Pink antifreeze is usually used for alloy engines and meets the G-12 coolant specification, primarily found in Japanese vehicles. However, European pink antifreeze is used on cars like Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi. Thus, it provides excellent protection against corrosion, rust, and pitting to all system metals.
What is the best brand of antifreeze?
- Formulated to replace the OEM fluid in Asian make vehicles such as Toyota , Lexus , Scion and others requiring a red, silicate free HOAT antifreeze/coolant
- 5 year/150, 000 mile . Silicate-free, long-life, phosphate Hybrid Organic Acid Technology chemistry
- The long life formula provides protection for all cooling system metals from rust and corrosion. ...
What do the different colors of antifreeze mean?
What do the different colors of antifreeze mean? The color of healthy engine coolant is green (for ethylene glycol) or orange (for Dexcool). A rusty color indicates that the rust inhibitor in the coolant has broken down and it can no longer control rust and scale buildup.
Which antifreeze color should I use?
My questions:
- The flush seems like a good idea since I don’t know what coolant the previous owner used (or if he/she ever changed it).
- In some of these comments it sounds like you don’t like the Subaru “conditioner”. Do you like ANY conditioner? ...
- In what cases can/should conditioner be used?
What is antifreeze and what does it do?
Simply put, antifreeze is an ethylene glycol-based solution used to help regulate the temperature of your car’s engine. This means that while antifreeze does help keep your engine from freezing during the frigid winter weather, it is also vital in helping to prevent overheating.
What kind of antifreeze is pink?
ZEREX™ Pink Fully Formulated HD Antifreeze/Coolant is a low-silicate formula charged with special inhibitors to protect heavy duty diesel engines from liner pitting and corrosion. Protects from summer boil over, cold weather freeze-up, and corrosion for up to 150,000 miles or 3,000 hours in heavy duty applications.
Who uses pink coolant?
When you have a late model Toyota, it comes from the factory using the pink coolant. It was used in most vehicles starting in the early 2000s. If you need to do a flush, the red is suitable for replacement if you decide that “long life” is good enough for your needs.
What does pink coolant mean?
It's possible that the coolant can leak, the power steering can leak or the transmission fluid is leaking. You may be having an overheating or coolant leak with this liquid because it is a water-like substance in a similar pink hue. Whenever your car's engine leaks water, it may escape the radiator through a hose.Mar 6, 2022
Can you mix green and pink antifreeze together?
Absolutely yes. But don't mix up two different types of coolant as it may lead to some damaging effects.Feb 17, 2021
Should antifreeze be pink?
The color of the antifreeze does not indicate any difference in the properties of the coolant. It's just that different companies use different colors, so consumers know which product they're using just by looking at it.Sep 18, 2021
What's the difference between pink and red antifreeze?
The pink coolant is an OAT (organic acid technology) that typically has a longer service life. The red coolant on the other hand is an IAT (inorganic acid technology) that is considered to be more “conventional” but still longer lasting than some other coolants on the market.Jul 22, 2020
What happens if you use the wrong color antifreeze?
It's important to note that the type of coolant you should use can't accurately be identified by color. Using the wrong coolant can lead to corrosion and other damages to the radiator, water pump, radiator hoses, cylinder gasket, and more.May 12, 2021
Does color of antifreeze matter?
The truth is, color is not a reliable predictor for what type of coolant you have. For example, OAT coolants are usually orange, yellow, red or purple.Sep 4, 2018
Does it matter if you mix antifreeze colors?
It's never a good idea to mix two different colors or types of antifreeze. Mixing two formulas won't cause any dangerous reactions or explosions, but it could turn your coolant into a sludgy chemical mixture that won't be able to flow properly through your cooling system.Oct 15, 2019
Is pink antifreeze toxic?
Is RV antifreeze toxic to animals? RV antifreeze made from Propylene Glycol is designed to be non-toxic. Despite this, RV antifreeze can be unsafe or deadly to dogs, cats, birds, poultry, and other animals in sufficient quantities.
What happens when you mix pink and green?
When you mix green and pink together, you will get either gray or brown. For all other complementary colors, including purple and yellow and orange and blue, you will get the same result. Since complementary colors cover a wide range of shades, they tend to generate gray or brown.Dec 6, 2021
Which color coolant is best?
