What is the best antifreeze on the market?
Top Brands
- Zerex. Zerex is a brand that specializes in antifreeze and other car-care products. ...
- Evans. Evans holds the record as the best antifreeze brand since it’s the only manufacturer of waterless antifreeze coolants.
- Star Brite. ...
- Maxima. ...
Which antifreeze is better?
The benefits provided by the phosphate include:
- Protect aluminum engine components by reducing cavitation corrosion during high-speed driving.
- Provide for corrosion protection to ferrous metals.
- Act as a buffer to keep the antifreeze mixture alkaline.
Is antifreeze and coolant fluid the same thing?
Many people know that when it’s freezing outside, their radiator needs antifreeze or coolant. And now you know that antifreeze and coolant are basically the same thing and can be generically referred to as radiator fluid. And you also know this fluid is key to keeping your vehicle engine in good working order and helps prevent it from freezing or overheating in any weather. So, bring it on Mother Nature! HOW THIS STUFF WORKS.
What is the difference between coolant and antifreeze?
Antifreeze is commonly used as one of the components of a coolant mixture – coolant is generally a 50-50 split between antifreeze and water. Antifreeze (specifically the ethylene glycol, which is its main ingredient) is used to lower the freezing point of the liquid that circulates around the engine of a vehicle.
Does it matter what brand of coolant I use?
Well, you use the coolant that is specified in your owner's manual. If you just need to top it up, the recommendation is still the same, however it is unlikely to cause any serious problems if you add a litre of a different type of coolant, as long as you follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule.
Which antifreeze brand is the best?
Editor's Pick: EVANS Cooling Systems High Performance Waterless Engine Coolant. ... Best Budget Option: ProLine Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant Full Strength. ... Best Diesel Option: Zerex G-05 Antifreeze/Coolant. ... Recochem OEM Pink Premium Antifreeze Concentrate. ... Zerex Original Green Antifreeze/Coolant, Concentrated.More items...•
Does all antifreeze work the same?
Although there are two colors of antifreeze, neither type of antifreeze is the same as coolant. Instead, they should both be mixed with water (not with each other) to produce coolant, and never poured into an engine system by themselves.
What do the different colors of antifreeze mean?
The color of healthy engine coolant is green (for ethylene glycol) or orange (for Dexcool). A rusty color indicates that the rust inhibitor in the coolant has broken down and it can no longer control rust and scale buildup.
Are some coolants better than others?
Older coolants with Inorganic Additive Technology were blue or green and usually had to be changed every two years, or every 60,000 miles. Organic Acid Technology (OAT) or hybrid coolants are typically orange and offer better protection with an extended coolant life, up to 150,000,miles.
Is it better to use 50/50 antifreeze?
A 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water is the standard recommendation for most applications because it provides the best all-round cooling protection and performance for most applications. Premixed antifreeze is 50/50 and takes the guesswork out of correctly mixing antifreeze and water.
How do I know what type of antifreeze to use?
You should check your owner's manual, to check on what type or color of antifreeze your car takes. One of the most common, and longstanding coolants of this type is DEX COOL®, which was developed by GM in the late 1980's and has been used ever since.
Does the color of antifreeze matter?
The truth is, color is not a reliable predictor for what type of coolant you have.
What happens if you put the wrong coolant in your car?
Using the wrong coolant can lead to corrosion and other damages to the radiator, water pump, radiator hoses, cylinder gasket, and more. The best way to ensure you get the correct coolant is to have your vehicle maintenance performed by a professional auto technician.
Can I use green antifreeze instead of orange?
Can You Mix Orange and Green Antifreeze? It's never a good idea to mix two different colors or types of antifreeze. Mixing two formulas won't cause any dangerous reactions or explosions, but it could turn your coolant into a sludgy chemical mixture that won't be able to flow properly through your cooling system.
Can I mix two different brands of antifreeze?
The short answer is that you can mix different coolant brands and mixtures as long as they are the same type of coolant. The color doesn't matter as much since it's just a dye.
What color is universal coolant?
greenTraditional North American “green” antifreeze, the original “universal” formula that everybody used until the introduction of today's extended-life coolants.
Why use antifreeze in car?
