![]() With so many types of antifreeze out there, it’s hard to predict exactly how long the coolant that’s in your car will maintain top-notch cold weather protection. Traditionally, this has been done with phosphates and silicates, otherwise known as inorganic oxides (typically giving antifreeze a green tinge), but inorganic oxides and something called ‘organic additive technology’ are more and more often used in their place, resulting in a wider spectrum of coolant colors.Įach of these additives forms a protective coating over the inside of the cooling system itself, and over time that layer can no longer be replenished, ‘wearing out’ the antifreeze and requiring that it be replaced. Preventing corrosion inside your engine’s water channels, as well as its water pump, thermostat, and radiator, is just as important to the longevity of your car as keeping things cool, which means antifreeze manufacturers have to include various additives in order to take into account minerals, scale, and rust. ![]() If antifreeze was just made up of glycol and water it would never really wear out – but there’s more to it than that. In a similar way, it also boosts the boiling point of water, providing protection at both ends of the spectrum, and outperforming pure water when dealing with environmental extremes. In a 50/50 mix, you’re looking at a mixture that can go down to nearly -50 degrees F before crystallization starts to occur. ![]() What’s interesting about ethylene glycol is that it’s only when mixed with water that it gains its amazing ability to resist freezing. The most common ratios used are 70 percent water to 30 percent antifreeze for very warm parts of the country, but in colder areas a safer ratio – and the one most manufacturers recommend – is 50:50 antifreeze to water. This is especially true during the winter months, when your engine is most vulnerable to the cold.Īntifreeze makes use of ethylene glycol which is mixed with water in order to both help cool your engine and resist freezing. It’s not a ‘set it and forget it’ situation however – antifreeze needs to be periodically inspected, and replaced, as the grind of daily driving takes its toll on the additives that keep your motor running smoothly. ![]() Where does ‘antifreeze’ come in? Given that coolant needs to stay liquid in order to do its job, not to mention avoid cracking the engine block open if it were to turn to ice after sitting overnight at well below freezing temperatures, in most climates you can’t simply poor water into your vehicle’s radiator and call it day.ĭecades of research have lead to antifreeze/coolant that resists low temperatures while also fighting corrosion and wear inside the cooling system itself. At its most basic, this is accomplished by running coolant through channels in the engine block with its flow regulated by a thermostat and a pump, and its temperature kept under control by a radiator at the front of the car or truck. Simply put, your automobile’s engine runs hot, and it requires a cooling system to keep it at its optimum operating temperature, regardless of whether you’re driving in the dead of winter or during the dog days of summer. The word ‘antifreeze’ is one of the most straightforward terms in the automotive lexicon.
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