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Cooling System

Antifreeze/Coolant

Pure water would be the best coolant to use if the only consideration in selection of a coolant was its ability to carry off heat. But water has other limitations. It forms rust on iron engine parts. The rust breaks of the engine parts and is carries to other cooling system parts. Hard water forms mineral deposits. The resulting corrosion interferes with heat transfer and plugs the radiator and fills the water-jackets with sediment.

A cars engine coolant is actually a mixture or water and antifreeze/coolant. Water alone has a boiling point of 212^o F (100^o C) and a freezing point of 32^o F (0^o C) at sea level. A mixture of 67% antifreeze and 33% water will raise the boiling point or the mixture to 235^o F (113^o C) and lower the freezing point to -92^o F (- 69^o C).

The typical recommended mixture is a 50/50 solution of water and antifreeze/coolant. You can purchase a mixture or water and antifreeze that can be used to top off a cooling system when the level is low.

The most commonly used antifreeze/coolant is ethylene glycol-based. This type of coolant is green in color and provides good protection regardless of climate, but is poisonous. The coolant has a sweet taste that attracts animals and children and can kill them if it is ingested.

Propylene glycol-based coolant has the same basic characteristics as ethylene glycol-based coolant but is not sweet tasting and is less harmful to animals and children.

The cars cooling system is often neglected, especially in frost-free areas of the country. People in more temperate areas often use tap water to fill their radiators. This can lead to plugged radiators, rusted radiator cap, plugged heater cores, and a host of other problems.

Most of these problems can be avoided by simply using a coolant/water mixture instead of pure water.

Regardless of the mixture of the coolant or the type or antifreeze used some lime, rust and scale will always build in your cars cooling system. The cars coolant will become contaminated over time resulting in lessen the effectiveness or the cooling system. For these reasons and other, the engine’s coolant should be replace and the cooling system flushed every one or two years.

Cooling System

Antifreeze/Coolant

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