The Colors of CoolantTYPEINHIBITOR TECHNOLOGYCOLORIAT (Inorganic Additive Technology)SilicatesGREENOAT (Organic Acid Technology)Organic AcidsORANGEHOAT (Hybrid OAT)Silicates & Organic AcidsYELLOWHOAT (Hybrid OAT, Phosphate-free)NAP FreeTURQUOISE2 more rows
What is the best antifreeze for radiators?
Here, we look at some of the advantages of replacing your coolant/antifreeze with a product like Prestone: 1 It can be mixed with any product – As Bruce touched on above, Prestone is safe to use with all types of coolant, so you can top up the reservoir without flushing the radiator. 2 It provides unbeatable protection – Prestone is stress-tested in extremes, from lows of -37°C to highs of +129°C, so you can be confident your car is always protected. 3 Guaranteed corrosion protection – Corrosion protection is one of the biggest plus points of using a product like Prestone. Our Coolant/Antifreeze protects against rust and corrosion for 10 years or 300,000 miles. 4 It’s ready to use – Simply flush and fill the whole system or top-up and go – the choice is yours. 5 Zero deposits – If you use water or low-quality coolant in your car, deposits like limescale can build up and cause problems. Prestone causes zero build-up and deposits, for total efficiency and performance.
What color is Prestone coolant?
Prestone is yellow, but many other coolant manufacturers use different colours. “These days, there’s no real reason for a coolant manufacturer to use a certain colour, so it’s not easy for you to know what chemicals are in the coolant just by seeing whether it’s blue, green, yellow or orange.
Can you use Prestone with antifreeze?
Here, we look at some of the advantages of replacing your coolant/antifreeze with a product like Prestone: It can be mixed with any product – As Bruce touched on above, Prestone is safe to use with all types of coolant, so you can top up the reservoir without flushing the radiator.
When was antifreeze first used?
Initially it was used as a substitute for glycerol, a component in explosives. American production cars did not begin using any antifreeze until 1923, when an ethylene oxide based coolant was first used. Ethylene Glycol, the green antifreeze we have all been using as long as we can remember, did not replace ethylene oxide as ...
When was ethylene glycol used as a coolant?
Although ethylene glycol has been around since the 1850s, it was not considered for use as an automotive coolant until World War I when it was used in military vehicles to prevent radiators from icing up overnight. Initially it was used as a substitute for glycerol, a component in explosives. American production cars did not begin using any ...
What is the color of oat coolant?
OAT coolants are currently easily available from most auto parts stores. Hybrid Organic Acid Technology or HOAT: This coolant is usually dyed yellow but comes in other colors like green, pink, blue, red and orange, which leads to a lot of confusion. One way to know for sure if you are getting HOAT will be by the packaging.
What is the green stuff that is used in the original equipment?
Inorganic Acid Technology or IAT: This is the common green stuff original equipment manufacturers have used for over 70 years. Ethylene glycol is its base chemical and there are silicate and phosphate additives that make it compatible with copper, brass, cast iron and aluminum cooling system components.
Is OAT antifreeze harmful?
It is made from a propylene glycol base, which makes it less poisonous than conventional IAT for children and pets. OAT when spilled or lost due to a boil-over is much less harmful to the environment. OAT antifreeze is now used in 1995 and newer GM cars and trucks newer than 1996.
Is antifreeze good for radiators?
Pre-diluted antifreeze is also a good idea because it is already mixed with de-ionized water and will be less likely to produce scale and this will extend the life of your radiator. Aftermarket radiator suppliers will have different requirements as well.
Can you clean a cooling system with antifreeze?
You can have the cooling system cleaned with a coolant filtration system. This is a very popular tool in repair shops today and will recycle your antifreeze. Component chemicals can be re-added to boost its boiling and freezing point and adjust the Ph of the cooling system back to specifications.
What colors does antifreeze come in?
We will break it down for you to better understand why this liquid comes in a multitude of colors. Colors include blue, yellow, green, red, pink, turquoise, orange and purple.
What is anti corrosive fluid?
Anti-corrosive. (The fluid will not attack the metals it comes in contact with and it won’t destroy it over time) Prevents deposits. (Prevents limestone deposits and others similar to it which could reduce the cooling system’s efficiency) Anti-foam. (Coolant has special additives in it that prevents foam from forming.
