what is antifreeze used in

The Basics of Antifreeze and Why Your Car Needs It

• Antifreeze keeps the water in your radiator and engine from freezing in cold temperatures.
• Antifreeze also keeps that same water from boiling over in hot temperatures.
• Antifreeze also serves as a lubricant for the moving parts it comes in contact with, such as the water pump. ...

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Full Answer

What is antifreeze and what does it do?

Simply put, antifreeze is an ethylene glycol-based solution used to help regulate the temperature of your car’s engine. This means that while antifreeze does help keep your engine from freezing during the frigid winter weather, it is also vital in helping to prevent overheating.

What antifreeze should I use?

• Use a cleaner (flush) of the cooling system before draining the antifreeze. ...
• Drain antifreeze from a modern vehicle is a task for a professional. ...
• Antifreeze is poured directly into the radiator, through the plug, or, in the absence of a plug on the radiator, through the neck of the expansion tank

Is antifreeze and coolant the same thing?

Though coolant and antifreeze are often used interchangeably, they aren’t the same. Antifreeze is made of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol and is the basic ingredient, but it has to be mixed with water to create coolant, which is the cocktail you will find in the cooling systems of all “water-cooled” vehicles.

What is antifreeze, and why does my car need it?

• The temperature gauge reads hotter than normal when the engine is running.
• Antifreeze leaks and puddles beneath your vehicle (orange or green fluid)
• A grinding noise is coming from under the hood of your car.
• Flecks or bits of rust start to show up in the antifreeze/coolant liquid.

What is antifreeze found in?

Antifreeze typically contains ethylene glycol, methanol, and propylene glycol. Although these substances themselves are relatively nontoxic, the body rapidly metabolizes them into highly toxic alcohol byproducts. Ethylene glycol is a water-soluble compound often present in household and car products.

What is used as antifreeze in cars?

Antifreeze is a tinted liquid that you put (along with water) in your radiator to help regulate engine temperature. Its key ingredient is ethylene glycol, which lowers water's freezing point and raises its boiling point. This helps prevent the water in your radiator from freezing, boiling, or evaporating.

Is coolant and antifreeze the same thing?

Engine coolant, also known as antifreeze, is mixed with water to keep the radiator from freezing in extreme cold and overheating in extreme heat. There are many different types of coolant, so it's important to know what variety is right for your car or truck.

Is antifreeze still used in cars?

Antifreeze is an essential engine coolant that helps regulate temperatures in your car. In hot weather, antifreeze keeps the water in your engine and radiator from boiling over. It's effective with liquids at temperatures of up to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can you drive a car without antifreeze?

So, in summation, it is best not to drive your car without coolant. If you discover that you are running low and there is no gas station nearby, then it is recommended that you should call for assistance. Do not continue to drive as you may end up permanently damaging your engine.

Can you use water instead of antifreeze?

Water by itself can't do the job of antifreeze due to its lack of boiling and freezing point range and its inability to protect your vehicle's engine. Plus, it doesn't absorb heat as effectively. In the case of an absolute emergency, you can use water in your coolant rank.

Do you need antifreeze for AC?

The equipment is designed with a closed loop – if nothing goes wrong, the coolant should last for the life of your AC unit. However, there are occasions when the air conditioning system could leak or malfunction, which can require replacement of the coolant.

How long does antifreeze last in a car?

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU FLUSH THE COOLANT? Depending on the vehicle and the coolant, the average time between flushes is two years or 30,000 miles for silicated coolants and up to five years or 100,000 miles for an extended drain coolant. You can tell which type of coolant you have by the color.

How do you know if your car needs antifreeze?

5 Signs That Your Vehicle Needs An Antifreeze/Coolant ServiceThe temperature gauge reads hotter than normal when the engine is running.Antifreeze leaks and puddles beneath your vehicle (orange or green fluid)A grinding noise is coming from under the hood of your car.More items...•

Can I taste antifreeze?

Why is something so deadly so delicious? Ethylene glycol is the ingredient that makes antifreeze tasty. Though colorless and odorless, the syrupy alcohol derivative—which is excellent at lowering the freezing points of vital engine fluids—has a sweet taste that jibes well with soda, juice, and other sugary beverages.

Do modern cars need antifreeze?

