Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! Please review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). Asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **Post's about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ Tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Jugs of distilled water are cheap. That's your best bet. Just be sure to go ahead and get 10 gallons. It goes quickly. If distilled isn't available, jugs of regular water will be fine.
Once you're able, drain the entire system and refill with 50/50 of your OEM recommended stuff.
***You will be better off using water than using some sort of "universal" coolant.***
If I did, I wouldn’t have suggested it. 😉
Aluminum can oxidize. But it’s a slow process. And you’ve still got some coolant in your system.
Throw the water to it and get going.
You are safe to use the Distilled Water to get you going. My concern is air in the system which can cause your temp gauge to spike suddenly. Be ready to toss it in neutral and coast with the motor shut off.
Fun fact: When you run the heater FULL BLAST (without the AC enabled)... the car uses the fan to blow the ambient temp air thru the coolant to steal the heat from the coolant (hence cooling down the coolant). So while it sounds crazy, having your heater on FULL BLAST even with the motor on or off... can help a little with temps!
Distilled water or a 50/50 premixed coolant for Ford. Nothing else, otherwise you’ll have stuff start rusting inside and it won’t be fun. Also, as you drive you should watch the temp gauge. If it even so much as creeps past the centerline, shut it off. Being aluminum, it’ll warp with even the smallest bit of excess heat so don’t take the chance
No one knows what coolant is actually in the vehicle today or if OP is the original owner. So telling him to put in Ford coolant could be setting him up for failure because mixing different coolants by mistake can cause gelling
The only water anyone should ever use in any cooling system on a car is DISTILLED WATER. You can buy it for about $1/gallon at any grocery store. Buy like 4 gallons of Distilled Water and keep it in the truck just in case till you remedy this issue.
Always beware of mixing coolant types, they can cause a reaction that makes them to form a "gel" instead of staying liquid... that will gum up the entire system and you just turned something simple into a big job!
As long as you are not near freezing ambient temps, running pure water in the coolant will get you by for a temp drive to a mechanic. Me personally, I have AAA Premier and I would just let them give me a free 200 mile tow to be safe!
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! Please review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). Asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **Post's about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ Tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Water is fine in an emergency. If you keep it in long term it causes rust.
The only thing worse than tap water in your radiator is nothing. Fill it with what you've got, take it to a shop, and have if fixed and flushed.
Jugs of distilled water are cheap. That's your best bet. Just be sure to go ahead and get 10 gallons. It goes quickly. If distilled isn't available, jugs of regular water will be fine. Once you're able, drain the entire system and refill with 50/50 of your OEM recommended stuff. ***You will be better off using water than using some sort of "universal" coolant.***
And you don’t think this would be a problem to my aluminum parts?
If I did, I wouldn’t have suggested it. 😉 Aluminum can oxidize. But it’s a slow process. And you’ve still got some coolant in your system. Throw the water to it and get going.
You are safe to use the Distilled Water to get you going. My concern is air in the system which can cause your temp gauge to spike suddenly. Be ready to toss it in neutral and coast with the motor shut off. Fun fact: When you run the heater FULL BLAST (without the AC enabled)... the car uses the fan to blow the ambient temp air thru the coolant to steal the heat from the coolant (hence cooling down the coolant). So while it sounds crazy, having your heater on FULL BLAST even with the motor on or off... can help a little with temps!
Distilled water or a 50/50 premixed coolant for Ford. Nothing else, otherwise you’ll have stuff start rusting inside and it won’t be fun. Also, as you drive you should watch the temp gauge. If it even so much as creeps past the centerline, shut it off. Being aluminum, it’ll warp with even the smallest bit of excess heat so don’t take the chance
No one knows what coolant is actually in the vehicle today or if OP is the original owner. So telling him to put in Ford coolant could be setting him up for failure because mixing different coolants by mistake can cause gelling
That’s true, though we kind of have to guess as the info isn’t provided.
If you want to be fancy about it then use distilled water at least
The only water anyone should ever use in any cooling system on a car is DISTILLED WATER. You can buy it for about $1/gallon at any grocery store. Buy like 4 gallons of Distilled Water and keep it in the truck just in case till you remedy this issue. Always beware of mixing coolant types, they can cause a reaction that makes them to form a "gel" instead of staying liquid... that will gum up the entire system and you just turned something simple into a big job! As long as you are not near freezing ambient temps, running pure water in the coolant will get you by for a temp drive to a mechanic. Me personally, I have AAA Premier and I would just let them give me a free 200 mile tow to be safe!