Misters and radiators

[Chopper Scott]

I have a bud that owns a radiator shop and we got talking about cooling and radiators on my MCI 7. I said something about misters. He laughed and said it only will make the situation worse down the road. The water sprayed on the radiator will lime up the fins and tubes on the exterior of the radiator and then you will have even more problems eventually. He's been doing radiators all his life and I sure don't doubt his word. So what do yu guys running misters think? Just curious. Later

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Well i don't have them but if i did i would only run distilled water thru them.

[TomC]

I have 15 misters bought from Home Depot in front of my air to air intercooler and radiator.  I need them on a hill climb when the temp is over 90. After a trip with using them when I come home (since the misters are hooked into my water system and just using tap water) there will be a bit of calcium buildup on the radiator.  I just fill a spray bottle with CLR, spray the air to air intercooler and radiator until it is dripping with CLR, wait 5 minutes (with a cold radiator) and then hose off.  No more calcium!  Good Luck, TomC

[luvrbus]

A pump that that pressures up to 80# stops some of the build up it makes more of a vapor than a mist.I don't have the misters but a friend does with a high pressure pump seems to work for him without much mess and doesn't use as much water so I am told

[gm4106]

Tom how much of your air to air intercooler  is covering your radiator?

[Airbag]

Well i don't have them but if i did i would only run distilled water thru them.

Ed
Your right distilled water will leave zero residue. I use it to cool myself on my motorcycle. For the intermittant use on hill climbing it would certainly be worth a little cost for it. It can sit in the tank for years and still be clear as a mountain stream. It will not corrode anything.

[TomC]

Here's a view of the engine and air to air intercooler.  The intercooler is centered in the middle of the radiator, so the amount of radiator showing at the top is the same as at the bottom.  This is pre misters.  Good Luck, TomC

[boogiethecat]

Oh boy I remember a great battle over misters a few years back on BNO. It was amazing... the believers vs non believers, then it got into a tussle on radiator size... eeek I hope it doesn't repeat!

I had misters on my first bus, and on my Crown for a few years before I changed its radiator out to a much larger one. They worked wonders  (So does a bigger radiator). I could drop my temp 15 degrees in a matter of 30 seconds.  I just used my standard water tanks for the source- never had a mineral build-up problem but then I didn't use them that much...only on one or two nasty grades twice a year.

Tom's suggestion of using CLR (Cal / Rust / Lime Remover) should work very well if you do get deposits, as well as Ed's suggestion of using distilled water if you care to add tanks specifically for that.  I'd try just using tap water a few times and see what it gets you.  If no deposits happen, you're ok and if they do, you have the fix.

[Lin]

Just a hypothetical question.  If one wanted to add a mister to an MCI, could it just be put on one radiator?

[kyle4501]

Is the water from both radiators mixed before it returns to the motor? If so, then it shouldn't matter as far as that goes, but, misting only 1 gives half the benefit of misting both.

I think the best way to approach misters is to realize it is best utilized as a temporary solution. If you can't install a bigger radiator, it may be your only solution short of reducing the HP produced.


However, reducing the HP is never an option for some. . . . 

[Airbag]

I can think of nothing wrong with a water system on the radiators. It has been used for years on aircraft with no ill effects. If you can climb the hill at 190 degrees instead of 220 degrees then why not. If I install one on my bus it will be distilled water only. The tap water here in Arizona is really liquid limestone. Filtered water might be alright but I still vote for distilled.

[gm4106]

Thanks Tom for the pictures

[JohnEd]

TomC has a solution....I think.  I wonder if CLR has any chems in it that will damage brass, copper or aluminum.  Sometimes the darnedest stuff happens.  I would be satisfied if CLR responded to an email from a user.

Water ain't water everywhere.  The AZ stuff is chewable, Oreygun(W) seems to have superb water and everywhere else is different, better or worse.  I think soft water would be just fine even filtering AZ liquid limestone.

Hey!  For sure, distilled water is not safe in your tank forever.  If you get a load of distilled in your fresh you should add some bleach to impede bacteria growth and algae.  The acids that comprise bleach will not do your rad any good long term but I don't know how much for how long and there may be not a scintilla of real risk.... don't know.  WELL water is also a no-no without bleach because it isn't chlorinated.

Good luck,

John

[luvrbus]

If I was going to use a system I would not use the patio systems from HD or Lowes they make a mess.Hayden has a system that works quite well with the higher pressure pump
www.haydenauto.com        Why wouldn't RO water work as good as distilled water distilled water is expensive in Az around $1.25 a gal     good luck

[TomC]

I have my 15 misters from Home Depot (so I can easily get replacements anywhere in the US) on 4 rows of pipes in front of the radiator.  Don't quite understand the statement that they make a mess- if a bit of dripping water is a mess-then maybe.  Also, Haydens system has one or two knozzles-mine has 15 (or as many as you want).  Haydens has a 2.5 gallon tank-I have my entire 130 gal water system behind it.  You choose your system, but I'm pleased with mine-I have been in over 100 degree weather and able to go down the road without overheating.  Just have to wash the radiator with CLR after a trip of use.  Good Luck, TomC