Modern car cooling systems are smaller, with higher operating temperatures and pressures than in the past. That means it's especially important to use the correct additive. If you don't use antifreeze, you could suffer serious damage to your car's radiator and other components if the water freezes or overheats.

Does antifreeze still taste sweet?

Most antifreeze is made from ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol-based antifreeze tastes sweet but is highly toxic to both humans and animals.

What happens if car is low on antifreeze?

Coolant helps pull heat away from the engine. So, without enough coolant, the engine could overheat or seize up. Continued use of an overheated engine could lead to permanent damage, such as pistons welding to the cylinders.

Is antifreeze windshield wiper fluid?

Antifreeze, sometimes labeled “antifreeze/coolant,” keeps the engine from freezing in the winter and overheating in the summer. Windshield wiper fluid improves visibility in cold and stormy weather by melting ice and cleaning the windshield.

How do I make my own car coolant?

How to Make Radiator CoolantPour one gallon of the antifreeze of your choice into a large bucket or large mixing jug.Pour one gallon of distilled water into the bucket or mixing jug. Mix them together thoroughly and use the coolant blend in the car's radiator. Store the coolant blend in a large, tightly sealed jug.

What is antifreeze in cars?

What is antifreeze? Put simply, antifreeze, also called coolant, is the lifeblood of your vehicle during cold winter and hot summer months. If you do not have antifreeze in your vehicle when temperatures drop, you may find yourself stranded somewhere you would rather not be. Your vehicle also may fail to start altogether. Both of these situations also happen because of overheated engines.

Why is antifreeze better than water?

Why does antifreeze do a better job than ordinary water? The chemical formula of antifreeze both lowers its freezing temperature and raises its boiling temperature. As such, when ambient temperatures drop below freezing, antifreeze prevents cold weather from damaging your vehicle’s engine. Further, when your vehicle warms up due to either normal functionality or high outside temperatures, antifreeze keeps internal engine temperatures under control.

What is the best ratio of antifreeze to distilled water?

Generally, a 60-40 or even 70-30 ratio is appropriate.

When to replace coolant?

Unlike brake fluid and even engine oil, which may retain its appearance over time, coolant changes color as it breaks down. If your antifreeze takes on a rust-colored or brownish hue, it is likely time to flush it out of your radiator and replace it with a fresh supply.

Does antifreeze degrade over time?

The ethylene glycol or polyproline glycol in most antifreeze blends does not degrade over time. Still, antifreeze has anti-corrosion compounds that break down with ordinary usage. These compounds protect the metallic components in your vehicle’s radiator, engine, and other systems from rusting. If you do not occasionally replace antifreeze, sensitive parts of your vehicle may corrode.

Does a water pump circulate coolant?

As mentioned, your vehicle’s water pump circulates coolant throughout its engine cooling system. While you know that the pump moves antifreeze, you may also wonder if water would work equally as well. The simple answer is no.

Is antifreeze toxic to dogs?

Still, some recipes may use organic compounds that may appeal to you. Regardless of the color of antifreeze you choose, you should realize that coolant can be toxic to humans and pets. Therefore, you should not allow children, dogs or cats to drink spilled antifreeze.

What is an antifreeze?

Coolant additive which reduces the freezing point of water. An antifreeze is an additive which lowers the freezing point of a water-based liquid. An antifreeze mixture is used to achieve freezing-point depression for cold environments. Common antifreezes also increase the boiling point of the liquid, allowing higher coolant temperature.

Why use antifreeze in water?

Because water has good properties as a coolant, water plus antifreeze is used in internal combustion engines and other heat transfer applications, such as HVAC chillers and solar water heaters. The purpose of antifreeze is to prevent a rigid enclosure from bursting due to expansion when water freezes. Commercially, both the additive (pure concentrate) and the mixture (diluted solution) are called antifreeze, depending on the context. Careful selection of an antifreeze can enable a wide temperature range in which the mixture remains in the liquid phase, which is critical to efficient heat transfer and the proper functioning of heat exchangers. Secondarily but not less importantly, most if not all commercial antifreeze formulations intended for use in heat transfer applications include different kinds of anti-corrosion and anti- cavitation agents that protect the hydraulic circuit from progressive wear.

Why does antifreeze smell?

