What cause coolant to deterioate?

[sifan]

I have heard that it is best to replace coolant every 2 years or 24k miles. If I bought a brand new car from the dealer lot which had been siting there for 2 years, should I replace the coolant right away? What cause the coolant to loose its cooling capability?

 

[roman]

Chemical reactions with the metal and contanimants in the cooling system cause the cooalnt to wear out. If the car hasnt been driven in two years, the collant wont be all that bad, but you have to be serous here. Replacing the stuff costs max $40, and only takes 1.5 hours tops if you know what you are doing

 

[roman]

Forgot to mention, coolant doesnt really cool the engine. it inhhibits rust, protects teh metal, prevents freezing/boiling over, ect. The water is what does your cooling.

 

[sifan]

How do contaminants get into the cooling system?

 

[N2OIL]

I can see two reasons an average recomendation is like this. Most antifreeze over time will gas off the moisture or water. As the water in antifreeze is gassed off the effectiveness to disipate heat will worsen. Also the Ph level moves more toward an acidic mixture. You can purchase (dip strips)
for antifreeze. There are two kinds for both kinds of antifreeze. Ehtylene glycol & Propylene glycol both have a different freeze point or a different specific gravity. Hope this helps.

 

[Steve S]

In coolant there are chemicals and water ,in the engine there are different metals and the hoses may have carbon and stray eletric currents, heat and some gases .As the coolant deteriorates it turns slightly acidic which starts the dissimilar metals, rubber with carbon to make electricty which increases the deterioration and on and on. I have seen water pump with aluminum impellers dissolved by the eletrical currents. The same as in a boat where sacrificial anodes are used ,as the anodes dissolve first. In a auto's system the coolant is changed ,in some big trucks I have worked on, there are coolant filters that have stuff in them that adds the chemicals that" wear out"

 

[Ray H]

Rubber components in cooling systems promote electrical conduction? Amazing Facts! (Hint #1, the carbon atoms' valence electrons are locked in a death grip in the valence orbits of other atoms in the rubber compound's chemistry, not free. Hint #2, while rubber can build a static charge when rubbed against another insulator, it's NOT an electrical conductor.)

[ August 09, 2004, 01:53 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]