15th March 2023
Engine coolant is a mixture of distilled water and antifreeze, typically in a 50/50 ratio. It has the role of ensuring that the ideal temperature, to keep you’re the vehicle cool and to stop the engine from overheating.
Generally, there are two main types of coolant, these are;
A coolant that uses a blend of both compounds also exists. However, newerpremium OAT coolants which offer advanced corrosion and heat protection as well as greater longevity when a vehicle covers more miles.
Coolant typically came in two colours; blue or red – making it easier to distinguish the specific formulas and compounds for each product. However, coolants today are available in a range of colours from orange to green and pink. This can make it harder to choose the correct coolant for your car when it comes to mixing them in with your cooling system.
It is not recommended to mix different colours and types of coolant. This is because mixing two formulas could turn the coolant chemicals into a slushy mixture, making it harder for it to properly flow through the vehicle’s cooling system which could cause widespread damage to internal components and become costly to fix.
It can be harder for drivers to differentiate between all types of coolants by the colour, particularly if you have purchased a used car. It can be trickier to tell what coolant type is already in the system and may require you to drain and flush the system to top up the reservoir with a fluid of the same colour.
We recommend checking your vehicle manual if you are unsure what colour coolant your car requires, or visit your local Merityre branch where our specialist mechanics can help. For more information, contact our helpful team today.