Why is coolant mixed with water?
Also in wintertime, water solidifies (freezes) and expands in volume which can crack your engine block, radiator and heater cores. This is the reason coolant is mixed with distilled water in a minimum 50/50 proportion. It lowers the freeze point of the coolant to protect it from freezing, even in the worst winter conditions.
What color is OAT coolant?
Organic Acid Technology (OAT) Present in newer cars all over the world, OAT coolant color ranges from orange, bright red, red, blue and dark green. This does not contain silicates or phosphates, however it contains corrosion inhibitors that enables it to last for a much longer period of time.
Why is it important to have a good coolant level?
Proper coolant level is important. Having less in the system than the designed capacity lowers efficiency and can result in overheating. Mixing different coolants together does not boost their benefits. For example adding OAT/HOAT to a IAT coolant does not provide the IAT coolant with a longer life, however it cancels OAT/HOAT benefits ...
Can you mix OAT and conventional coolant?
Important to remember is that conventional and OAT coolant types don’t go together. Never mix them together in your radiator unless specifically designed to be mixes with other types, because in the long run it can end up destroying your system.
Does OAT coolant go together?
However this doesn’t happen overnight, it might take some time until your radiator is damaged. Important to remember is that conventional and OAT coolant types don’t go together.
What is antifreeze used for?
As the name suggests, antifreeze is meant to control the temperature of your engine. Paradoxically, it is also called coolant, which would imply the opposite effects of what the word antifreeze means, but the terms are generally used interchangeably because it does perform both functions in your vehicle.
Why do you use antifreeze?
Point is, when you use antifreeze or coolant you are regulating the temperature of your engine. It stops things from freezing up in the winter and also stops things from overheating after extended use in extremely hot temperatures. Antifreeze and coolant also have a secondary effect, which is to add lubrication to prevent corrosion ...
What is the color of antifreeze?
Green Antifreeze: Green antifreeze is what most people are used to when they think of antifreeze. It has an almost neon green shade to it and a sweet smell. This is the ethylene glycol that is the basis of most antifreeze is in coolants.
What antifreezes work on Honda?
The color blue on the label is slightly different for these than in the one meant for Nissan and Mazda. Gold Antifreeze: Gold antifreeze has been formulated to work in Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles.
What vehicles use blue antifreeze?
Blue Antifreeze: Blue antifreeze has been formulated for use in Infiniti, Nissan, Mazda, and Mitsubishi Vehicles. It's another long life, anti-corrosion formula meant to last a good five years in your radiator. There are other blue antifreezes that are for use in Acura, Honda, and Subaru vehicles.
Is antifreeze the same as water?
But, as we said, oftentimes people use either term to refer to the same thing. Antifreeze is a chemical that is usually made up of something called ethylene glycol and is mixed 50/50 with water in your radiator to circulate through your engine and maintain an optimal temperature.
Does Dexcool work on green?
GM created Dexcool as an alternative to traditional antifreeze back in the 1990s. Though it technically lasts for much longer in your system of the green does, when it's allowed to run too low there have been cases in which vehicles have shown excessive acid buildup in corrosion as a result.
Can You Mix Pink And Green Coolant?
Before we go into specific details, let us know first what antifreeze is. An antifreeze is an essential liquid for your vehicle because your engine needs this liquid to function correctly. Antifreeze can also be referred to as coolant.
Is There A Difference Between Pink And Green Antifreeze?
When it comes to the colors of the antifreeze, it is just an identifier of the product with their companies. If the pink coolant and the green coolant are of different types, then mixing both of them might indeed have some harmful effects on your engine. To further understand the types of coolant, there are three (3) different types of antifreeze.
What Will Happen If You Mix Pink And Green Antifreeze?
If you mix pink antifreeze and green antifreeze, there can be some harmful effects. If you are not an expert in the chemical composition and the reaction of the different types of antifreeze, then you must not attempt to try and mix different antifreeze.
Summary
In summary, the pink antifreeze and the green antifreeze might or might not be of a different type. The color of the antifreeze can be just an identifier in which company the antifreeze is from.
Resources
My name is Hank, and I've been in the automotive industry for 27 years. I've been working in my own auto repair shop for the last 13 years, and now I want to help you here, on my blog. Let me know if you have any questions. Read more
