Brand New or Surplus Radiator

[EVO-V]

You shouldn't be too bothered about using tap water, our Metro Manila "mineral water" isn't as hard as one thinks it is.

Just have a healthy amount of coolant, say a 30% mix into your loop and you should be fine. Filtered should be as troublesome as it should get for you.

It's normally for high performance/high reliability applications that you want to be more finicky about your water. Like say you're operating a fleet of trucks or buses and you're bent on making sure cavitation doesn't occur.

But really don't let the marketing get ahead of practical usage. Distilled water is funny concept people think makes their vehicles operate better.

[falken]

You shouldn't be too bothered about using tap water, our Metro Manila "mineral water" isn't as hard as one thinks it is.

Just have a healthy amount of coolant, say a 30% mix into your loop and you should be fine. Filtered should be as troublesome as it should get for you.

It's normally for high performance/high reliability applications that you want to be more finicky about your water. Like say you're operating a fleet of trucks or buses and you're bent on making sure cavitation doesn't occur.

But really don't let the marketing get ahead of practical usage. Distilled water is funny concept people think makes their vehicles operate better.

True, Manila tap water isn't hard. But if you live in an older condominium or apartment building, the problem is rust in the water tanks. We have our own water filtration system at home and the ceramic filters get clogged after every 2 weeks. And the muck that I have to clean off the filters is mostly rust.

[EVO-V]

The practical solution it seems is to try not filling up your radiator using condo water and having a good talk with your HOA president.

Thing is, if you need to fill up your radiator with water regularly, it only means that you have a leak that you need to plug.

Folks, your car cooling systems were initially designed to not be purged for at least 100,000 km. Once its refilled it should stay at the same level given it is a closed loop.

I've seen radiators come in for failure analysis from buses and trucks that have been filled with muddy water out of sheer desperation and left that way because of negligence and lack of information.

If it is an emergency, filter the water with a cloth or rag but tell the mechanic FLUSH your system after he plugs the leak.