Antifreeze degradation

[YLee Kioti]

If yah gots one of deez https://www.amazon.com/Antifreeze-R...ter+under+$25&qid=1566453203&s=gateway&sr=8-1

you'll have your answer.......used these little gems in the motor pool decades ago and so decided to throw away the ol floater balls type as the rubber bulb gets old and brittle like me and pretty useless.

It takes a few seconds to place a drop sample on lens an tah-dah...you know its level of protection...

 

[goeduck]

After 17 years the original OEM coolant tests fine. No additive pkg. needed.

:shocked:

 

[Snobdds]

I don't know if I would ever keep antifreeze that long in anything. Antifreeze actually turns into an acid through electrolysis and can attack metal parts, even if the temperature protection is still good. The coolant will turn into a very low voltage battery, just take a multimeter to old coolant and see for yourself. Coolant with silicates, which is what I run on all my diesels because of cavitation protection, will start to fall out of suspension as its subject to high temperatures over and over again.

I change the coolant in all my vehicles every 3 years or 36,000 miles.

 

[5030]

I know antifreeze goes bad in a cooling system, do I know all there is to know, absolutely NO.
But I am getting ready to do a change on my bobcat CT 235, and have most of a jug (50-50) premix left from 4 years ago.

Does antifreeze break down in the jug or does it need to be in contact with the metal parts of the system to initiate degradation?

I am not afraid to show my ignorance on this matter, and I am sure some of you guys out there know the answer.

Degrades with metal contact and engine heat. I regularly mix up a quantity of 50-50 and use it as I need it. I buy the Global Extended life pre mixed. as well as Dex Cool for my wife's Burb.

 

[5030]

If yah gots one of deez https://www.amazon.com/Antifreeze-R...ter+under+$25&qid=1566453203&s=gateway&sr=8-1

you'll have your answer.......used these little gems in the motor pool decades ago and so decided to throw away the ol floater balls type as the rubber bulb gets old and brittle like me and pretty useless.

It takes a few seconds to place a drop sample on lens an tah-dah...you know its level of protection...

Good price for a refractometer. Never seen one for 22 bucks before.

 

[5030]

Right. No need to chuck unused antifreeze in plastic sealed container. It is very stable & only degrades slowly & when in the presence of metals. Even In a cooling system it ought to be good for a long time.

One point of reference complete with testing: I just had the Ford coolant in the old F250 checked the other month. That is an engine known to be picky about coolant chemistry because of high temps and all the dissimilar metals Ford used.
After 17 years the original OEM coolant tests fine. No additive pkg. needed.

The old JD tractor (non turbo gas engine) gets basic ethylene glycol & changed every 30 years or so.....
The newer JD & Kubota with their turbocharged diesels get OEM coolant hopefully changed every 10+ years. That is, I start thinking about changing it evey 10 years.
rScotty

Not sure I'd want to see inside your radiator.......:laughing:

 

[goeduck]

Oil change places do not seem to focus on coolant changes, why is that? Seems like a -do you want fries with that- upgrade.

 

[rScotty]

Not sure I'd want to see inside your radiator.......:laughing:

Well, the radiators are surprisingly clean. That's one of the advantages of running with slightly acidic antifreeze.... "Slightly" acid being the key. That pH will keep the heat-blockng carbonates in solution instead of plating out against the inside walls of the radiator......but isn't acidic enough to attack baser metals like the large expanse of cast iron and copper in the engine. Yes, YMMV if you have an engine built with a lot of wetted aluminum parts - or an aluminum or plastic radiator. Those metals are recent additions to the world of commercial engine, and are changes that were not made with the idea of increasing the lifespan of the part. So it's not surprising they require different coolant chemistry.

How glycol solutions react to engine mateials is a subject all it's own. IMHO, most proper cooling solutions are going to be slightly acidic, and like i said, its my belief that you want that. The old voltmeter test will to some extent show this acidity, although what is actually being measured is going to be greatly affected by what kind of plating or metal is used for the test lead probe.

Like a lot of things, there are no hard and fast answers, just considerations and tradeoffs.
rScotty

 

[lilranch2001]

This has been a very interesting discussion, lots of food for thought.

I even did some googling last night reading more about it.

I do not think anything has convinced me yet one way or another, but still very thought provoking

 

[lilranch2001]

Doing a good flush is a big mess most times and rather time consuming.
Then selecting an antifreeze is more difficult that selecting an oil.

What is everyones thoughts on flushing?
Use a flush additive or just flush with distilled water?