Engine coolant is a fluid that keeps a vehicle’s radiator from overheating in extremely hot weather conditions. Car coolants absorb the heat from the engine and prevent engine water from boiling. Moreover, coolants also prevent car metal parts from rusting and ensure that the rubber or plastic vehicle parts don’t corrode.
When choosing the right coolant, you need to understand the difference between each colour and how that affects your car’s performance.
Difference between coolant colours in cars
In the UAE, coolants come in red, orange and green colours. You might notice a new coolant colour in the reservoir of your new car different from the coolant colour in the reservoir of your last car.
This colour difference isn’t there to make your coolant look fancy or pretty, but it has a very important purpose. Using the wrong coloured coolant will damage your car’s performance and end up deteriorating the radiator and engine.
Difference between red, orange and green coolant
Let us go through the difference between red, orange and green coolants in detail.
Red and orange coolants: An OAT (Organic Acid Technology) formula liquid coolant comes in different colours including orange, blue, dark green, red and bright red. There are no phosphates or silicates in the OAT formula, in fact, the formula contains corrosion inhibitors offering improved protection of the coolant systems and a long-lasting one.
With the help of special additives, the coolant system is prevented from rust and corrosion, but metal parts might need some servicing over time. OAT coolants are recommended to be flushed out of the cooling system at an interval of 10 years or after every 22,000 kilometres.
If you’re wondering the difference between red and orange coolants– the answer is simple. Both the colours are found in the OAT formula.
Read the owner’s manual before using this coolant in an older model just to be sure. The OAT coolant is popularly used in makes including Toyota, VW, GM, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi.
Green coolant: An IAT (Inorganic Additive Technology) formula coolant is bright green in colour. Green coloured coolants are very popular and make up for excellent corrosion protection. The green coloured coolant is usually used in older cars that were manufactured before the mid 90’s such as GM, Ford and Chrysler.
It is recommended to flush out or change the green coolant fluid after every two years or 10,000 kilometres.
How to prepare coolant
Engine coolant comes in a concentrated formula and requires to be mixed. To make it work, you will have to mix water and the coolant at a ratio of 50-50, unless specified otherwise or already premixed.
It is advisable to use distilled water to reduce the corrosion levels even if modern coolants can work with tap water. Tap water always contains chlorides that can be corrosive. Moreover, tap water contains calcium, magnesium, and hardness ions. These things increase the deposits and scale in the radiator, thus reducing the cooling efficiency. Therefore, to be on the safe side, create the mix with distilled water. Just be sure you follow the percentages mentioned on the bottle sensibly.
Here are a few tips on keeping your car’s radiator cool.
Important things to remember about coolant colours in cars
As a rule of thumb, if your car came with a particular coolant colour, don’t try to change it needlessly. For instance, an OAT coolant works wonders for new cars but using it in an older radiator that has lead solder is never going to work out. On the contrary, an OAT coolant in an old-style radiator will damage the radiator and wouldn’t even protect against radiator corrosion.
Just keep in mind that each colour has a unique formula and function. Mixing them is not advised.
FAQs
How often does my car need a new coolant?
This depends on the coolant used in your car. However, you must check your coolant levels twice a year before the change of seasons.
Will mixing different colour coolants increase performance?
Mixing different coloured coolants with your existing car coolant will not increase performance. On the contrary, it can be extremely harmful to the car radiator.
That is all about the different coolant colours used in cars. If your car asks for coolant changes more frequently than required it may be possible because of a poorly maintained cooling system, a leak in the radiator or a crack in the engine among other reasons. Read on for more information on detecting leaks in the car’s cooling system.
If you feel, you have to spend a lot of money on such frequent repairs, it’s only sensible to buy another vehicle. You can find a variety of used cars for sale online at different prices.
Stay tuned to the UAE’s top auto blog for more on car fluids, parts and repairs, car care solutions and DIY car tips.
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