Automotive antifreeze has a characteristic odor due to the additive tolytriazole, a corrosion inhibitor. The unpleasant odor in industrial use tolytriazole comes from impurities in the product that are formed from the toluidine isomers (ortho-, meta- and para-toluidine) and meta-diamino toluene which are side-products in the manufacture of tolytriazole. These side-products are highly reactive and produce volatile aromatic amines which are responsible for the unpleasant odor.

How long does Zerex antifreeze last?

Certain cars are built with organic acid technology (OAT) antifreeze (e.g., DEX-COOL ), or with a hybrid organic acid technology (HOAT) formulation (e.g., Zerex G-05), both of which are claimed to have an extended service life of five years or 240,000 km (150,000 mi).

What are the acids in ethylene glycol?

When ethylene glycol is used in a system, it may become oxidized to five organic acids (formic, oxalic, glycolic, glyoxalic and acetic acid). Inhibited ethylene glycol antifreeze mixes are available, with additives that buffer the pH and reserve alkalinity of the solution to prevent oxidation of ethylene glycol and formation of these acids. Nitrites, silicates, borates and azoles may also be used to prevent corrosive attack on metal.

What happens if you use water as coolant?

If plain water were to be used as an engine coolant, it would promote galvanic corrosion. Proper engine coolant and a pressurized coolant system obviate these shortcomings of water. With proper antifreeze, a wide temperature range can be tolerated by the engine coolant, such as −34 °F (−37 °C) to +265 °F (129 °C) for 50% (by volume) propylene glycol diluted with water and a 15 psi pressurized coolant system.

What is antifreeze protein?

Antifreeze proteins refer to chemical compounds produced by certain animals, plants, and other organisms that prevent the formation of ice. In this way, these compounds allow their host organism to operate at temperatures well below the freezing point of water. Antifreeze proteins bind to small ice crystals to inhibit growth and recrystallization of ice that would otherwise be fatal.

What Is Antifreeze?

Antifreeze, or engine coolant, is a colored liquid that is mixed with water to help regulate your engine during extreme temperatures. As the temperature outside changes from hot to cold coolant is pumped throughout the engine block to maintain an even operating temperature. Antifreeze does more than just regulate temperature, however. Maintaining proper fluid levels also helps to prevent corrosion.

How Does Engine Coolant Work?

Engine coolant is mixed with water, usually at a 50/50 ratio, and poured into the proper reservoir in your engine. The chemical ethylene glycol is used as a base to create a liquid that is pumped through your car’s engine to regulate and maintain an optimal operating temperature during extreme hot or cold weather conditions.

How Often Does My Car Need New Coolant?

Most fluids your vehicle needs should be drained and replaced at various intervals in order to be effective. The same goes for your coolant. At least twice a year you should check your coolant levels—before the summer heat and before the winter cold. Consult your vehicle’s owner's manual for more precise information on when to flush and replace the coolant in your vehicle.

What is antifreeze in encyclopedia?

Antifreeze, any substance that lowers the freezing point of water, protecting a system from the ill effects of ice formation.

What is antifreeze in water?

Antifreeze, any substance that lowers the freezing point of water, protecting a system from the ill effects of ice formation. Antifreezes, such as ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, commonly added to water in automobile cooling systems prevent damage to radiators.

What are the chemicals that inhibit ice formation?

Organisms that must survive freezing temperatures use various chemicals to inhibit ice crystal formation in their cells and tissues: glycerol or dimethyl sulfoxide in insects, glycerol or trehalose in other invertebrates ( nematodes, rotifers ), and proteins in Antarctic fishes.

What is antifreeze made of?

by Michael G. SAE certified mechanic and technical writer. " Antifreeze " is a chemical, primarily consisting of ethylene glycol, which when mixed with water serves to lower the freezing point and raise the boiling point of the mixture. Traditionally, the combination of antifreeze and water is known as "coolant".

What color is antifreeze?

The color of antifreeze is generated completely by coloring dye, not as a direct result of any chemicals mixed during manufacturing. That said, different colors for antifreeze do exist. While specific colors agreed upon in the automotive industry do signify chemical makeup, variations still exist within each shade. The main antifreeze colors you'll run across are traditional green, extended-life yellow, and extended-life pink or orange. In more recent years, some Korean automakers have even been using blue dye antifreeze.

Why is antifreeze rusty?

