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At first, nothing drastic will happen; the car is capable of running only water as a coolant, but only for a short amount of time. There are many reasons why a proper mix of water and coolant are required for engines.
Firstly, the recommended mix of coolant and water will yield a solution with a unique specific heat capacity, meaning it has a very low freezing point and a very high melting point. Should only water be used, freezing temperatures can cause the water to freeze and expand, resulting in major damage to the engine. Similarly, water will boil at 100C/212F; an engine running on a warm day will easily exceed these temperatures and boiling water in an engine will lead to trouble.
Finally, the ingredients in coolant are designed to resist corrosion through the areas it passes. Water does not have this ability, and will instead lead to corrosion.
Adding water as coolant is an acceptable temporary fix to get a car to a mechanic, but should not be used otherwise.
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Can you drive your car without water but coolant Like you have coolant but no water in the water tank?
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How do you know if your car needs water?
You can check the coolant reservoir when the engine is cold, if the coolant level is below the add line top it off with the proper coolant, not just water. It is not a good idea to add just plain water. You should use at least a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze.
What happens when you overfill the coolant in your car?
If you were to overfill the coolant in your car, then it would start to overflow and come out of the car. The most damage that this would probably do would be getting the coolant on the ground and wasting it.?æ
Can you put water in a Volkswagen jetta to substitute for coolant?
If your car is leaking coolant get it fixed and put in the recomended coolant for your car. You should locate that info in the manual, also putting water in the winter is a bad idea since the water could freeze causing engine damage. I supposed you might be able to run it for a while in the summer with just water but get the leak fixed and put in the recomended antifreeze/coolant
Why do car engines get hot?
Car engines get hot to run generally but if you mean over heated it means that your coolant level is low and you could go buy coolant or you could just fill it with water
What happens if the thermostat in a car breaks?
IF it goes bad it will stick and allow no coolant to pass through it, and the car will subsequently overheat. Just change it out. They are usually under $10
What happens when a car has no anti freeze?
If the cooling system just has straight water in it , there is no corrosion protection for the cooling system , water pump , head gaskets etc , the engine '"coolant " can freeze or boil easier , if the coolant system freezes and the core plugs in the engine block don't do there job , the engine block can crack etc
What happens when you put coolant into a Malibu without running the car?
When the car is cold the thermostat is closed. When the thermostat is closed the coolant does not circulate or get in to the engine block.
What is a water pump in a car?
In a car the water pump circulates coolant through the engine and to the radiator.
Is it safe to drive your car if you accidentally put just a little oil in your coolant?
Yes. By little I'm talking two tablespoons. If more, then purge and refill with coolant and water.
Can AC water be put in a car?
Clean water should be used and mixed with the proper coolant for your car.
Water Leaking underneath my car passenger side under the car?
If you are running the A/C then this is normal and is just condensation from the A/C unit. If you are not running the A/C then it may be coolant. If your coolant is low then check for a leak at the connections for the heater hoses going inside the car.
