Radiator Fluids – Antifreeze & Coolant, What’s The Difference?

Key Takeaways:

• Coolant & antifreeze are known as radiator fluids.
• Coolant is the diluted additive mixture; antifreeze is the additive.
• Both fluids are designed to keep a car’s engine cool when running.
• An engine cannot run without a coolant antifreeze mixture.
• Radiator fluids call for regular maintenance to prevent engine damage.

Being the power source for running a car, car engines tend to reach extremely high temperatures. That heat has to be removed from the engine, which is why specialized radiator fluids, water pumps, fins & fans are used in an elaborate cooling system. These fluids are so essential that if one were a mechanic, one would understand how critical things must be for a metal-fire-and-fuel contraption to fail on the road.

Basic human anatomy – we need blood, water & sweat to work out our body’s cooling system. A car needs fluids like a coolant & an antifreeze to facilitate the dissipation of heat the engine produces when running. And don’t even think that the car’s HVAC, which vents cool air to the cockpit for human passengers, is cooling the engine too – it’s the opposite. The more AC you use, the hotter everything under the hood gets.

So, before you wonder, ‘how far can a car run without coolant or an antifreeze?’, we’ll get down to the details that matter to your Mazda!

Also, the answer is 2-5minutes before permanent car engine damage.

Coolant

As the name suggests, the liquid is an aqueous solution comprising some chemical additives & antifreeze. Generally, most car coolants are a mixture of glycols & water, but they all do the same thing – keep that engine cool. They come pre-diluted as specialized blends across dedicated dealerships.

Antifreeze

Pretty straightforward – it is the class of chemical additive(s) that are diluted in water to create a coolant. The chemicals effectively decrease the freezing point of water, have rust inhibitors, and come in various colors, defining their technology.

The only caveat is that they slightly reduce the heat-carrying property of the coolant. That’s why various other chemical additives are there – to balance out & enhance the antifreeze.

They come in two base variants – ethylene glycol & propylene glycol – and both have degrees of toxicity, mandating handling care.

Why Not Just Use Water?

Although water has excellent heat carrying ability & is an ideal coolant, it tends to react & rust the inside of radiators – water oxidizes certain metals. And if you live in colder regions, the water can freeze & rupture radiator lines.

Even worse, if the climate is too hot, the engine-heated water can convert to steam and blow up the radiator.

Where Do These Fluids Go?

The radiator is located behind the grille of your car. You need to open the car’s hood to find a cap under your nose in the engine bay. That feeds the radiator reservoir, and the coolant & antifreeze mixture is poured into it to the brim.

A good practice is to top off the reservoir & let the car engine throttle for a bit to allow the fluids to circulate across the system – then top off again – till the levels stabilize.

How Hot Does an Engine Get?

Suppose you’re still skeptical about using the correct coolant & antifreeze. In that case, we’ll have you know that even in the winters, an engine can average 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. That number can easily touch 4500-5000 degrees inside a reinforced engine block in warmer climates. And a coolant keeps all that to a bare 265-465 degrees Fahrenheit at the engine’s exteriors.

So, the next time a mechanic tells you your car’s aluminum & plastic components melted in the engine bay, remember that aluminum melts around 1225 degrees Fahrenheit – and get your coolant checked!

Different Types of Antifreeze Technologies

Since we’ve established that antifreeze is different from a coolant in that it is an additive, we can now get to the various blends of radiator fluids used in cars.

You have to be careful & considerate about the coolant mixture you put into your car. The wrong coolant can more than cripple your engine!

For this reason, automakers & heat-transfer fluid specialists have developed blends for specific classes of vehicles. The FL22 is a popular Mazda coolant explicitly designed for extended use in the new cars in our inventory.

* Inorganic Acid Tech (IAT)

Known for its characteristic bright green hue, this blend contains silicates & phosphates that offer heightened protection for the radiator & engine metal surfaces while circulating across the cooling system. However, it usually lasts up to 30,000 miles before requiring a radiator flush.

* Organic Acid Tech (IAT)

It is a modern blend of orange & bright green antifreeze. The OAT does not have any silicates or phosphates to inhibit metal corrosion. That’s because modern cars use versatile materials like nylon & aluminum in their radiators, and the OAT has been reformulated to protect them. On the plus point, the blend does offer a whopping 150,000 miles of cycle life before it’s off for a flush.

* Hybrid Organic Acid Tech (HOAT)

This antifreeze combines the plus points of both IAT & OAT to deliver enhanced engine & radiator protection, plus the cycle life of 150,000 miles before a flush. It’s available in hues of yellow & orange.

It would be wiser if you never attempted to concoct your coolant & antifreeze – consult your car owner’s manual & have a professional secure the right blend for you.

What Happens With Radiator Fluid Misuse?

So much can go wrong with mismatched or self-concocted radiator fluid. Folks assume that a coolant is a 50-50 mix of water and antifreeze, then apply that principle in climates it is not suited to. That results in:

• Extreme radiator & internal engine block corrosion.
• Engine overheating & possible seizure
• The meltdown of and damage to engine bay components
• Pressure build-up & potential blow-out of the radiator
• Crippled car cooling & HVAC systems

If you want to know more about how overheating can ruin a beautiful Mazda, be our guest & find out!

Mazda Coolant Maintenance Advice

Simply put, don’t play chemist when it comes to radiator fluids like coolant & antifreeze blends. Regard your car owner’s manual with diligence – they made the car and know what runs it optimally.

And, remember to flush your car’s coolant when it’s due for one. Using the wrong coolant is one side of the story, but using the correct coolant and not flushing it when it’s all dirty & used up can lead to engine toxicity.

That means the coolant reservoir becomes a vat of acid and will eat away metal in the water pump, the lines, and even the channels within the engine made for the passage of the coolant.

Auto Servicing at Cutter Mazda Waipahu!

If this blog has got you at the edge of your seat, wondering what coolant & antifreeze blend you have in your car and when it was last flushed – you need to visit us!

At Cutter Mazda Waipahu, serving the lovely island, we know how hot it gets here and which coolant is best for your car. So, feel free to contact us for more information on auto service & specials. If your vehicle has been having overheating issues & murky coolant, we’ll pop the hood and get right down to a flush-and-fix!

Schedule a radiator flushing service with us today!

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