These inhibitors prevent rust from forming on metal parts such as water pumps and engine blocks, and they get used up at various rates depending on chemical makeup. Antifreeze that's become brown or rusty in color indicates that the inhibitors have broken down to the point where the solution must be replaced. If you're interested in replacing your old antifreeze, you'll find our article on servicing your cooling system helpful.

What happens if you mix green coolant with orange antifreeze?

For example, mixing green coolant with orange or pink antifreeze will cause the resultant mixture to gel into a thicker substance which doesn't flow as easily - clogging cooling system channels, radiators, and heater cores. Left uncorrected, the water pump will overheat and fail.

What happens if you mix antifreeze?

If you've mixed different colors accidently, have your entire cooling system flushed out professionally as soon as possible. At best, mixing types of antifreeze will cause the lifespan of the new mixture to degrade to that of the one with the shorter service interval.

What is the best temperature for antifreeze?

Most regions are best suited to a 50/50 water-antifreeze mixture which will provide protection from a low of -34°F to a high of 265°F. In addition, maintaining proper freeze point protection ensures corrosion inhibitors remain at intended levels.

What is the best way to cool a car?

Distilled Water Is Always Best. Tap water and even filtered water are full of minerals such as calcium and magnesium which leave deposits inside the entire cooling system - particularly around parts of the engine that reach high temperatures. So no matter what type of antifreeze your vehicle requires, use only distilled water when formulating your ...

What is Antifreeze?

Simply put, antifreeze is an ethylene glycol-based solution used to help regulate the temperature of your car’s engine. This means that while antifreeze does help keep your engine from freezing during the frigid winter weather, it is also vital in helping to prevent overheating. Due to these essential functions, many drivers will often use the terms coolant and antifreeze interchangeably. However, there is a distinct difference between them.

Why is antifreeze needed?

Antifreeze is used as part of a more extensive cooling system within your vehicle, helping to keep your engine’s temperature regulated. But how does this work, and why is it needed? Well, when you first start your vehicle, thousands of tiny controlled explosions begin to take place within your engine. These explosions are what helps to provide the power needed to move your car forward or backward. However, because of these explosions, your engine’s temperature will increase significantly. Without keeping the temperature of these explosions under control, you could risk severe damage to your vehicle.

What Problems Come from a Lack of Antifreeze?

The most common cause of these types of issues is having a leak somewhere within your coolant system, such as a faulty gasket or hose.

What is the purpose of checking antifreeze in a vehicle?

One essential task is checking your vehicle’s antifreeze, which can help you ensure your vehicle performs properly and safely in the frigid months to come. Before you get into your vehicle and head out on your wintertime adventures, it’s vital first to understand what exactly antifreeze is and why it’s needed in your car.

What are the benefits of antifreeze and coolant?

These can help to provide an array of benefits to your vehicle, such as protecting against rust and corrosion. These types of additives are especially important, as damage to your engine could cost thousands of dollars in repair bills, as components such as the water pump, head gasket, cylinder head, and more can all fail due to excessive rust or corrosion. However, by following your vehicle’s recommended preventative maintenance schedule, you can help ensure your vehicle wears properly while avoiding any potential issues to your vehicle’s engine or other vital components.

What does a thermometer do to an engine?

To avoid this, a thermometer inside the engine constantly measures the temperature inside the engine block. When the internal temperature begins to get higher than usual, your vehicle’s internal cooling system is triggered. This results in your engine opening a gasket that allows the coolant (a mixture of antifreeze and water) to enter the engine and absorb the heat.

Can antifreeze be used on an engine?

While capable of regulating your engine’s temperatures on its own, antifreeze is one of 2 base ingredients used to create engine coolants. By combining antifreeze with water (often in a 50/50 mix, but can go as high as a 70/30 mix of antifreeze to water), the resulting combination provides your vehicle with more temperature regulation than just using antifreeze on its own. Specifically, this mixture of fluids works to stop both overheating by helping to raise the boiling point within your engine block, as well as lowering the freezing point.

Overview

An antifreeze is an additive which lowers the freezing point of a water-based liquid. An antifreeze mixture is used to achieve freezing-point depression for cold environments. Common antifreezes also increase the boiling point of the liquid, allowing higher coolant temperature. However, all common antifreeze additives also have lower heat capacities than water, and do reduce water's ability to act as a coolant when added to it.

Principles and history

Use and occurrence

Primary agents

Measuring the freeze point

Corrosion inhibitors

Additives

See also