Antifreeze is certainly an important component in your vehicle. When we service your car or truck we always check the level of this vital fluid along with the concentration and acidity. We will perform a test that tells us if your water to coolant ratio is concentrated enough to protect your vehicle in cold weather. If this mixture contains too much water, ice crystals could form causing major engine damage. If the mixture contains too much antifreeze and not enough water, summertime cooling could become an issue.
Concentration– Your engine’s cooling system contains a delicate balance between water and antifreeze. Each chemical performs a different function. In the Boise, Idaho area a 50% Water/50% Antifreeze mixture is usually sufficient. In colder climates more antifreeze may be desirable say 40% Water/60% Antifreeze, and in warmer climates perhaps 60% Water/40% Antifreeze would be best.
Water will keep you engine cool better than anything but it has a couple of undesirable effects. First, it is quite corrosive, think rust, which is not good inside your engine. Second, it freezes at 32 degrees above zero. When water freezes it also expands, if that expansion occurs inside your engine it will break it. Most car and truck engines have a safe guard called “freeze plugs” that are designed to pop out under extreme pressure and allow for expanding ice to escape. They don’t always work, and if they do, you will have to have the plugs replaced by a professional along with your antifreeze.
Antifreeze does exactly that, it keeps the water from freezing. Among other things, the addition of Antifreeze to the water in your system also prevents corrosion.
Acidity- As your water/antifreeze mixture ages it will become acidic. Eventually the ability of your antifreeze to resist and neutralize this acid will be reduced to the point that the acid will begin to damage the inside of your engine and cooling system.