Freezing point
The temperature at which crystallization of the coolant begins; in fact — the air temperature at which frost becomes dangerous for the cooling system. The lower this value, the more the liquid is resistant to low temperatures and the better it is suitable for use in winter conditions, including in harsh climate. Note that it is worth choosing according to this indicator with a certain margin: in the characteristics, the freezing point is indicated for perfect conditions, while in fact, crystallization can begin at higher temperatures.
Relatively easy-freezing modern liquids have a minimum allowable temperature
of -40 °C and above. A value of
-41 ... -50 °C is already considered quite decent,
-51 ... -60 °C is average,
-61 ... -70 °C is not bad, and in the most frost-resistant formulations this figure can reach
-80 °C. However it is worth considering that most antifreezes with a permissible temperature below -50 °C are
concentrates, and in order to achieve these properties, they must be diluted with water in the optimal proportion (with other proportions, the temperature regime will be different). Solutions sold
ready for use usually have a freezing point above -50 °C.
Separately, it is worth touching on the difference
...between concentrates and ready-made solutions. The latter are much more convenient to use: antifreeze can be poured directly from the package, while the concentrate must first be diluted to the desired proportion with distilled water in a clean container. In addition, the properties of the diluted concentrate (including the freezing point) will directly depend on the proportion, and this dependence is non-linear and may differ in different brands of antifreeze. On the other hand, the latter can also be written as an advantage: the concentrate allows you to prepare a solution at your discretion. In addition, the frost resistance of ready-made solutions may not reach the claimed one, and a properly prepared concentrate most often has exactly the characteristics that were planned. Thus, it is considered that for personal use it is best to purchase concentrate whenever possible; ready-made solutions are popular at service stations, auto centers and other places where there is no time to mess around with concentrate dilution.Volume
The nominal volume of the package, in other words, is the amount of coolant in the delivery set.
The average capacity of the cooling system in a passenger car is about 5 – 6 liters (mostly up to 10 liters), and in trucks it can reach several tens of liters. Accordingly, the optimal capacity depends on for which machine and for what purposes (topping up or full refilling) antifreeze is bought. Standard packaging options used today include
1L,
2-5L, 10L and 20L canisters, as well as
60L and 200-210L metal drums.
Colour
The colour of the coolant.
Coloring makes it easier to keep track of the condition of the liquid: the loss or change in colour, usually, indicates the need to refill the cooling system. The specific colour used by the manufacturer is primarily related to the standards that antifreeze complies with (see below). Usually, G11 fluids use shades of green, G12 — red, G13 — blue. However, this rule is not mandatory, there are other principles for choosing colours (for example, Japanese manufacturers "paint" their products according to temperature). In addition, the colour of the dye does not affect the properties of the liquid and the composition of the additives. Therefore, when choosing, you should focus not on colour, but on the official characteristics claimed by the manufacturer.
Now on the market there are liquids painted in the following colours:
red,
blue,
green,
yellow,
orange,
purple,
pink,
pink-purple,
green-blue.
Class
—
G11. A simple class for budget brands of antifreeze. As a base, such coolants use a mixture of water and ethylene glycol with the inclusion of a small package of anti-corrosion additives of organic or inorganic origin. In modern engines, G11 antifreeze is rarely used; it is mainly used on board domestic cars with a cast-iron cylinder block. The price for the budget cost of G11 is the short service life of this class of coolant.
—
G12. A group of carboxylate antifreezes that involve the use of a water-ethylene glycol base and organic additives. Their key feature is the direct impact on the corrosion centers — a protective film is formed only in places subject to corrosion. This significantly improved heat exchange and ensured a long service life of G12 brand cooling liquids (more than 5 years).
—
G12+. Further improvement of class G12 with the inclusion of substances based on organic acids in the formula to prevent corrosion. That is, G12+ coolants not only form a protective film in the areas where corrosion occurs, but also carry out preventive measures to avoid its occurrence.
—
G12++. The most advanced type of coolant of the G12 group. The hybrid composition of antifreezes of this class includes not only organic compounds, but also silicate additives. This combination combines the advantages of organic
...and inorganic additives in one bottle, providing effective protection of engine walls from corrosion. Since 2012, antifreezes of the more advanced G13 group have replaced coolants of this category.
— G13. The most advanced class of modern cooling liquids. Ethylene glycol in their composition is replaced by propylene glycol, which is much less toxic and decomposes faster after use. In addition, the properties of such antifreezes allow them to be used in powerful forced engines, including sports ones. However, such compositions are not cheap.
