Antifreeze Coolant

All vehicles need several different fluids to keep them running. With so many car parts and fluids to maintain, it may become overwhelming trying to keep track of what your car needs. One of the most common fluids that you may be familiar with is antifreeze. Antifreeze is also known as coolant or even antifreeze coolant by many. The reason that this liquid can be called any of these names is because it works as both an anti- freezing agent as well as a coolant.

Antifreeze coolant helps prevent the engine from getting icy during freezing temperatures. It also works to prevent the engine from overheating during really hot weather or on long trips when the engine may become hotter than usual. Without antifreeze coolant our vehicles would not be able to perform to high standards and our engines would not last very long at all. Another great benefit that antifreeze coolant provides for our engine is keeping it from rusting and corroding. This is also very important since our engine is the most important part of our vehicle. Keeping our engines in the best condition possible can ensure we get many driving miles from our car.

There are a couple different types of antifreeze coolant that one may use in their vehicle. The first type is the older and most commonly used. It is called ethylene glycol. This is the type of antifreeze coolant that most people have been using for years. Although it is the most common it is also the most toxic. This type of antifreeze coolant can cause serious harm if ingested and has been related to numerous deaths among small children and many pets. This type of antifreeze has a sweet smell and taste and therefore is very appealing to both animals and little children.

Because of the toxicity level of the ethylene glycol there has been another type of antifreeze coolant placed on the market that many have started using in their vehicles. This type is called propylene glycol and although it should not be ingested it is not nearly as toxic as the previous type. In small doses this type of antifreeze should not be deadly although medical attention should be sought immediately if a person or pet has ingested either form of antifreeze. Propylene glycol has the exact same benefits when used in a vehicle as the ethylene glycol so switching types should not be a major concern for you.

You should always keep a bottle of antifreeze coolant on hand just in case your vehicle begins to run low. As long as you fill your coolant reservoir each time you have a regular oil change your radiator should have enough antifreeze coolant to do its job. However if you notice that your car is not acting right and it is overheating or having problems during the cold winter months then you may need to check the coolant levels. You may have a leak in a hose, a blown head gasket or a crack in your coolant reservoir. If your coolant reservoir is completely empty then you should add antifreeze to the fill line and also check to see if your radiator has coolant. If not you will need to pour some of the antifreeze into the radiator itself as well. For those who are unsure how to check for a leak in the radiator system it is advisable to take your car to a mechanic to have it looked at. Having a leak could cause real damage to the engine and the vehicle should not be driven until the problem has been solved.

Keeping your car’s engine protected with antifreeze is a necessary part of owning a vehicle. Luckily antifreeze coolant is an inexpensive way of providing protection for your vehicle and keeping it running smoothly during both hot and cold climates.