Antifreeze

[Bren]

How often do you check it's concentration? Do you change it every couple of years?

 

I used to change mine regularly - this defaulted to doing when replacing a rad etc. Now it does'nt get touched.

 

However, I noticed the coolant on.my audi looked a bit weak so I checked it - only good down to - 17.

 

In autoshite fashion I bought 1 L to add to the system after siphoning a litre which I will do tomorrow.

[beko1987]

Check its concentration? What's that then?

[AMC Rebel]

I never check concentration as I don’t have the means. Most of my shite seems to need a new radiator etc regularly or leak enough that it doesn’t need a formal change

[Walter White]

I change mine every couple of years. Hopefully it's worth the effort.

[bigfella2]

The concentration shouldn't really change unless it's been leaking and been topped up with water.

If it looks weak/old just change it, syphoning a litre out to top up with fresh is pretty pointless IMO.

[danthecapriman]

I usually test concentration once a year.

Complete antifreeze changes I just do when it starts looking shitty or weak. I’ve found the blue antifreeze for old cars does last longer than the two years it says on the bottle. The blue in my Transits been in there a good 5 years so far and still looks good and tests out well so I leave it. No point just doing it for the hell of it.

[MikeR]

I take a sample and bung it in the freezer to see if it freezes , if not its ok !

[Kiltox]

You can buy a tool to check it, it’s quite cheap

 

The cheapest tool only works for the blue stuff, slightly more expensive one will do all

[SiC]

I bought a tool from Lidl to do if for a couple of quid. Seems to do the trick alright. Basically a floating weight in a glass tube with a pipet bladder on top.

[SiC]

The blue in my Transits been in there a good 5 years so far and still looks good and tests out well so I leave it. No point just doing it for the hell of it.

Isn't it the corrosion inhibitors wear off/down/out that needs to be concerned about, rather than loosing it's ability to resist freezing?

[stonedagain]

The glycol in antifreeze is corrosive, so corrosion inhibitors are added to it. Over time, the corrosion inhibitors lose their effect, allowing the glycol to corrode the water galleries.

[bigstraight6]

The glycol in antifreeze is corrosive, so corrosion inhibitors are added to it. Over time, the corrosion inhibitors lose their effect, allowing the glycol to corrode the water galleries.

Holy crap, I need too change some antifreeze...

[sierraman]

The red oat stuff lasts minimum 5 year.

[danthecapriman]

Isn't it the corrosion inhibitors wear off/down/out that needs to be concerned about, rather than loosing it's ability to resist freezing?

Yeah, but my thinking is if it still looks relatively clean then it should still be ok. Surely if the corrosion inhibitors are losing their strength you’ll start getting particles and dirt floating around in it?

Tbh I should probably think about changing the stuff in the Transit by now...

[mrcitroen]

Over to Foghorn Leghorn to explain :-

 

 

Ahhh say boy, ahhh say boy...........

[PhilA]

I change mine when it's turned brown (starts out fluorescent yellow).

 

Usually every 2 years or so. Not much threat of freezing here but it's slowly cleaning the gunk and crud out of the system from it having been run by previous owners with only water in.

 

Phil

[mercrocker]

Put some in an ice cube tray (but not in the Martinis) that will tell you if its doing its job.   Some engines (I am looking at you, T25 van) apparently need a bi-annual coolant change to stop cylinder head studs corroding themselves to buggery.   

 

I tend to do the Morrises every other year as well as they are prone to getting cruddy and its a good time to really check the hoses etc.   

 

I don't actually bother doing the T25 that often because it is a fucking arse to bleed.

[rainagain]

I normally change the coolant when I buy a car to red OAT and then sell it within five years so I never have to worry about changing it!

[tommotech]

The usual guidelines are two years for glycol based products and four years where OAT (organic acid technology) products are used. Glycol are usually blue or green and OAT usually red / pinky green, but don’t trust colour alone.

 

Glycol products are starting to be phased out and most manufacturers have already moved to OAT based products, don’t mix them though as a sticky gel forms that blocks radiators and heater matrix, leading to overheating and OMGHGF.

 

When replacing antifreeze / coolant the system needs to be flushed, drained and run with clean water then drained again before moving to OAT. There are expensive flushing agents but a dishwasher tablet, without the ball, or Daz non bio work equally well.

 

Not changing the coolant could lead to corrosion and steam pockets (cavitation) in extreme cases. I have some useful bulletins if you need anything, just let me know.

[jbz2079]

When OAT Antifreeze is used by manufacturer it seen to have a four to five year life.

When it degrades it starts to eat the head gasket and the edges of the cooling channels in the head.

 

The Glycol type has a far shorter life span, perhaps too years maximum, then it becomes corrosive to engine internals and radiator core.

Constant topping up with plain water weakens the strength of both the corrosion protection.

 

Running without Antifreeze make an unbelievable mess in the cooling system of moderns and I reckon coolant is better at removing heat than

just water.

[PiperCub]

^^ This.

 

I check mine twice a years (testers are cheap so no excuses). The concentration and freezing protection doesn't change if you don't dilute it down with water due to leakage/loss. The reason you replace anti-freeze is that it's the corrosion inhibitors that, for want of a better phrase - wear out and that becomes an issue the longer you leave it in your cooling system.

 

As said above, anti-freeze is not just to prevent freezing (& corrosion), it actually transfers heat more efficiently so improves cooling. 

 

I use the non-OAT blue stuff in all my cars and my bike as they are all of the age that were intended to use it and change it every two years, it's hardly expensive or a big hassle to me. The newer OAT (red or green usually) can apparently cause problems on older stuff, not sure why, presumably the chemicals react with some older materials in some way but essentially, they often don't play well together. It does last longer though, 5 years is common. 

[PiperCub]

Over to Foghorn Leghorn to explain :-

 

 

Ahhh say boy, ahhh say boy...........

 

Glad I'm not the only one who thought exactly this! (That dawg, Ahh say that dawg).

 

Yes, your YouTube stuff is quite interesting, I know you're from Texas but FFS - STOP SHOUTING AT ME!

[clayts450]

TBF his vids are pretty good for auto-thickies like me. But,as you say

 

[PiperCub]

Some of the more indepth ones I meant were quite interesting and well produced. (not really watched the basic ones!).