeze. NO more rust after that.

Interesting that you mentioned the bacteria also. In another life I used to repair the giant IBM mainframe computers.

Certain models were water cooled. Had two !.0 HP 208 volt electric motors to move the water.

Thirty Five or Forty gallons of distilled water had to be changed every year or two. It was always fun to go to the local supermarket to get distilled water. You need 40 gallons! What for?

There was a jar of powder that we added to the clean water. I remember the stinky water and slime in the cooling systems also. Most of the internal parts were stainless steel, brass, rubber or aluminum so I never saw the rust problem.

The MSDS sheets mentioned something about anti-bacterial powder. The neat thing was that each jar came with a pair of goggles. For years I had all of the goggles I could ever use! Still have several pair left over.

29restorod · 07-19-2012, 10:47 AM

I have used Water Wetter for 11 years in my flathead v8's,and never seen any problem. Now my model"A" is showing the same sticky orange film,you have mentioned. I have a leakless pump that was new when I bought the car last year. Before that it had a stock pump. Someone said it was from the pump grease entering the cooling system.

Barney · 07-20-2012, 02:17 AM

Thank you for your views and responses. I'll be watching the thing now and do not fill WaterWetter. Let's see what happens.
The Waterpump-Grease it could be but should be a large amount at the pump.
Thanks again
Barney

Barney · 08-20-2012, 02:13 AM

Hi,
A short update. The new water is now a month in the system. Fresh water and a normal commercial antifreeze. No WaterWeter.
The color is normal and no plaque, and even at the temperature I notice no difference (At the Moment its realy hot here in Switzerland 35°C,95°F).
I think it was the product of WaterWeter. I will no longer use this product. Again thanks for the reply.
Greetings Barney

wensum · 08-20-2012, 05:05 AM

I use Red Line Water wetter in two cars with alloy components ( Head in one case and head and block in the other.)
I have found it excellent for eliminating corrosion in thses motors and reducing the running temperature.
A well known brand of anti corrosion additive had been found to react with certain types of water causing excess sediment in the block and resultant seizing from localised overheating

MikeK · 08-20-2012, 12:24 PM

The slimy bacteria is Serratia marcescens and it produces an orange pigment, prodigiosin. It is very happy in hot water and will feed off organic molecules like Water Wetter surfactants and soluble oils used as water pump lubes. To completely remove the slime coat you need to use oxalic acid and detergent as a cleaner, and you need to get the circulating water temp up to 190F+ for about 10 minutes. If you only get it up to 160F, it will say thanks for the food (detergent) and come right back. A follow up rinse with 5% bleach would be in order. Be sure the rad top tank is overflowing full, else the little devils will hide out up there and laugh at you.

Vern · 08-20-2012, 10:29 PM

Barney, Thanks for asking this question. I thought mine was the only A with this condition. In the past couple of months I have had a slow leak in a bottom tank/tube and found this greasy orangey stuff on the floor. Now we know. I have used water wetter for years, but it won't be going back in when I get the radiator repaired.

07-19-2012, 03:25 AM	#1
Barney Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Switzerland Posts: 93	Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Hello, in may last year I installed a new radiator (Brassworks HD) and a new water pump. I filled the system with fresh water and a product called "Water Wetter". Since then I've driven about 700 miles and had no problems. No overheating even in hot weather. No loss of cooling water for one year after the water was still up in the radiator. Yesterday I looked again if there is enough water in the system. This was true but the water had a very strange strong orange color and was very sticky. I have flushed the system twice and topped up with fresh water and normal anti-freeze. I was most disturbed that it left a slimy, sticky plaque back into the system. In the top tube, I found this plaque. Has anyone had similar experience with "WaterWetter" Is this product recommended at all? Greetings from Switzerland Barney

07-19-2012, 04:55 AM	#2
Joop Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Glendale, AZ Posts: 2,952	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. What kind of waterpump are you using. Original or leakless?

