Antifreeze how often to change in the car?

When the car engine is running, the temperature of the gases inside its cylinders reaches 2000 degrees. Because of this, there is a strong heating of the power unit parts. In order to divert unnecessary heat from the engine, the machine has a cooling system. But how effectively it will work depends on the quality and characteristics of the coolant used in it (OJ). This liquid is called "antifreeze". And just like all other car consumables, it requires a periodic replacement.

How often do I change the antifreeze in the car? The answer to this question can not be unambiguous, since the timing of replacement depends on a number of factors:

1. Recommendations of antifreeze manufacturers.
2. Recommendations of car manufacturers.
3. Intensity of machine use.
4. Degrees of wear of the cooling system.

Recommendations of the manufacturer of antifreezes

Each country associated with the automotive industry produces coolant, guided by its accepted standards. Only such antifreeze goes also for export. Therefore, on the shelves of auto shops such a wide range of cooling fluids having different brands, with their characteristics and service life.

In order to somehow order the situation, the antifreeze manufacturers themselves began using the classification used by Volkswagen for their products, which divided the fluids into three classes with their recommended replacement dates: G11, G12, G13.

G11 class

G11 (traditional) - this class includes antifreezes produced by the so-called silicate technology. That is, in the cooling liquids of this class, a complex of silicate additives is provided, which protects the inner surface of the metallic elements of the cooling system from corrosion.

The indication of how often it is necessary to change the antifreeze class G11, should be on the package. However, when using antifreezes of this class, it should be borne in mind that over time the protective layer formed by them breaks down, turning into abrasive particles that damage the cooling system. Therefore, antifreeze class G11 should be changed at least every two years.

Class G12

What about G12? This antifreeze how often to change? The answer to this question depends on how the replacement was performed. If the cooling system of the car was previously washed and dried, the life of the new antifreeze will be 5 years. If the system was not flushed, the liquid was refilled during operation, then the working life is reduced to 3 years.

The service life of G12 antifreezes was increased due to the fact that they use additives based on carboxylic acids acting directly on the source of corrosion, without forming a protective layer.

In the G12 + antifreeze, inorganic additives have been added to already existing additives, and in mineral fertilizers G12 + - mineral additives. All these additives improved the protection of the cooling system, but were not affected by the replacement period.

Class G13

The service life of G13 antifreeze is similar to G12 coolant (subject to correct replacement rules), that is from 3 to 5 years.

It should be noted that the antifreeze of this class has a high cost due to the fact that its basis is environmentally friendly polypropylene. There are no other advantages over G12 ++.

Tosol

Many drivers believe that antifreeze is a separate type of coolant, different from traditional types of antifreeze, but this is not so. Tosol is a liquid developed by the domestic enterprise "Technologies of organic synthesis". Hence the name, which received the coolant. CBT is an abbreviation from the developer, and the end of "OL" is an indication of belonging to alcohol liquids. During the Soviet period, there was no need for a patent for the name, so almost all the cooling fluids for cars produced in the USSR, and then in Russia, were called the same - "Tosol", which, in fact, is a domestic antifreeze.

How often to change the antifreeze, it is indicated traditionally on the packaging by the manufacturer. Periodicity of replacement of domestic coolant, as a rule, does not exceed 2 years.

Recommendations of car manufacturers for replacing the coolant

General recommendations from car manufacturers on the topic "How often you need to change the antifreeze in the car" is not, each company comes to this issue purely individually, depending on their own developments. So, for example, Volkswagen, General Motors, Mazda, Renault after the machines are released from the assembly line and the factory refueling of the antifreeze cooling system is generally recommended not to change the coolant, setting a lifetime for it. German "Ford" establishes periods of antifreeze replacement in their cars every 10 years or after 240 thousand km of run. "Mercedes" - 5 years. "BMW" and "Mitsubishi" - 4 years. VAZ on its models determines the period of replacement of the antifreeze run in 75 thousand km.

And in the future to change the antifreeze is recommended for the same, which was primed in the car at the factory. If for some reason it is not possible to determine the original brand of coolant, then it is better to fill the G12 antifreeze, which is considered the most universal, without forgetting to rinse the cooling system.

Dependence of the periodicity of the replacement of antifreeze on the mileage of the machine

The term of antifreeze replacement also depends on how intensively the car is used. After all, for the same period of time different car owners can go through different distances. Therefore, how often to change the antifreeze in a car, directly affects its mileage. On this account, there are general recommendations for replacement. Thus, domestic antifreeze and G11 coolants are recommended to be replaced every 30 thousand km. Antifreezes of a higher class should be changed after 40-50 thousand km of run. It is these thresholds that are considered nominally critical, after which the OJ begins to lose its protective properties. But then again, these are only recommendations, since the real terms of the necessary replacement of the antifreeze, primarily depend on the degree of deterioration of the cooling system of the car.

Antifreeze as often changed on worn out engines

If the car is second-hand, then, accordingly, the state of its engine and systems will be far from ideal. Therefore, the timing of replacing the coolant on such machines will also differ from the reference ones. How can I determine if the already-filled antifreeze is still usable for use, how often do I change the coolant on such machines?

To determine the quality of antifreeze in the auto shops are selling special test strips. Their cost is small, but to control the quality of the coolant is very helpful. To do this, the strip is lowered into the antifreeze, after which the indicator colors are compared with the scale included in the test kit.

The condition of the antifreeze can also be determined visually. If the coolant is cloudy or white (lost color), this is the first sign that it loses its properties. If the antifreeze turns brown (dirty), this means that there are rust particles in it, you can not pull it with replacement. When foam appears in the expansion tank, and its bottom is covered with a layer of solid particles, then it is impossible to pull more with replacement, the coolant must be urgently changed, with mandatory washing.

In addition, the antifreeze will need to be replaced at the first opportunity, if it has been diluted with another type of coolant or water, since its characteristics are significantly reduced.