Menu Close

What do the different colors of antifreeze mean?

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. A milky color indicates the presence of oil in the system.

What are two of the 3 types of antifreeze?

There are three main types of coolant that car companies use: Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT), Organic Acid Technology (OAT), and Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT).

What antifreeze does my car use?

For most vehicles, a glycol based antifreeze coolant is the best type of coolant to be used in any vehicle radiator. However, using the glycol based antifreeze alone is usually not a good idea. In most cases, you will need to mix the glycol based antifreeze with a certain amount of water.

What is the difference between Hoat and oat antifreeze?

OAT (Figure 1) — OAT technology doesn’t use phosphates or silicate additive packages as in IAT coolants. HOAT (Figure 2) — HOAT technology contains organic acids and several inorganic additives. HOAT applications typically contain silicate. This works great for aluminum engine and cooling system components.

How do you know if its propylene or ethylene glycol?

At the water line, read and record the numerical value of the nearest graduation mark. If the value is 1.05 or above, then (allowing for a 0.05 error) your solution is Ethylene Glycol based. It is impossible for Propylene Glycol solutions to have a Specific Gravity at or above 1.045 at 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Which is the correct type of antifreeze to use?

There are three main types of antifreeze: older-style ethylene glycol (green dye); propylene glycol (orange or yellow dye); and the newest hybrid organic acid technology (yellow, green, pink, blue, violet, or orange). The different types can’t be mixed. Refer to your owner’s manual or consult the dealer for the correct replacement type.

What are the different types of engine coolants?

There are three types of coolant on the market today: Inorganic Acid Technology (IAT), Organic Acid Technology (OAT), and Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT). IAT type coolants are green in color and contain an ethylene glycol based antifreeze solution.

What kind of antifreeze does Zerex use?

Zerex DEX-COOL Antifreeze/Coolant, Concentrated This coolant from Zerex is of the orange ‘Dex-Cool’ variant – a type of organic coolant developed by General Motors in the mid 1990s. If you own a GM vehicle, you may need to purchase Dex-Cool coolant for it.

Which is the best antifreeze for high mileage vehicles?

The Valvoline MaxLife Universal Antifreeze/Coolant is a perfect coolant for high-mileage vehicles. With a reputable manufacturer behind this coolant, you can buy this coolant with confidence that it will perform as a high-end coolant should.

What do the different colors of antifreeze mean?

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. A milky color indicates the presence of oil in the system.

Does it matter what 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.

What are the two common types of antifreeze?

The most common water-based antifreeze solutions used in electronics cooling are mixtures of water and either ethylene glycol (EGW) or propylene glycol (PGW). The use of ethylene glycol has a longer history, especially in the automotive industry.

Are there different types of antifreeze for different vehicles?

There are varieties for every type of vehicle, from diesel engines to American, Asian and European vehicles. Each one is specifically formulated to keep its designated engine type running in extreme temperatures. It’s important to know the differences so you get the correct antifreeze for your vehicle.

What happens if you use the wrong color antifreeze?

Mixing different engine coolants or using the wrong coolant can impair the performance of the special additive packages; this can result in increased corrosion to the radiator. Using the wrong engine coolant can gradually lead to corrosion and damage to the water pump, radiator, radiator hoses and cylinder gasket.

What color is universal antifreeze?

green
Traditional North American “green” antifreeze, the original “universal” formula that everybody used until the introduction of today’s extended-life coolants.

Can I mix pink and blue coolant?

Part of this also includes making sure that you have enough antifreeze in your car. The last thing you want is for your engine to overheat. These days you can actually get yellow antifreeze, blue antifreeze, pink antifreeze and more. The fact is, mixing these liquids is not safe.

What color is Prestone 50/50 antifreeze?

Prestone 50/50 Antifreeze and Coolant 1gal. Product Details….What color is Prestone 50/50 antifreeze?

Part Number: AF-2100
Concentrate / Ready to Use: Ready to Use
Coolant Color: Yellow
Coolant Container Size: 1 Gallon
Coolant Container Type: Plastic Bottle

What is the difference between pink and green antifreeze?

It does not indicate any difference in the properties of the coolant. It’s just different companies use different colors, so consumers know which product they are using just by looking at it.

Is universal antifreeze bad?

Generally, all makes all models universal antifreeze is 96% ethylene glycol and just 2 to 5% inhibitors. So mixing different types of antifreeze coolants or add the wrong antifreeze coolant can actually CAUSE corrosion, pitting of water pump, rust formation in radiator and total cooling system degradation.

What are the different types of antifreeze coolants?

All coolant of this variety is either silicate free, phosphate free, or both, and is designed specifically to meet the needs of that particular manufacturers’ testing. What Are “All Makes” Coolants? So what exactly are the “all makes” coolants? They are HOAT – Hybrid Organic Acid Technology.

What’s the difference between Green and yellow anti freeze?

The green/yellow color found in most anti-freeze is due to the use of silicates but new anti-freeze variants made from organic acids give an orange or pink color. If you mix any of the two you will reduce the corrosive properties of the anti-freeze.

How often should you change the coolant in antifreeze?

This is in theory, however in real world conditions, regardless of it’s quality, coolant (antifreeze) should be changed once every 2-5 years (average time after which it loses much of its benefits, unless specifically formulated as ‘lifetime’ coolant).

What’s the difference between IAT and Zerex Antifreeze?

It’s important to know the differences so you get the correct antifreeze for your vehicle. The most common variety of liquid antifreeze is an IAT formula, or Inorganic Additive Technology. ZEREX™ Original Green is an IAT coolant that has been used for decades and is a formula proven to provide unsurpassed corrosion protection.

What is the difference between red and blue antifreeze?

Antifreeze mixes with water to form a covalent bond to prevent the water from freezing. Antifreeze Blue is a full concentrate which meets BS6580 and contains the same pure ethylene glycol and anti-corrosive additives as the Red. Its application is for protection for up to a maximum of 2 years.

Does it matter what antifreeze coolant you use?

What Colour is antifreeze?

Most people think of antifreeze or coolant as green. For years many antifreeze/coolants were green in color but now many coolants come in a variety of colors. Antifreeze or coolant can be yellow, pink or red, blue, and green.

What type of antifreeze is blue?

The Colors of Coolant

TYPE INHIBITOR TECHNOLOGY COLOR
OAT (Organic Acid Technology) Organic Acids ORANGE
HOAT (Hybrid OAT) Silicates & Organic Acids YELLOW
HOAT (Hybrid OAT, Phosphate-free) NAP Free TURQUOISE
P-HOAT (Phosphated HOAT) Phosphates & Organic Acids PINK / BLUE

How do I choose antifreeze?

To make sure you’re choosing the right HOAT coolant, look at the brand name, rather than the liquid’s color. The HOAT formulation is a combination of the OAT formulation and the IAT formulation. HOAT uses both silicates and organic acid to protect your engine and combat corrosion.

What color is antifreeze?

Most people think of antifreeze or coolant as green. For years many antifreeze/coolants were green in color but now many coolants come in a variety of colors. Antifreeze or coolant can be yellow, pink or red, blue, and green.

What’s the difference between oat and glycol antifreeze?

Typically, OAT antifreeze contains an orange dye to differentiate it from the conventional glycol-based coolants (green or yellow). Some of the newer OAT coolants claim to be compatible with all types of OAT and glycol-based coolants; these are typically green or yellow in color (for a table of colors, see).

Where can I get the best antifreeze for my car?

If you plan on keeping your car for the rest of its useful life, the surefire way to make sure you pick the right kind of antifreeze that your vehicle needs is to go to the dealership and purchase some directly from the manufacturer.