07-19-2012, 06:48 AM	#3
Barney Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Switzerland Posts: 93	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Hi, i have a leakless style pump from Snyders. I suspect this product(Water Wetter). This has been in the bottle a bright pink color. However, the color of the water was more into glossy orange. Like a German Curry-Sauce. Barney

07-19-2012, 07:11 AM	#4
Benson Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,597	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Did you use tap water or distilled water? Tap water can have high amounts of calcium, sometimes called hard water. The calcium (which looks like plaque) is deposited on radiator insides when heated and clogs tubes and whatnot. I always use distilled water with antifreeze for that reason. Since I started doing that radiators will go for years with little or no deposits. The orange sticky situation might be something to do with Waterwetter. I never used it before as cars are driven year round. Another thought: Maybe there is some bacteria or chemical in the tap water that combines with Water Wetter to make the sticky substance?? Last edited by Benson; 07-19-2012 at 09:08 AM.

07-19-2012, 08:23 AM	#5
Barney Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Switzerland Posts: 93	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Hi, i used fresh water. We have very "soft" water here. In the washing machine / dishwasher or in the hot water boiler, we have never been large deposits. I can really rule out bacteria as well. But a good idea, I had not thought of it. I must now look like once the new water behaves. Anyway, I've never seen that in a car of mine. But I have never used WaterWetter before. Barney

07-19-2012, 08:27 AM	#6
pat in Santa Cruz Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: santa cruz, calif Posts: 2,011	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I've experience the same thing. The orange is rust. Water wetter does not have enough inhibitors in it. The slime actually starts to get a bad smell after a while. I flushed it out and added clorox to kill the bacteria causing the slime, then flushed it again and added Sierra anti freeze. NO more rust after that.

07-19-2012, 10:47 AM	#8
29restorod Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: South East Michigan Posts: 229	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. I have used Water Wetter for 11 years in my flathead v8's,and never seen any problem. Now my model"A" is showing the same sticky orange film,you have mentioned. I have a leakless pump that was new when I bought the car last year. Before that it had a stock pump. Someone said it was from the pump grease entering the cooling system. __________________ If you think SBC's are "Old School" you are not old enough.

07-20-2012, 02:17 AM	#9
Barney Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Switzerland Posts: 93	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Thank you for your views and responses. I'll be watching the thing now and do not fill WaterWetter. Let's see what happens. The Waterpump-Grease it could be but should be a large amount at the pump. Thanks again Barney

08-20-2012, 02:13 AM	#10
Barney Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Switzerland Posts: 93	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Hi, A short update. The new water is now a month in the system. Fresh water and a normal commercial antifreeze. No WaterWeter. The color is normal and no plaque, and even at the temperature I notice no difference (At the Moment its realy hot here in Switzerland 35°C,95°F). I think it was the product of WaterWeter. I will no longer use this product. Again thanks for the reply. Greetings Barney

08-20-2012, 05:05 AM	#11
wensum Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: New Zealand Posts: 444	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. I use Red Line Water wetter in two cars with alloy components ( Head in one case and head and block in the other.) I have found it excellent for eliminating corrosion in thses motors and reducing the running temperature. A well known brand of anti corrosion additive had been found to react with certain types of water causing excess sediment in the block and resultant seizing from localised overheating

08-20-2012, 12:24 PM	#12
MikeK Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Windy City Posts: 2,919	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. The slimy bacteria is Serratia marcescens and it produces an orange pigment, prodigiosin. It is very happy in hot water and will feed off organic molecules like Water Wetter surfactants and soluble oils used as water pump lubes. To completely remove the slime coat you need to use oxalic acid and detergent as a cleaner, and you need to get the circulating water temp up to 190F+ for about 10 minutes. If you only get it up to 160F, it will say thanks for the food (detergent) and come right back. A follow up rinse with 5% bleach would be in order. Be sure the rad top tank is overflowing full, else the little devils will hide out up there and laugh at you.

08-20-2012, 10:29 PM	#13
Vern Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 572	Re: Sticky and glossy Orange colling water. Barney, Thanks for asking this question. I thought mine was the only A with this condition. In the past couple of months I have had a slow leak in a bottom tank/tube and found this greasy orangey stuff on the floor. Now we know. I have used water wetter for years, but it won't be going back in when I get the radiator repaired.