Sure is, they even sell it at grocery stores.

 

yes that is all my brother uses to make bottles for his baby.

 

The flush kit mentioned is available at most parts stores for under $10. It basically allows you to hook up your garden hose to the top hose, and you just disconnect the bottom hose to let the water run out.

Flushing is a must if getting a new rad. The rust partticles that are in your engine jacket will lodge themselves in your rad otherwise.

It's illegal to flush where I live. Be careful about any local laws.

It's been reccomended by several mechanics and rad specialists to install a see-through filter in your top hose. Crap will eventually build up in your coolant system, and now would be a great time since you're getting a new rad. The filter is a washable brass screen type.

Good luck.

CP

This filter with a stainless screen looks totally easy to clean since you don't have to remove it (price is stupid, though): http://www.mako.com.au/auto/tefba.htm

 

I drink nothing but distilled water for 6 months of the year. I work on an oil tanker and we distill our drinking and wash water from sea water.

I have never used distilled water in the coolant system of any car I have ever owned. Maybe we just have good water here, but I've had no troubles using just tap water. I just flush/drain it every 2 years.

 

i use tap water too:P but your never supposed to, the minerals in the water accelerate the breakdown of all components. when it starts to break down the coolant actually becomes a battery with an electrical charge and electrolysis kicks in. you can actually get a reading with a volt meter

 

Thanks guys. There is nothing in there now, so I don't need to worry about illegal flushing of antifreeze, it'll be just water for now. I think I'll go get a kit this weekend and see what it's all about. Any idea what the chemicals in the flush kit are? I could possibly use them and collect in a 5 gal bucket to take to the dump for proper disposal. If it's a "productive" flush maybe I'll do that anyway to take pics of what comes out.
BTW what about using the 50/50 mixed antifreeze they sell now? Does that use distilled water or should I mix it myself?

 

yes it uses distilled buy it is more expensive for half the antifreeze


seems lazy to me :P and you pay more for less work

 

Before you drink it or put it in your cooling system.


Distilled water is an active absorber and when it comes into contact with air, it absorbs carbon dioxide, making it acidic. The more distilled water a person drinks, the higher the body acidity becomes.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "Distilled water, being essentially mineral-free, is very aggressive, in that it tends to dissolve substances with which it is in contact. Notably, carbon dioxide from the air is rapidly absorbed, making the water acidic and even more aggressive. Many metals are dissolved by distilled water.