New Sealed Jug of Antifreeze froze and burst in trunk of car?

[oldiron]

I was working for a company up to last year that had a dozen or so heavy trucks. The one I drove would use some antifreeze every so often. It had a ton of miles on it so they just added coolant as needed. Since the trucks were parked a few miles up the road from the terminal I would carry 3 or 4 gallons of antifreeze in the trunk of my car so I had it on hand when I went over the truck each morning. The company bought SuperTech HD red OAT AF from Walmart. The company closed down suddenly back in May '24. I still had five gallons of that coolant in the trunk of my car. I didn't think anything about it till the other day when I noticed one of the jugs all shrunk up as if were under vacuum somehow. They were almost flat but still had some weight, They were not empty but those that shrunk up were lighter than those that didn't shrink.
I took them out of the trunk and saw the one bottle was split but not leaking. The contents were frozen like a Popsicle.
The jug had obviously froze and burst in the recent 8°F weather we had last week. What was odd though is that I couldn't find where it went?
Three of the four jugs were only 1/3 full now but the box they were in was dry and the trunk had no sign of red antifreeze on the carpet. The trunk has tan carpet so it would show. I know those jugs were full when they went in the trunk and I opened the case of six myself when I put the, in there last summer. All of the bottles had intact foil seals. They split down low near the bottom of each bottle near the step in the bottle if they had thawed they would have been empty.
I grabbed a clean drain pan and dumped each split jug out and I got pink ice chunks. and some dark red liquid. what was odd is that it didn't feel like antifreeze and the few spots where it dripped on the garage floor dissappeared in a matter of 10 minutes or so. As if it evaporated. When I checked my trunk I found moisture on the bottom of the deck lid. After I left the trunk open for about an hour it was all gone
I was going to use it in my Ford truck but now I can't trust it. I've never had a new jug of AF just freeze and certainly never had AF just evaporate like that.

This is the what it was:

 

[sdowney717]

I hate the red, I use the old-style green ethylene glycol, never seen that freeze

 

[John105]

It should begin to freeze at 14F from memory, not sure at what temp it would burst. Diluted to 50/50 it would protect to -34F and beyond, up to -60F. But it does need to be diluted with water, which also helps with heat transfer.

Kind of like ice skating, optimal temp of the ice surface is 20F and many rinks are kept to 22F. If it's colder than 20F, it becomes difficult to skate.

 

[Jetronic]

It should begin to freeze at 14F from memory, not sure at what temp it would burst. Diluted to 50/50 it would protect to -34F and beyond, up to -60F. But it does need to be diluted with water, which also helps with heat transfer.

Kind of like ice skating, optimal temp of the ice surface is 20F and many rinks are kept to 22F. If it's colder than 20F, it becomes difficult to skate.

View attachment 264077

except this was supposed to be a 50/50 mix and the bottle states do not mix with water

 

[John105]

except this was supposed to be a 50/50 mix and the bottle states do not mix with water

In that case if it was not colder than -34F (8F) one would have to believe it’s not a 50-50 mix. The leaking is one thing but freezing is another imho.

 

[Jetronic]

In that case if it was not colder than -34F (8F) one would have to believe it’s not a 50-50 mix. The leaking is one thing but freezing is another imho.

Yes I don't understand either. My first thought was they bought concentrate.

 

[Lubener]

You may have been short changed and there was more water than coolant in the jug.. Be glad you didn't fill your cooling system with that stuff. I got in the habit of testing the premixes and everything I mix from concentrate.

 

[kschachn]

Please post pictures of these 3 or 4 gallons that did this.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

You may have been short changed and there was more water than coolant in the jug.. Be glad you didn't fill your cooling system with that stuff. I got in the habit of testing the premixes and everything I mix from concentrate.

Good idea, and excellent advice.
It's your car .... it's your responsibility.
Trust but verify.

 

[burbguy82]

If the bottles were unadulterated, I just dont buy the story.

