Coolant types

Much like engine oils, the differences between different coolant types is a bit of a mystery for most drivers. At most, knowing one has the green stuff, some others have pink, blue, or red stuff is about as far as it goes — and that includes most real car geeks as well. A step-by-step guide at choosing the right coolant. Less popular antifreeze agents are methanol and propandiol and glycerol. Antifreeze retains its liquid form when heated to a point where other liquids boil.

This means the best type of engine coolant is the one that your manufacturer suggests. In this type of climate you will always need an engine coolant but you may not need the coolant to have freeze protection. Consequently water based coolants are often used in these regions. A coolant is a substance, typically liquid or gas, that is used to reduce or regulate the temperature of a system. An ideal coolant has high thermal capacity, low viscosity, is low-cost, non-toxic, chemically inert and neither causes nor promotes corrosion of the cooling system.

Prestone is yellow, but many other coolant manufacturers use different colours. These days, there’s no real reason for a coolant manufacturer to use a certain colour, so it’s not easy to know what chemicals are in the coolant just by seeing whether it’s blue, green, yellow or orange. Unlike the other types of antifreeze , it uses silicate and phosphate corrosion inhibitors to protect the metal parts of the engine and cooling system. However, these inhibitors wear out quickly, so IAT type coolants need to be flushed every two years or 30miles.

This can make it confusing when trying to decide which coolant you need in your vehicle. The coolant stops flowing through the system, clogs up coolant passageways and water jackets, radiators, and heater cores. The different colors can mean different properties of the liquid. The water pump overheats and fails due to a lack of lubricant in the coolant. According to the Pontiac Vibe manual, the coolant in the vehicle should last for five years or 500miles, which ever occurs first.

Using unapproved types of coolant or mixtures in a Vibe could result in damage to the car’s cooling system. Traditional coolants (often green or yellow) generally use silicates, while new style (generally orange or pink) coolants use organic acids. Antifreeze contains lubricants and anti-corrosion agents to keep components like your radiator properly lubricated and free from corrosion. Not applying the right amount of antifreeze to your radiator can cause your engine to overheat - leaving you with an undriveable vehicle and an expensive repair. ANTIFREEZE TYPES AND COLORS.

This article is written to try to clear up the differences. What are the different types of antifreeze ? The biggest thing to look out for is using the organic acid technology (OAT) in older vehicles with brass or copper radiators. The key to a coolant ’s ultimate performance and lifespan is directly related to the inhibitors it contains.

A diesel motorhome is a different situation, so the coolant system care practices for your car are not transferable to your coach. Depending on which engine is in your motorhome and the specific type of coolant it uses, your maintenance requirements may be greater, or even fewer, than those for your automobile.

Dex-Cool is the antifreeze recommended by General Motors, the company that makes Chevys, as the best antifreeze for their automobiles. It is an orange color, to truly differentiate it, and is an extended-life coolant , known to work up to 100miles.

The coolant type and concentration depend on the machining method and type of material worked. It is recommended that the user consult the producer of coolant regarding the type of coolant and its concentration. Inorganic Acid Technology (IAT) antifreeze is green in color. Organic Acid Technology (OAT) antifreeze is orange, re green, pink or blue. Until recently, the most popular antifreeze was a simple ethylene glycol based product.

Engine coolants and antifreeze agents have been around for many years. This product, referred to today as conventional coolant , did a satisfactory job as a heat exchange agent but had one big drawback. Apart from color, the biggest difference between the different types of antifreeze is in the inhibitor packages,” Finch explained.

Antifreeze has other additives, like dye to make it a certain color, and anti-foaming agents. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Our website should serve to answer many common questions. If you would like further information on pricing, shipping or what coolant or lubricant would be best for your application, please fill out the information on the contact us page.

Coolant Types We are Here to Help. A vehicle’s cooling system is made up of Matt types of plastic p, rubber and different types of metals within one cooling system, although one coolant can mix with other without a reaction, the parts that make up your cooling system may not be made to take the new coolant. Manufacturers of at least three brands of organic-acid-technology antifreeze have programs for converting cooling systems from fully formulated conventional coolant to an organic-acid- type coolant , without draining and refilling the system.

Reduced maintenance is cited as the primary benefit of conversion. Confusion continues over coolant colors for cars. Of course, there is still the good old green stuff, but there is also orange, yellow (gold and amber), re pink, blue an if you mix the wrong things together, brown. If the type of coolant in a vehicle is unknown it is not easy to identify it without the use of sophisticated analytical procedures.

The colour of the coolant does not prove type or quality of the product. Technician A says that there are a number of coolant types that each has its own life span. Technician B says that mixing of coolants is generally ok, since all coolants use the same chemical base. What is meant by Type A and Type B coolant ? Orange antifreeze should not be mixed with green antifreeze because they are not compatible.

With the engine col the level sits at the low mark. I asked the dealer what type of coolant could I add ( like Prestone ) and they told me that it takes a special Toyota coolant. They said swing by and they will top it off for me. Another characteristic of this type of coolant is that, from a freeze-protection standpoint, it’s more tolerant of over-concentration. Antifreeze and coolants play an integral role in regulating the core temperature of your vehicle's engine.

There is a reddish coolant in their now. A coolant flush and fill is a maintenance must that can be performed in your garage or driveway. Antifreeze lowers the freezing point of the water in your car's engine cooling system, preventing the water from freezing when the mercury drops.

Antifreeze is essential to keeping your car running smoothly during the winter months.