Another benefit of using quality antifreeze is, as the name suggests, freezing prevention. As soon as outside temperature drops and winter chill hits, the water in the cooling tank will start to solidify. By mixing an antifreeze solution with the water, you prevent it from freezing, thus enabling engine cooling at extremely low temperatures. Putting the right amount of antifreeze is a winterizing tip for cars.
What is universal antifreeze made of?
While they can be mostly made of IAT, HOAT or OAT, universal antifreeze solutions are premixed, in a 50/50 ratio of active agent and demineralized water. Out of all antifreeze types, the universal solution makes the smallest impact on the rubber and plastic parts of the cooling system, but they also contain the least silicates that play an important role in water tank protection and rust prevention.
How to tell if it's time to change coolant?
Often times, somewhere on the original coolant box, there will be a stripe of color representing fresh antifreeze color. Use this method and compare the antifreeze in your car’s cooling system to the default color. If it’s off, the chances are it is time for a change.
What temperature does the boiling point of a coolant mixture go up?
Now, the number of degrees the freezing and boiling point will move from the standard 32° F and 212° F depends on the type of antifreeze, and on the amount of antifreeze in the mixture.
How to prevent engine from freezing?
By mixing an antifreeze solution with the water, you prevent it from freezing, thus enabling engine cooling at extremely low temperatures. Putting the right amount of antifreeze is a winterizing tip for cars. Additionally, there is another benefit to freezing prevention.
What happens if you freeze a water cooler?
This water property may seem harmless, but if you happen to have a full water cooler when the water starts freezing, you risk severe damages to the entire cooling system. Pipes may break, and tubes may burst. Antifreeze prevents this expansion with easy, thus saving your vehicle from potential damages. 3.
What is the most important criterium for antifreeze types?
But, if we want to cast the widest net, and cover as much as possible, the most important criterium for antifreeze types is the mix of ingredients inside the bottle, or at least the active, dominant type of ingredient.
What is antifreeze in cars?
Antifreeze, or engine coolant, is a liquid solution designed to regulate engine temperature within a vehicle and wick away excess heat to the radiator. This auto maintenance product is used with internal combustion engines, although some engines require specialty formulas to comply with vehicle regulations, especially newer engines. Antifreeze is poured into the coolant chamber, typically found under a vehicle’s hood although often installed in different configurations based on the model of vehicle. The best antifreeze in 2021 products below were chosen based on their wide temperature range of performance, their compatibility with many car models and for their long service life.
What is Valvoline MaxLife?
The patented Alugard Plus technology used in Valvoline MaxLife allows this antifreeze to provide optimum engine cooling even when mixed with antifreeze of other colors. Instead of flushing all of the engine coolant, a car owner can top off their antifreeze with this formula and be confident that it won’t cause excessive corrosion, which sometimes happens when mixing incompatible formulas. At a 50 percent dilution with water, Valvoline MaxLife has a boiling point of 265 degrees Fahrenheit and a freezing point of -34 degrees Fahrenheit. Valvoline uses yellow dye for this antifreeze, which they choose for color compatibility with other brands. Valvoline recommends this brand for use with both gasoline and diesel engines.#N#Read More Close
What is Pennzoil antifreeze?
Pennzoil Multi-Vehicle Extended Life Antifreeze is an ethylene glycol formula that offers universal compatibility with engine coolant systems for all cars and trucks. The service life of this product is rated at 5 years or 150,000 miles driven, requiring fewer changes. The chemicals used by Pennzoil for this engine coolant do not react corrosively with other antifreezes, which prevents problems from mixing or topping off old coolant, whether that coolant is conventional or an extended life formula. This antifreeze is given a slight yellow dye so it can be added to older antifreeze without changing the color drastically. This product has an extremely high boiling point of 345 degrees Fahrenheit for superior protection for all engine metals at high temperatures.#N#Read More Close
Can you replace coolant with PEAK Global Lifetime?
Car owners can perform a coolant flush and replace with PEAK Global LifeTime and not have to change the coolant again, when following proper maintenance. The PEAK formula is phosphate and silicate-free, making it capable of topping off older antifreeze without requiring a flush.
Can Prestone be used with other antifreeze?