 

[John105]

If the bottles were unadulterated, I just dont buy the story.

again we're going into the strange, but just saw a CBS drama episode where a syringe was used to inject, but instead, it caused a leak....why would the containers be under vacuum

 

[thastinger]

I mix from concentrate, my OCD would never let me trust a mix done by someone else if I have another choice.

 

[John105]

I mix from concentrate, my OCD would never let me trust a mix done by someone else if I have another choice.

I do the same but not OCD, cost. I'm one of those folks who feel that 50/50 should cost half of 100%. But then again a half gallon of OJ is 46 oz now.

 

[johnmyster]

I hate the red, I use the old-style green ethylene glycol, never seen that freeze

The bottle of Peak Final Charge Pro concentrate has not frozen in the back of my truck in single digits this winter.

All these coolants are ethylene/diethylene glycol but with varying corrosion inhibitor chemistry. Confusingly, HD Red now covers multiple categories. NOAT EC-1 (CAT ELC, with 2EHA) was the grandfather but that evolved to nitrate free "NF" ELC. Eventually the 2EHA got phased out and now we have OAT and PhOATs, all red.

Strangely the supertech says it has 2 EHA but is nitrate free, so most likely a copy of Peak ELC NF, Rotella ELC NF, Delo XLC, etc.

It would have less complicated if we had just got nitrated dexcool from the start.

https://www.owi.com/binaries/conten...inal-charge-pro-series-launch-pamphlet_r5.pdf

https://www.owi.com/binaries/conten...-documents/hdaw-2023/peak-hd-afc-brochure.pdf

 

[FCD]

Here in Spain you can buy even 5% premix coolant., only protects to -4C.

Someone i know went to the Scottish Highlands in winter that in their engine of his camper van and uh oh, it was much colder than that overnight, result, cracked block!

It's 5€ for 5L vs 14 or more for most 50/50 brands and types so people buy it, at best.

Far too many people just top off with our extremely hard tap water that tastes like licking a rock, and then also wonder why after a few years their cooling system is clogged, full of rust, and overheating.

If you thought Europeans take better care of their cars, that is not the case everywhere.

 

[sdowney717]

The bottle of Peak Final Charge Pro concentrate has not frozen in the back of my truck in single digits this winter.

All these coolants are ethylene/diethylene glycol but with varying corrosion inhibitor chemistry. Confusingly, HD Red now covers multiple categories. NOAT EC-1 (CAT ELC, with 2EHA) was the grandfather but that evolved to nitrate free "NF" ELC. Eventually the 2EHA got phased out and now we have OAT and PhOATs, all red.

Strangely the supertech says it has 2 EHA but is nitrate free, so most likely a copy of Peak ELC NF, Rotella ELC NF, Delo XLC, etc.

View attachment 264098

It would have less complicated if we had just got nitrated dexcool from the start.

https://www.owi.com/binaries/conten...inal-charge-pro-series-launch-pamphlet_r5.pdf

https://www.owi.com/binaries/conten...-documents/hdaw-2023/peak-hd-afc-brochure.pdf

I do think my Cummins 2005 has the red coolant, it has not been a problem. I have older vehicles. I may be confusing red with Dexcool which can turn into jelly, so I have just avoided ever buying any as I don't want extra troubles and have not need any for the truck yet.

• Orange Coolant, or Dex-Cool, is made with organic acid technology (OAT). Dex-Cool (on Amazon) was introduced in 1996 by General Motors. It’s designed for newer cars that have higher amounts of nylon and aluminum components. These mixtures utilize organic acids to help prevent corrosion.

When combined, orange and green coolants create a jelly-like substance that can stop coolant flow and lead to overheating, amongst other issues.

