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Old 05-23-2009, 03:11 PM   #24 (permalink)
theunchosen
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Pumping water through the "water jacket" won't hurt the car. The small percent of glycol to the mix will also help to avoid rusting if it starts boiling off fluid.

The engine is not quite scorching hot enough to make oxidation an instant problem and its not being exposed to other corrosive elements inside the jacket(the hoses and most everything else is designed to operate with polar fluids).

I just finished repairing a 1948 Ford V-8 Flathead that only ever had water pumped through its jacket and its fine, minimal rust and corrosion even though it sat around. . .for 40 years before I rebuilt it. Before that it had been run from 49 to 62(13 years with just water in the summer).

The water corrosion is a non-issue at the exchange temperature without other corrosive agents like salt. Ethylene glycol(anti-freeze) will aid in lubricating areas that are corroding to slow the process, but even so. . .the engine will have to be rebuilt before the corrosion becomes a problem.
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