Prestone Extended Life Antifreeze /Coolant can be used with any make or model of car or light truck, even for vehicles that take highly specialized formulas. It can also be mixed with other antifreeze and engine coolants without the chemicals interacting poorly with each other.
What color is antifreeze?
If you are unsure what antifreeze is in your system, the antifreeze is brown, an off-color from what is recommended, or what has been put in is an HOAT “all makes” antifreeze, the best option is to plan a flush as soon as possible. Lastly, we need to discuss water, because it’s actually not the easy part!
What is antifreeze made of?
Traditional antifreeze (the old green stuff) is known as IAT antifreeze, which refers to Inorganic Acid Technology. It was fortified with silicates and phosphates, which were used primarily to keep corrosion down within the system.
How long does antifreeze last?
The life of IAT antifreeze breaks down heavily around 36,000 miles in the system, causing massive corrosive issues once the coolant begins to break down. It breaks down so bad, that it can even begin to conduct electricity through electrolysis and begin eating your system from the inside!
What is coolant made of?
This was especially important when the primary item that coolant was protecting from was rust in cast iron in engine blocks, heads, and other engine components in the cooling system made from iron.
What is the ratio of antifreeze to water?
The ideal anti-freeze to water ratio is 60 percent anti-freeze and 40 percent water. But if you’re in a pinch, add water – not a different kind of anti-freeze. Not only will you avoid problems, but you’ll have no problem getting where you’re going either.
What to do if you can't find anti-freeze?
If you can’t find out for sure what kind of anti-freeze is in your vehicle, it’s best to complete a coolant flush so you know for sure what’s in there. Always check the specifications of what type of coolant your engine type requires!
How often should I flush out coolant?
Green anti-freeze doesn’t last as long as orange coolant, but you should double-check your vehicle’s recommended service intervals before heading to flush out the coolant every few thousand miles.
What to do if you have never flushed coolant?
If you’ve never flushed the coolant on your vehicle, you can check the owner’s manual , if you have changed the coolant, you might be out of luck. If you don’t know, go ahead and flush the entire system before potentially mixing the wrong type of coolant.
Does orange antifreeze have Dexcool?
For instance, not every vehicle that has orange anti-freeze has Dexcool. And if you add Dexcool into your regular orange anti-freeze, you’re asking for a problem. Always double-check and triple-check which kind of coolant is in your vehicle – don’t just rely on the color. If you can’t find out for sure what kind of anti-freeze is in your vehicle, ...
Does orange coolant mean Dexcool?
Moreover, just because you open the hood and see orange coolant, that doesn’t mean you have Dexcool. Always double-check what kind of coolant is in your vehicle instead of relying solely on the color. If you’ve never flushed the coolant on your vehicle, you can check the owner’s manual, if you have changed the coolant, you might be out of luck.
Can you add coolant to a vehicle under warranty?
They are all glycol-based, but the additives that they use make a big difference. If you can’t find the exact coolant that your vehicle uses, stop by the dealership or flush the entire system before adding the new coolant. Keep in mind that adding a different kind of coolant to a vehicle under warranty can void the warranty.
Antifreeze vs. Coolant: How They Differ
Antifreeze and coolant are similar in many respects, and they share the same purpose. However, they are not the same.
What Does Coolant Do?
Coolant sits in your car’s radiator when the engine is off. Once you turn the ignition, the coolant travels through the engine’s nooks and crannies to absorb the heat that’s generated while the engine powers your vehicle. After a pass through the engine, the coolant is sent back to the radiator and cooled by the air.
Pure vs. Premixed Antifreeze
You can purchase pure antifreeze at any auto parts store. This antifreeze can then be mixed with water and added to your car’s cooling system. Another option is to purchase antifreeze that’s already been premixed with water to make engine coolant.
Is Antifreeze Toxic?
Whether it’s pure or premixed, antifreeze is toxic. The ethylene glycol it contains is harmful to both humans and animals. For this reason, it’s essential that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions when disposing of this liquid.
Warren Clarke View All
I'm a writer and editor who's a regular contributor with the New York Daily News and Carfax, and my content has appeared in over 20 publications. I've written content that covers industries such as automotive, medical, insurance, healthcare, real estate, plumbing, pest control, dental and hospitality.