Although some coolant brands claim that it’s safe to mix their product with Dex-Cool, it’s recommended to air on the side of caution. Mixing coolants can cause severe damage to the engine and the vehicle, leading to hefty repair costs.

https://fourwheeltrends.com/causes-antifreeze-to-gel/

 

[johnmyster]

I do think my Cummins 2005 has the red coolant, it has not been a problem. I have older vehicles. I may be confusing red with Dexcool which can turn into jelly, so I have just avoided ever buying any as I don't want extra troubles and have not need any for the truck yet.

• Orange Coolant, or Dex-Cool, is made with organic acid technology (OAT). Dex-Cool (on Amazon) was introduced in 1996 by General Motors. It’s designed for newer cars that have higher amounts of nylon and aluminum components. These mixtures utilize organic acids to help prevent corrosion.

When combined, orange and green coolants create a jelly-like substance that can stop coolant flow and lead to overheating, amongst other issues.

Although some coolant brands claim that it’s safe to mix their product with Dex-Cool, it’s recommended to air on the side of caution. Mixing coolants can cause severe damage to the engine and the vehicle, leading to hefty repair costs.

https://fourwheeltrends.com/causes-antifreeze-to-gel/

Mopar orange was indeed orange, but it was Zerex G05 HOAT. Mopar used it up until 2012. Many a cummins has been crudded up by mixing orange (dexcool) with orange (G05). Color does not imply compatibility. If I thought my cummins had HOAT in it, I would acid flush and update purely because HOAT can be hard to find.

To make it more confusing the Mopar/Fiat purple (OAT) which was used 2013 and up tends to fade to orange, but is likewise not compatible with G-05 orange.

Confused yet? This is why HOATs have largely been abandoned.

This is why the "universals" have come to exist but flush, acid clean, and replace (as you cite) is best practice for vehicles of unknown history that we care about.

Dexcool gelling was/is largely due to mixing with incompatible coolants or excessive air exposure. I would trust it today in a well maintained system and did until recently. You can buy it anywhere if you need more. After all, the Red Supertech HD OAT with 2EHA that started this thread is pretty much a dexclone.

 

[sdowney717]

Mopar orange was indeed orange, but it was Zerex G05 HOAT. Mopar used it up until 2012. Many a cummins has been crudded up by mixing orange (dexcool) with orange (G05). Color does not imply compatibility. If I thought my cummins had HOAT in it, I would acid flush and update purely because HOAT can be hard to find.

To make it more confusing the Mopar/Fiat purple (OAT) which was used 2013 and up tends to fade to orange, but is likewise not compatible with G-05 orange.

Confused yet? This is why HOATs have largely been abandoned.

This is why the "universals" have come to exist but flush, acid clean, and replace (as you cite) is best practice for vehicles of unknown history that we care about.

Dexcool gelling was/is largely due to mixing with incompatible coolants or excessive air exposure. I would trust it today in a well maintained system and did until recently. You can buy it anywhere if you need more. After all, the Red Supertech HD OAT with 2EHA that started this thread is pretty much a dexclone.

Don't think I can know what is in there now. I bought it used, it has an orangish color from what I recall. Could be red, I have not looked at it much. I wonder if you can test it by mixing small amount and see if it curdles? under heat?

 

[johnmyster]

A 2005 Cummins would've been G05 from the factory and plenty of Cummins diehards are religious about keeping to factory fluids even as times change. Not knowing and the consequence of being wrong would be enough reason for me to be cautious about any top offs. Russian orange coolant roulette.

You might could send it off for analysis - but at what point is throwing money good after bad? Three bottles of concentrate is $50. Throw in a water pump for not much more.

 

[doitmyself]

To make it more confusing the Mopar/Fiat purple (OAT) which was used 2013 and up tends to fade to orange, but is likewise not compatible with G-05 orange.

Not adding to the original post, but it is even MORE confusing than you allude to. During the first year of production, MOPAR/FIAT 10-year coolant was available in BOTH orange and purple versions as shown in the right hand pictures below.

This one claims the Fiat version is pink, but it looks orange.