How to Add Antifreeze To Your Car Safely
Your vehicle runs properly using different types of liquids. One important liquid that can be paid attention to is frost protection. If you’re not sure how to add frost protection or how often it should be done, this article is just right for you. I will deal with frost protection basics, including some security guidelines you should always follow. We will also provide an overview of the steps to add more frost protection products to your car. Antifreeze Regulation
If you are using antifreeze, you should always be safe. A few things must be taken into consideration here.
1) Make sure your car is parked in your apartment until maintenance begins.
2) Use the parking brake to prevent the vehicle from rolling during service. Radshocks also help to stabilize them.
3) Turn off the engine and add coolant.
4) The engine must be completely cool before opening the reservoir circuit cap. If the engine feels warm, it’s best to wait longer.
5) Do not wear loose clothes while waiting for the car. If you have loose sleeves, roll them up before going under the hood. 6) Wear protective equipment. It’s best to have safety glasses and gloves. You can also wear dirty clothes or an apron to protect yourself from the dirt from the coolant.
7) Never get frost protection. It is very toxic. If you are taking coolant by mistake, you should call 911.
8) Keep children and animals away from frost protection. Keeps the coolant in a safe place.
It’s not difficult to operate your own car, but I always want to do this safely.
How to add coolant to your vehicle
To add a frost protection agent, you must first collect all the consumables, cool the engine, and find a coolant reservoir. As soon as you check the frost protection agent, you can remove the cap and fill it up properly. We also want to inspect the system to ensure there are no leaks or issues.
Here you can find a more detailed list of ways to add frost protection products to your vehicle.
1. Collect equipment
The vehicle requires a 50/50 water and antifreeze combination, but some formulas purchased from the shop are already mixed. Be sure to read the label carefully. It is also important to choose the corresponding color based on what the manufacturer specifies. You can find antifreezes in blue, green, red, pink, yellow or orange colors. In many cases, you can find the manufacturer’s specifications you need in the operation manual.
Apart from choosing the right coolant, I want to have all the equipment and tools ready and do the job with ease. After all, it only becomes more complicated if you have to leave while filling up frost protection to collect more supplies.
2. Cool auto engine
It is important to turn off the car’s engine and give it time to cool off. Do not add a cargo protection agent while the engine is hot. Most importantly, you don’t want to touch and bake a hot engine. Additionally, the reservoir taps become hot, reducing liquids and reaching cooking temperatures. Another reason to wait is that any sudden changes in temperature can lead to engine cracks. If the temperature is too cold, change the temperature immediately and you will see a repair calculation for the high motor.
Even if your engine is overheated and you need to add more frost protection, it’s best to wait until the engine is cooler. Give at least 15 minutes before attempting to open the coolant cap.
3. Find the engine coolant reservoir
Finding a coolant reservoir is not difficult. Most brands use colored caps to make them easier. In addition to removing it in yellow, you should also have a warning and tell it not to open while the engine is hot.
If you cannot find a plastic cap, please refer to the owner’s manual. This brochure will explain where the important parts, including the coolant caps, are located.
4. Check the frost protection device
You should be able to check the antifreeze without removing the cap. Looking at the reservoir, there are minimal and maximum lines printed.
Using a light-colored coolant in a translucent container makes measurements easy. The coolant level must be between these two markings. The level changes depending on whether the engine is hot or cold, but proper operation is always guaranteed between these lines.
5. Remove the cap
If you need to access the system, you have no choice but to remove the reservoir circuit cap. You need to screw it in, but you need to be careful. Damage to the cap can cause problems with the cooling system. Take care to avoid damage.
6. Add a frost protection agent
If you need to dilute frost protection, the time is now. As soon as we have a corresponding mix, it’s time to add something to the system. The funnel allows you to pour a corresponding amount of antifreeze into the reservoir. As soon as you reach between the two indicator lines, pouring will stop.
7. Check System
Fasten the cap back in place and run the car engine. You want to perform a quick inspection of the cooling system, looking for any leaks or issues. If you notice a leak, you must deal with the problem promptly, or the engine could overheat. Otherwise, you are ready to hit the road. If the coolant system was almost empty before, you may need to bleed the cooling system.
What is Antifreeze?
Antifreeze is a type of engine coolant that is responsible for regulating motor temperatures. In warmer weather, the antifreeze keeps the water in the cooling system from boiling over. It works with liquids that reach more than 275 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, when temperatures get lower, the antifreeze keeps liquids from freezing.
Antifreeze is also needed to lubricate various components, such as the water pump. If there isn’t lubrication, permanent damage can occur. Finally, antifreeze helps to reduce corrosion.
Antifreeze is made from propylene glycol or ethylene glycol. It may also contain special additives to prevent corrosion and oxidation, but these additives will generally make up fewer than 10% of the mixture.
How Often Should Antifreeze be Added?
You need to put more antifreeze in the system any time the levels get too low. Generally, this shouldn’t happen unless there is a leak.
It’s also important that you have the coolant changed after 60,000 miles. Once the first service is performed, you might choose to have it replaced every 30,000 miles. However, you want to follow whatever guidelines the automaker sets out in the maintenance schedule, as some recommend different terms.
Types of Antifreeze
IAT coolant is one of the most commonly used. The Inorganic Additive Technology has been around for several decades and it provides superior corrosion protection. You might know this type as ZEREX Original Green, which is a popular brand.
Another common formula is Dex-Cool, mainly used in GM vehicles. However, older vehicles require special additives, such as AlugardPlus. You can find this in a Multi-Vehicle Antifreeze formula. Reference the owner’s manual to find out what type of antifreeze is required for your vehicle.
Antifreeze vs. Coolant
Many people use the terms coolant and antifreeze interchangeably, but they are not the same. Coolant is the mixture between water and antifreeze. It’s what’s needed to fill the cooling system. Antifreeze is made from propylene glycol or ethylene glycol, but it must be diluted to work correctly. You can find antifreeze that needs to be diluted on the store shelves. You can also find coolant that has already been mixed.
What if Coolant Levels Drop Without a Leak?
If you notice that the antifreeze level has dropped too low, but there’s no leak, you could have some serious problems on your hands. In most cases, this situation means that the coolant is leaking internally into areas where it doesn’t belong.
Some possible causes are a damaged cylinder head, a manifold leak, malfunctioning cylinder bores, or a blown head gasket. With any of these problems, you are looking at extensive repairs to save the engine.
