Motorcycle engine coolants and all products designed to keep the engine cool are in great demand because of their low prices and ease of use. But knowing how to use them properly is key, which may leave you wondering how to mix Water Wetter for your motorcycle.
You should mix Water Wetter with distilled water in the proportions recommended by the manufacturer on the bottle. This is usually one 12-ounce bottle of Water Wetter for every 12-16 quarts of water, although the specific ideal ratio will depend on the size of your cooling system.
Water Wetter is a product that has been met with mixed reactions from motorcycle owners about its efficiency. Keep reading to find out if Water Wetter is what they claim it to be, and how you can use it on your motorcycle for best results.
How Does Water Wetter Work?
Any engine that is high performance runs at high rpm. The problem is that as rpm increases, so does the engine’s temperature. Heat is one of the biggest enemies of performance which degrades the engine’s power output. In the quest to increase engine power and improve motorcycle performance, liquid-cooled engines were brought in.
Although these engines have superior performance, excessive engine heat is still a problem, which the new coolants claim to have solved. As the engine rpm increases, the friction from the piston and other moving parts gives off more heat. This heat is absorbed, then carried away by multiple fins fitted on the engine’s cylinder head, and then it is radiated.
More Efficient Heat Transfer
As air or coolant passes over the cooling fins on the engine cylinder, it carries away the heat generated by fuel combustion and engine friction. So, it can be seen that increasing the surface area of the fins also increases the cooling speed. Water Wetter works by improving the heat transfer properties of the fins with the coolant, thereby allowing it to remove heat faster.
Any product similar to Water Wetter is simply propylene glycol or ethylene glycol which has better thermal conductivity along with a few additives in very minute proportions. A 12-ounce bottle of Red Line coolant costs about $13, so it should last for a very long time. Manufacturers recommend a change of coolant every 3 years, but ideally you should do it sooner.
Should You Use Water Wetter?
Before you decide that you need extra cooling, keep an eye on the coolant temperatures on the instrument panel. When they are regularly high, it is likely that your bike will benefit from Water Wetter. If you are riding a high-performance motorcycle in a place with high temperatures, the chances are that Water Wetter is going to help keep your engine cool.
If you know that your engine temperature is well within its limits, there is no need for any extra coolant, so stay away from using additives of any sort.
What Is The Ideal Ratio For Water Wetter?
The ideal ratio to mix water with Water Wetter is normally one 12-ounce bottle per 12-16 quarts of water. For a smaller system, you need about 4-5 capfuls per quart of water.
Water Wetter must always be mixed with distilled water or rain water only. Never take the risk of using any other water as it could leave a mineral deposit in your cooling system which is very difficult to remove and could cause a blockage over time as it builds up. Reducing the amount of water mixed with Water Wetter can degrade your cooling system.
Water Wetter vs Engine Ice
Water Wetter and Engine Ice are just brand names for glycol, propylene glycol, ethylene alcohol, or a mix of them. There are no secret ingredients one has that the other doesn’t, so if you have experienced a drop in engine temperature by using one of them, the other will probably work just as well.
The manufacturers of Engine Ice have stated that ethylene glycol is not used, and that propylene glycol is used instead, which may be beneficial as it isn’t as toxic as ethylene glycol, especially if you have kids and pets around. In terms of performance, ethylene glycol has higher thermal conductivity compared to propylene glycol.
Can You Mix Antifreeze With Water Wetter?
You can mix Antifreeze with Water Wetter. For those who live in places with low temperatures, there is often no need for Water Wetter at all, but you must use antifreeze. Keep an eye on your engine temperature just to make sure that the cooling system is working.
Final Thoughts
Water Wetter is one of a number of chemical additives on the market that claim to improve your engine’s performance by reducing its operating temperature. It may or may not be the best choice for your motorcycle, but if you plan to use it, it helps to know how to mix it for best results.