Coolant plays an extremely vital role in properly functioning a car’s engine. The fluid lubricates the moving metal parts within the engine to prevent friction and overheating. However, it is essential to know whether the fluid is eternal or not to prevent unexpected engine damage. So, the BIG question is – Does engine coolant expire?
Assumptions can be detrimental, especially when it concerns a costly component to fix or replace. Therefore, this article reveals a lot about engine coolants, their durability, and how to refill your car’s coolant level.
Does Engine Coolant Expire?
Does coolant expire? Of course, engine coolant expires after running a vehicle for 30,000 miles or 2 years (as in the case of silicate coolants) and 100,000 miles or 5 years (as in the case of extended drain coolants).
Vehicle coolants are manufactured with an indefinite shelf life as long as they remain in their original containers. However, the antifreeze shelf life is altered once the fluid is applied to a car’s engine. The fluid begins to deteriorate as it lubricates the vehicle’s engine parts.
In other words, engine coolant can be said to be produced without expiration as long as the liquid is kept sealed in the container and protected from dirt and other contaminants.
On the flip side, the fluid is susceptible to deterioration over time when used in a vehicle’s engine. Therefore, it is risky to leave coolant in your car’s engine indefinitely without replacement, whether by mistake or the assumption that the fluid lasts forever.
For those asking, “Does antifreeze expire?” Yes, it deteriorates when in use. Therefore, changing your vehicle’s coolant is a vital maintenance culture to cultivate in order to keep your engine running efficiently.
Antifreeze vs Coolant
Antifreeze and coolant are terms often used interchangeably by car owners, but there is a subtle difference between them. Antifreeze is a concentrated product, typically consisting of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, designed to protect engines from freezing in cold temperatures and prevent engine damage from overheating. It achieves this by lowering the freezing point and raising the boiling point of the cooling system.
Coolant, on the other hand, is usually a mixture of antifreeze and water. In vehicle coolants, the antifreeze component prevents the coolant from freezing while the water conducts heat away from the engine. Both products are vital for maintaining the engine coolant at an optimal level and preventing the kind of engine damage that can occur from extreme temperatures.
When servicing a vehicle, it’s common to drain coolants from the cooling system and replace them with fresh antifreeze and water mixture. The coolant fluid level should be checked regularly, as low levels can cause the engine to overheat, leading to severe engine damage. It’s a common assumption that antifreeze should be used undiluted, but that’s not the case; dilution with water is essential for most vehicle cooling systems. Lastly, always ensure that antifreeze coolant tubes are clear of blockages to avoid unwanted noise and inefficiencies in the system.
Signs of Car Needs Coolant Service
The lack of coolant in a car’s engine comes with several side effects. However, the following symptoms may arise before the engine plunges into malfunctioning and eventually breaks down.
Low coolant level
A low coolant fluid level is one of the primary symptoms that shows you need to refill your car’s coolant to keep the engine running smoothly. Low coolant levels can be traced to coolant leaks. This is usually characterized by puddles beneath your car when parked for a while.
Suppose you constantly see puddles of green, orange, red, yellow, blue, or violet liquid underneath your car. In that case, it simply means coolant leaks exist in one or more components within the engine compartment. Therefore, you must fix the leaks and refill the engine coolant immediately.
Grinding noise
Grinding noise will usually accompany low coolant levels that result from leaks. Since the coolant is responsible for lubricating the metal parts in the engine, running out of coolant will result in friction between the moving parts, thereby producing grinding noise.
Once you notice any unpleasant grinding or knocking sound coming from your car’s engine, check it out immediately. If you’re out of coolant, kindly refill as soon as possible.
Coolant discoloration
Various manufacturers adopt different colors for their coolant brands. Some coolant colors include orange, green, blue, yellow, etc. However, the coolant is likely to change color as the fluid deteriorates.
Usually, the coolant would gradually decline from its initial color to dark shade brown and become foamy. Once you see this sign when observing your coolant level, it is time to replace the fluid.
Engine temp gauge reading high
The coolant’s function of circulating through engine minimizes heat, and maintains an optimal engine temperature level.
Therefore, if your car’s engine temp gauge suddenly starts reading high, you most likely have a low coolant level that cannot minimize friction and cool the engine. This can further lead to overheating and smoking.
How Long Is Engine Coolant Good For?
Silicated coolants can last for up to 30,000 miles or 2 years, as the case may be. Meanwhile, extended drain coolant is estimated to last around 100,000 miles or 5 years.
The lifespan of a vehicle’s engine depends on the owner’s maintenance culture. While some vehicle engines can relatively attain their lifespan, others may not cross half of the expected time frame due to poor maintenance.
Therefore, it is essential to note the recommended intervals within which you must replace your car’s engine coolant to keep the engine running perfectly.
Can You Use Expired Engine Coolant?
Of course not! Although engine coolants are produced as lifetime coolant, as long as the content remains sealed in the original container, they can deteriorate over time when used in a vehicle.
Therefore, using deteriorated (expired) old coolant can damage your vehicle’s engine. This is because of the fluid’s inability to withstand changing weather conditions and fight against corrosion.
How Do I Know If My Antifreeze Is Still Good?
There are several ways to know whether your car’s antifreeze is still good. While some methods can be relatively easy, others may require a more complex approach. For instance, physically assessing your antifreeze can reveal whether it is good.
To ensure your engine coolant remains effective, it’s a good practice to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for coolant replacement intervals. This information can usually be found in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. In general, many manufacturers recommend replacing coolant every 2 to 5 years, but this can vary depending on the type of coolant used and the specific vehicle.
If the fluid has changed from its original color to dark brown, you most likely have a bad antifreeze. Also, you can determine the state of your antifreeze by testing the fluid with a digital Multimeter. If the result displays 4 volts or less, your antifreeze is in good condition.
Does Color Of Coolant Matter?
Determining whether the color of engine coolant matters depends on various factors. For instance, several coolant brands come in different colors. Therefore, it is essential to stick to the recommended brand for your car, which will most likely comes in a single color.
Therefore, considering the factor above, the color of your car’s recommended coolant matters, except the particular fluid comes in various colors.
How To Refill Coolant
Refilling your car’s engine coolant is relatively straightforward. Ensure to get the recommended fluid for your car and follow this procedure.
Check the coolant level
Firstly, check the current level of the engine coolant to ascertain whether you need a refill. You need a refill If the fluid is below the “MIN” mark.
Mix the coolant properly
Get the prescribed undiluted antifreeze and mix it in a 50/50 proportion with distilled water. That is 50% coolant and 50% distilled water. However, if you’re using a pre-mixed coolant brand, you may have to skip this step.
Open the coolant reservoir and refill
Lastly, open the coolant reservoir cap, insert a funnel into the hole, and fill it with the coolant until it reaches the “MAX” mark. Kindly avoid too much antifreeze in the reservoir. Once you’re done, carefully lock the container back accurately.
Conclusion
This article has just resolved your contemplations if you were wondering whether engine coolant expires or not. So, if you know someone asking – does engine coolant expire? Kindly refer them to this article.
Meanwhile, it is vital to know when to change your car’s engine coolant fluid to avoid causing severe damage to your engine.