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random:checking_automobile_coolant [2013/01/08 19:00] 127.0.0.1 external edit |
random:checking_automobile_coolant [2015/01/11 16:27] ko4bb |
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| "Whether the coolant is acidic or alkaline makes a big difference. As long as it remains alkaline, corrosion is inhibited. But if it goes acidic, corrosion starts to eat away at the interior of the system. The corrosion-inhibiting additives in antifreeze are put there to keep the solution on the high side of the pH scale. The alkalinity of a typical antifreeze/water mixture will vary depending on the additives used and ratio of ingredients, but is usually somewhere between 8 and 11. The average for most antifreezes is around 10.5, but when diluted 50/50 with water and added to the cooling system the pH drops to the 8.5 to 9 range. Higher is not necessarily better, though, because some of the new long-life coolants have a pH of only 8.3. Staying power is what counts. | "Whether the coolant is acidic or alkaline makes a big difference. As long as it remains alkaline, corrosion is inhibited. But if it goes acidic, corrosion starts to eat away at the interior of the system. The corrosion-inhibiting additives in antifreeze are put there to keep the solution on the high side of the pH scale. The alkalinity of a typical antifreeze/water mixture will vary depending on the additives used and ratio of ingredients, but is usually somewhere between 8 and 11. The average for most antifreezes is around 10.5, but when diluted 50/50 with water and added to the cooling system the pH drops to the 8.5 to 9 range. Higher is not necessarily better, though, because some of the new long-life coolants have a pH of only 8.3. Staying power is what counts. | ||
| - | To ensure that the coolant remains alkaline for a reasonable length of time, there must be enough corrosion inhibitor to neutralize the acids formed from glycol degradation that occur over time. This neutralizing capability is called "reserve alkalinity," and it varies depending on the type and quantity of additives used in a particular brand of antifreeze." | + | To ensure that the coolant remains alkaline for a reasonable length of time, there must be enough corrosion inhibitor to neutralize the acids formed from glycol degradation that occurs over time. This neutralizing capability is called "reserve alkalinity," and it varies depending on the type and quantity of additives used in a particular brand of antifreeze." |
| Dean | Dean | ||