Antifreeze

[aleda]

Hi Troops - my 4a came back from electric fan fit last week with pink antifreeze in the radiator.  Always used blue. She’s actually called ‘Betty’ but I’m sure that’s not relevant !!! 

I’m sure this will have come up on the forum before but I can’t find the thread.  Seems like blue is better for older cars? 

Just got back from SOA and thank you to all the organisers.   I haven’t been to many Internationals to compare but I enjoyed the weekend and the area.   My dynamo packed up en route so completed the journey there on the battery - am very fortunate to have the A Team in my club who sent me shopping at the auto jumble for the necessary replacement then fitted it not once but twice as the first one I bought didn’t work!   Thanks Guys, really appreciate all your work

That’s when I suddenly realised I hadn’t swopped the blue antifreeze in my boot for pink! Fortunately there was enough in the rad to get me home.

Christine 

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by aleda
Online stalker may find me!

[RobH]

The pink stuff is usually OAT (organic acid technology) which is the wrong stuff for old engines/ radiators as its incompatible with the materials used.  It needs to be silicate based which is usually blue.

[Quicksilver]

Leda,

it is not only the colour that matter. colour can change in use. 

G11 not ok

G12 not ok

G12+ is Ok (is mixable ) (mosty pink)

G13 (G12++) not ok

http://tr6.verweijfamily.nl/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=aanpassingen:koelvloeistof

ps. sorry the link is in dutch .....

Marcel

Edited August 20, 2019 by Quicksilver

[aleda]

Hi Rob - thanks for the info, will get details of the make used.

Thanks for the info sheet Marcel, I copy and pasted it into Systran for a translation!

will put my Scientist hat on!

What make do most people use? Hope I can just empty it, flush it through with water and replace with the right one. There’s no rush?

Christine 

Edited August 23, 2019 by aleda
Online stalker

[aleda]

Hi Troops - just found this on the net which says it all:-

 

ANTIFREEZE IN CLASSIC CARS
Advice from Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC)
Technology moves forward; new products are constantly being launched with claims to improved formulations and performance. With the bitterly cold weather during the winter of 2009/2010, antifreeze has been in the headlines, with some alarming stories in relation to classic cars. At first, these seem to be about the well-known tendency of antifreeze to find the tiniest hole and cause leaks. However, in some cases it has led to catastrophic engine problems.
Traditional blue ethylene glycol is a toxic but highly effective antifreeze; it contains silicates as an inhibitor to help prevent corrosion in engines with mixed metals in their make-up. Bluecol and Blue Star are well known brand names; both are declared suitable for ‘classic cars’ on their company websites. Halfords also sells this type of anti-freeze with its own branding.
Be aware that there are also low- or no-silicate ethylene glycol formulations (usually red) available which may not be suitable for all engines.
Propylene glycol is another well-known and less toxic antifreeze formula and usually contains silicates. However, Comma, the main manufacturer, has now discontinued it in favour of an ethylene glycol product containing ‘bittering agents’ to make it less palatable and minimise the risk of accidental poisoning. Both of these products use inorganic additive technology (IAT).
Recently, problems have been reported concerning the use of antifreeze mixtures using organic acid technology (OAT). OAT was introduced in the mid-1990s and the products are biodegradable, recyclable, do not contain either silicates or phosphates and are designed to be longer lasting. However, these products do seem to cause problems in older engines.
Over and above the ability of antifreeze to find the smallest crevice and leak, OAT antifreezes have been accused of destroying seals and gaskets and causing a great deal of damage in ‘old’ engines. For this reason, the manufacturers do not recommend their use in historic vehicles. These products are usually coloured red, pink or orange.
The final category is HOAT. These products use hybrid organic acid technology in an ethylene glycol base with some silicates in the formulation alongside the organic corrosion inhibitors. The product is usually coloured green and is not recommended for use in historic vehicles.
FBHVC is still researching this problem but its current advice is:
Only use blue coloured IAT antifreeze in historic vehicles
Only use OAT products (‘advanced’ or ‘long life’ antifreeze) if the vehicle used it when new and if specifically directed by the vehicle’s manufacturer
Never mix different types of antifreeze without thoroughly flushing out the system
Always replace the coolant within the time scale specified by the antifreeze manufacturer as the corrosion inhibitors break down over time

 

[Spit_2.5PI]

2 hours ago, aleda said:

Propylene glycol is another well-known and less toxic antifreeze formula and usually contains silicates. However, Comma, the main manufacturer, has now discontinued

Leda, I use a propylene glycol central heating antifreeze - Fernox Alphi 11 (or that might be II) - which, as well as being much less poisonous than ethylene glycol, has anti-corosion additives which last 20 years or so. There is anecdotal evidence on the web that Rolls Royce specified it in their cars, and in any case the manufacturer says it is compatible with all metals and seals found in CH systems. My simple brain thinks that our engines use the same metals and seals, but you may want to do your own research before going down the same route.

Cheers, Richard