Southern CA Car Antifreeze Percentage?

[Piper2022]

I live in Maine and my girlfriend is driving her 2007 Honda Fit for the first time in a cold climate. She bought the car in Southern CA and it has lived it whole life there. I am a tinker who got thinking, does her car have the correct antifreeze ratio for a cold Maine winter? Normally I would grab my little Napa anti freeze tester and swing by her place, but she's on a roadtrip this weekend with the car. It's the really cold weather the car has seen as the winter so far has been mild. Supposed to get down to -15F Saturday where she will be.

Before I get her all worried that the car might have a problem, what are the chances the car has enough antifreeze to protect it to -15F.

I think I am just going to tell her to swing by a shop and get it tested. Better be safe than sorry.

 

[oosik]

I don't know about S CA but around here all new cars come with 50/50 anti-freeze. Anti-freeze does more than just protect from freezing - it also has some lubrication qualities, its anti-corrosive and it will allow the coolant to get somewhat hotter before a boil over.

The thing I wonder - if the car is a 2007 - has the anti-freeze ever been changed. Some of the newer products have extended their useable life span out to five years but that's about it. However, even at ten years if it has anti-freeze it should still retain a level of protection against freezing.

I think having her have it tested is a smart move.

 

[JRobyn]

50/50 is what you want, mostly for corrosion protection as Oosik said. Have it tested. Any Autozone ought to be able to do it quick and free.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Mine gets changed with timing belt, water pump replacement.

 

[kenmac]

if it has never been changed. it may have lost some of it's protection abilities .. I change mine out every 5 yrs or so and it really don't get that cold here.. 70* today

 

[buckeyefarmer]

0 here tonight.

 

[kenmac]

0 here tonight.

45 here right now

 

[Looking4new]

50/50 anti-freeze (-40*F) protection is also anti-boil to 240*F. I run mine at 60/40, that way I am protected to -60*F. Our winter temps have been known to get to -50*F. Last night it was -30*F.

Thanks for the reminder fellas. I gotta 'do' my Jeep in the spring. I test my anti-freeze every year in the fall.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Changing antifreeze is likely the most neglected thing in car maintenance (me included). If your friend just bought the car and hasn't changed the antifreeze, I would drain and change it or have it done. It isn't that costly a deal as most cars wont hold more than 1 gallon of antifreeze when you dilute it to 50/50 mix. Be sure to use DISTILLED water for the dilution OR buy the 50/50 premix.

 

[sixdogs]

Changing antifreeze is likely the most neglected thing in car maintenance (me included). If your friend just bought the car and hasn't changed the antifreeze, I would drain and change it or have it done. It isn't that costly a deal as most cars wont hold more than 1 gallon of antifreeze when you dilute it to 50/50 mix. Be sure to use DISTILLED water for the dilution OR buy the 50/50 premix.

Absolutely correct. I was looking at some tractor educational materials from Deere a few years ago and the damage from NOT changing anti freeze was profound. Problems that could have been blamed on engine oil were actually related to plugged cooling holes in the block that caused unequal cooling or hot spots. That's just for starters.

After that, I'm now a rabid coolant change guy. I use good stuff, usually premixed and even flush with distilled water. Especially in Maine, and I used to live there and have been to Poland, the water is harder than a rock. You don't want those minerals plugging any holes. I've seen Maine hard water cause pinhole leaks in copper pipe near the bends. Worse, in my house.