Note: Some coolants use less toxic propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol-based coolants have not gained widespread popularity due to the high cost of propylene glycol and the deterioration of the heat-dissipating properties of the liquid. All antifreezes are more or less poisonous, be careful! In addition, antifreeze leaves indelible stains on the car body enamel, if it gets on the paintwork, it should be removed immediately and the surface washed with clean water.
The coolant must meet the following basic requirements:
- remove heat from engine cylinders;
- do not freeze at low temperatures;
- do not form deposits in the cooling system;
- does not cause corrosion of metal parts and does not destroy rubber elements of the cooling system;
- do not foam during operation.
These requirements are met by adding a special complex of additives.
Antifreezes are divided into traditional ones according to the composition of additives (Traditional coolants or Conventional coolants), hybrid (Hybrid coolants) and carboxylate types.
Warning! It is not recommended to mix antifreezes of different brands during topping up, and those with different bases are completely unacceptable! The system should not be filled with clean water, even distilled, and even in summer. Firstly, if you forget about this, you can ruin the engine in the October frosts; secondly, you will most likely not be able to avoid corrosion and destructive cavitation* in the system, that is how modern engines are designed. And finally, pure water has poor lubricating properties and the pump seal will wear out quickly.
* Cavitation is the formation of vapor-gas bubbles in a liquid flow. As these bubbles disappear, they cause microscopic explosions that destroy the walls of pipelines and other parts washed by the flow.
Note: Carboxylate antifreeze has a longer service life and better, compared to traditional and hybrid antifreezes, protects engine cooling system parts from corrosion.
To designate the type of antifreeze, many manufacturers use the standard adopted by the VAG group:
- G11 - hybrid antifreezes;
- G12 and G12+ are carboxylate antifreezes.
In 2008, a new type of antifreeze appeared, in which an organic base is combined with a small amount of mineral corrosion inhibitors. There is no generally accepted designation for them yet. The developers of antifreeze have given it the name Lobrid coolants and SOAT coolants. This antifreeze has the G12++ standard (according to VAG group specification).
Various dyes are added to antifreezes, giving the antifreeze a particular color that does not affect its operational and chemical properties. Therefore, when choosing antifreeze, you should pay attention not to its color, but to its chemical composition (type), recommended by the car manufacturer.
On sale you can find both ready-to-use antifreezes and concentrated ones, which must be diluted with distilled water in a certain proportion before use. The proportions for diluting antifreeze with distilled water are usually indicated on the label attached to the container.
Note: Dilute antifreeze with distilled water before adding to the cooling system. This is the only way to ensure that the specified ratios of antifreeze and distilled water are precisely observed. Check the density of the antifreeze after mixing.
In the vehicle's cooling system, the manufacturer recommends using Type D antifreeze based on a mixture of water and ethylene glycol.