The engine of any car burns fuel thus making it dangerously hot. To take care of this problem, cooling systems have been developed. The cooling system’s job is to ensure that the operating temperature of the engine is maintained. It does this by circulating coolant channels inside the engine to dissipate heat.
When the water is cooled, it is at risk of freezing in the winter months. To prevent this from happening, antifreeze is added to cold water. This reduces the cooling point of the coolant making sure that it does not freeze in the winter and result in radiator cracks.
Like all fluids in the car, it is recommended to replace the antifreeze periodically. Most automakers recommend that you do it every 2 or 3 years after driving 30,000 miles. More and more antifreeze manufacturers are coming up with long-life antifreezes that are advertised as not needing to be replaced until after 50,000 miles.
The reason why antifreeze needs to be changed is to understand when to decide when to change it. While antifreeze has advantages, it also has disadvantages. One of them is that it is very biting. To combat this, antifreeze is formulated with corrosion inhibitors. When these inhibitors are used up or when they are about to be lifted, that is the perfect time to replace them.
But how does one determine when antifreeze corrosion inhibitors run out? Manufacturers of these test products kites to find out how antifreeze corrosion inhibitors withstand. These packets work like litma paper, but are special in that they change color to give you an idea of how long antifreeze can be safely used.
When the inhibitors are almost exhausted and you have decided to change it, it is recommended that the radiator is flushed in reverse. Usually, car owners just drain their coolant and add new coolant later. This is not enough if you want your antifreeze to last a long time.
The reverse flush not only drains the used coolant, but also helps dislodge solid particles from the bottom of the radiator and expels them. These particles clog the radiator thus reducing its effectiveness at dissipating heat. Also, if you want to use so-called long-lasting antifreeze, your system should be as clean as possible. If this antifreeze is used in a dirty system, its duration will be equal to that of ordinary antifreeze that is 2 to three years old. That is good money spent.
Another tip for those people who want to save good money: never use water except for cooling. Antifreeze has no corrosion inhibitor. Instead of saving money, paying a lot for the repair of the radiator and not harming anything. An inefficient cooling system could cause your engine to freeze. He doesn’t want that.
