Antifreeze or coolant in classics?

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Coolant or antifreeze?
Coolant or antifreeze?

There is a difference between coolant and antifreeze. Antifreeze is a means that only lowers the temperature at which the water / liquid starts to freeze. It can therefore also be used for wiper fluid, for example.

Coolant is the fluid that provides more than just cooling in the cooling system of an internal combustion engine. Nowadays these are very special liquids: for example, they only boil at around 140 degrees, freeze only at -24 C and contain additives that lubricate the water pump, prevent limescale deposits, and preserve the rubber hoses. Coolants are also suitable for all light alloys, metals and seals found in engines today. Coolant is therefore a special liquid. And antifreeze is therefore only one of the many components of coolant.

NEVER fill a car's cooling system with a mixture of tap water and antifreeze, unless it is for a very temporary time (after a torn hose or something). The limescale in the tap water will deposit in the engine, thereby blocking the cooling system, with all the nasty consequences. As a classic driver, it's best to buy a Halfords or Action all-round coolant.

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21 comments

  1. glycoshell is a good one. this deposits a fat layer, as it were, in the inside of your system. this is fine against cavitation of your block, etc. there is a (small) disadvantage: this is slightly at the expense of your heat transfer, so your cooling capacity is slightly reduced. think of a few %… not much so, if you have no problems in the summer, when it is +30 degrees, you can use this without any problems…

  2. You can hardly get antifreeze anymore. Coolant is cheap, especially if you buy it in large tons of 25 liters. Don't be tempted by that -36 nonsense, it's not Lapland here. Furthermore, the radiator in particular is clogged by the lime from tap water, where the openings are the smallest.

  3. The Benz sleeps cold inside, with brand-new coolant and the Kadettje has that too, but he will continue to heat through this winter on new winter tires with Berlina rims 🙂

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