2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42
Almost all experienced owners can easily give advice about a vehicle. But, despite this, the question of whether it is possible to interfere with antifreeze of different colors remains always relevant for beginners. Gone are the days when water was poured into the car. Therefore, every self-respecting car owner is obliged to figure out what antifreeze is, whether red, green, blue mix with each other, and why this liquid is needed at all.
What is antifreeze
When an engine is running, a huge amount of heat is generated in a car. For the purpose of cooling, a radiator was invented, which is a kind of heat exchanger. The process of cooling the engine occurs with the help of a liquid. In its role can be ordinary water or special compounds - antifreeze. From the name of the latter it is clear that it is a non-freezing liquid. It is made from wateradding industrial alcohol and additives.
The main quality that antifreeze is valued for is its low freezing point. So, the concentrate should be diluted with distilled water. Before mixing, the freezing point is eighty degrees Celsius. For example, the mixture will turn into ice at -40 °, if you combine water and antifreeze concentrate (red) one to one. The price of the latter, by the way, is an order of magnitude higher than that of the finished diluted refrigerant.
It should also be noted that antifreeze expands less when it freezes than water. This is a huge plus for forgetful car owners. For example, you did not have time to drain the antifreeze from the radiator, and the weather pleased you with the strongest frost at minus fifty. Water, frozen, would increase in volume by nine percent. And antifreeze increased only one and a half times, reducing breakdowns to a minimum.
Accordingly, the boiling point of coolants is much higher than that of water. So, in the latter, it fluctuates within one hundred and twenty degrees. Antifreeze concentrate has a boiling point of 197° (it will drop when mixed with water). Therefore, do not forget to fill it in both winter and summer. After all, every driver has seen cars "boil" on the road.
Types of antifreezes
In an auto shop, the first thing you'll notice is the different colors of antifreeze. Red, green, blue and even yellow - almost all the spectrums of the rainbow. Which one is right for you - you should figure it out. Knowledgetypes will give you the answer to the question of whether it is possible to interfere with antifreeze of different colors.
Depending on the composition, coolants are divided into means:
- with s alt base (colors: blue, green);
- with acid (red).
The manufacturer changes the color of antifreeze so that car owners do not confuse them. Each manufacturer makes the color at their own discretion. However, there is a classic antifreeze color option that most manufacturers adhere to.
Coolant colors:
- TL - blue. It is closest in composition to antifreeze.
- G11 - green, blue or blue-green.
- G12, G12+, G12++ - red and all its shades up to purple.
- G13 - yellow, purple and so on, it is worth noting that this type of antifreeze is painted in all colors of the rainbow.
What do all antifreezes have in common
It's worth starting with the fact that the composition of all coolants is approximately eighty percent the same. This is distilled water and technical alcohol. And to the question of whether it is possible to interfere with antifreeze of different colors, I would already like to answer positively, but what about the other twenty percent? And these are additives that determine the behavior of the coolant in a given situation.
Thus, if you mix, for example, blue and green antifreeze, then they will be eighty percent the same.
What's different
As already mentioned,All coolants are distinguished from each other by additives. That is, they are combined with distilled water and industrial alcohol. Additives are primarily needed in order to eliminate the negative effects of the main components. After all, water and ethylene glycol, combined, are a powerful destroyer for metal surfaces.
Conditionally additives can be divided into two groups:
- Protective. These additives form a thin film inside the metal parts, which does not allow them to subsequently break down. More commonly used in G11.
- Anti-corrosion. The working process of this additive is very interesting. This antifreeze does not form any protective film. But as soon as a rust center appears, it is immediately blocked by additives that will not allow it to spread. Used in G12 and G12+.
To be fair, G13 with hybrid additives should also be mentioned. In principle, already from the name it becomes clear that this type is a combination of two effects: anti-corrosion and protective.
And now, answering the question of whether it is possible to interfere with antifreeze of different colors, we already understand that its shades do not matter. Pay attention to the additives that make up the coolant.
How to choose antifreeze by car brand
When replacing antifreeze, first of all, you need to look at the technical characteristics of your vehicle and the specifications for admission. The latter have their own code, which will also be indicated on the containerwith antifreeze. Based on this, you can choose antifreeze by car brand.
There is a conditional table for the selection of coolant depending on the year of manufacture of the vehicle.
11 | Pre-1996 release. |
12 | Auto 1996-2001. |
12+ | Issue since 2001. |
13 | In sports and extreme environments |
We remind you that the table is conditional, therefore, it is possible to choose the correct OC only in accordance with the specified specification for tolerance.
Under what conditions, which antifreeze is better to fill in
Replacing coolant, as well as other consumable fluids for a car, is a seasonal occupation: associated with the repair or renewal of the radiator and cooling system. Auto mechanics also recommend changing antifreeze after purchasing a used car. And before this event, the question arises of which in which situations it is better to fill in antifreeze.
As already mentioned, depending on the additives used in coolants, they are divided into G11, G12, G13. The choice is small, but it is.
G11 class antifreezes are considered the cheapest. They contain a minimum amount of additives. Roughly speaking, the liquid is identical to our domestic antifreeze.
G12 class antifreezes are the exact opposite of G11 in terms of cost. They are among the most expensive coolants. There is a logical explanation for this high price. This antifreeze has excellent anti-corrosion and heat dissipation properties.
G13 antifreeze is the most environmentally friendly coolant. It is not poisonous and at the same time combines all the positive qualities of the two previous types of antifreeze. Therefore, most manufacturers of our time prefer such liquids.
Can I mix antifreeze from different manufacturers and colors
It happens that you need to go on a long trip, in the coolant radiator like a cat cried, and you did not have time to buy a new one. And now the savior neighbor in the garage can borrow, but he has a different color. What kind of antifreeze can be added?
The choice of coolant determines its chemical composition and the presence of additives. Accordingly, in order to add antifreeze, you need the same one that is now in the car. The color of the coolant has nothing to do with it, since it is just a dye that has no relationship with the content of antifreeze. Such compliance is required in order to save your vehicle, because additives have an aggressive reaction to each other. Unfortunately, it does not appear immediately, but only after a while.
What happens when you mix different refrigerants
If you added antifreeze of a different composition and color to the cooling system in order toget home, and upon arrival at the place they removed this mixture, replacing it with the right one, then there will be no negative impact. But running your car this way for a long time won't go unnoticed by your radiator.
At present, coolant manufacturers have begun to produce antifreezes that are similar in content. Therefore, when replacing or topping up, first of all pay attention to the composition. It is assumed that the content of additives in the coolant is the same, but the colors differ. At the same time, the same coloring does not give you a guarantee that one can complement the other due to the different composition.
Tips
Do not forget that each manufacturer has the right to give his antifreeze any color, regardless of its type. Therefore, the question of what colors of antifreeze can be mixed is only for a beginner.
Do not choose the cost and color of the coolant. For example, red antifreeze concentrate (the price of which is from 200 rubles and more per liter) from different manufacturers may have different additives in the composition. And this, as you know, is fraught with poor performance, sometimes serious damage to your car.
It should be remembered that antifreeze is commercially available in the form of a concentrate and a liquid already prepared for use. The first, before pouring into the car, you will need to dilute with distilled water, and the second, as you already understood, does not need to be mixed with anything. Which one to choose is up to you, based on practicality.
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