For instance if you buy a used car, it’s incredibly difficult to tell what type of coolant is in the system unless you drain and flush the system, and whether or not it’s safe to top up the reservoir with a fluid of the same colour. The fact that drivers can no longer distinguish different types of coolant by colour is a problem. In fact if they’re added into a cooling system together the results can be catastrophic, creating a gelatinous substance that blocks the system and causes widespread damage to internal components. To learn more about the different types of coolant, read our guide to different coolant/antifreeze colours.įirst, what’s important to know is that many IAT and OAT coolants do not mix. Products like these offer advanced corrosion and heat protection, not to mention an incredible longevity of up to 300,000 miles. Newer more advanced and premium coolant/antifreeze like Prestone are based solely on the OAT chemical make-up. There are also ‘hybrid’ coolants that use a blend of OAT and IAT compounds. Generally coolants are divided into two separate camps: organic acid technology coolants (OAT) and inorganic additive technology (IAT) coolants. This can make things a little trickier when it comes to choosing different brands of coolant/antifreeze and mixing them in your cooling system. But unlike the original red and blue variants, the colour you choose might not be the right one for your vehicle. Today coolants come in a range of colours from green to orange to pink. Historically coolant/antifreeze came in either red or blue – these colours told us about the specific formula and ingredients of each product, but this is no longer the case. What Are the Different Types of Coolant for Your Car? Mixing and Using Coolant/Antifreeze: Dos and Don’ts to Remember.What Are the Different Types of Coolant for Your Car?. Use the links below to get the advice you need or read on for the full guide. If you need to top up your car’s coolant/antifreeze tank, before you do anything be sure to read our guide on the dos and don’ts of mixing different types of coolant/antifreeze. There are also a number of potential risks, and the damage that can occur to your car if you get it wrong can be considerable. The pre-diluted stuff is more convenient of course, but you end up paying a lot more for less coolant.There’s a lot of confusion about mixing different coolant products, specifically if it’s safe and recommended for optimal engine performance. Years ago coolant was always sold as pure coolant, and you'd have to dilute the fluid yourself with water. One thing to keep in mind with nearly every modern jug of coolant you’ll come across: They’re all pre-diluted. All GM cars use something called Dex-Cool from the factory. Plenty of others like BMW and Volkswagen do the same thing. Many times, the coolant is actually branded for the car you’re going to put it in.įor example, Honda sells its Type 2 Antifreeze/Coolant in all its dealers. They’ll sell the coolant for your specific make and model, and it’s guaranteed to be the correct one. The easiest way to make sure you’re getting the right coolant for the job is to go to your car’s dealership. Finally, HOAT is a derivation of OAT that requires the same time change interval unless otherwise specified. General Motors vehicles use this formula and normally require a change after five years or 50,000 miles. It needs to be changed every two years or 24,000 miles, making it far inferior to newer formulas. Play icon The triangle icon that indicates to play
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