Tracking car hard in hot climate

[bigjae46]

Driver407 OP, did you ever figure out a solution to get through these hot track days? I haven't thrown any money at my car this year but I'm in NorCal as well. Thunderhill and Laguna Seca with ambient temps outside above 90 degrees and my coolant needle will touch red (if I redline). Even does it in the canyons if I'm really sending it. I basically just don't go to the track from June to October. Water wetter alone did absolutely nothing for this heat we've been having this year.

My plan before dumping $1k into a complete refresh is to flush all the old coolant out and do straight distilled water + water wetter and seeing how it goes.

Coolant doesn't do much cooling if any. Its main purpose is to lower the freezing point of the coolant/water mix and to lubricate the water pump. So distilled water will work a little better but won't be transformative. If you do use distilled water...use water wetter. I'd dump the entire bottle in. The bearing on the water pump needs a little lubrication. Water provides none. Water wetter will help a little but it is better than nothing.

Side note, I saw a facebook ad for some pressure washer attachment to clean radiators in the car. Wonder if a pressure washer would totally destroy the fins? I use compressed air and then a compressed air sprayer to blow out coolers. It works ok but still leaves stuff in the fins.

[Obioban]

Water wetter also leaves deposits, so every day you use it your entire cooling system gets slightly less efficient.

[MTiz]

Coolant doesn't do much cooling if any. Its main purpose is to lower the freezing point of the coolant/water mix and to lubricate the water pump. So distilled water will work a little better but won't be transformative. If you do use distilled water...use water wetter. I'd dump the entire bottle in. The bearing on the water pump needs a little lubrication. Water provides none. Water wetter will help a little but it is better than nothing.

Side note, I saw a facebook ad for some pressure washer attachment to clean radiators in the car. Wonder if a pressure washer would totally destroy the fins? I use compressed air and then a compressed air sprayer to blow out coolers. It works ok but still leaves stuff in the fins.

Yeah it's kind of annoying to deal with. When it's 90+ degrees outside I just don't go crazy shifting all the way at redline. And when it's 100+ I just leave the car at home and drive the F80.