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If you want to become more familiar with your car’s inner workings and mechanical systems, you may at some point wonder, what is antifreeze? And what is antifreeze used for? Put simply, antifreeze helps regulate your car’s temperature as you cruise through North Charleston. The Rick Hendrick Chevrolet service pros provide more insight into common antifreeze questions in the guide below, including:
Continue reading for the answers you seek!
When car owners visit our service center, “is antifreeze coolant?” is a question that commonly follows “what is antifreeze?” Plenty of Mount Pleasant drivers use these terms mutually, but coolant is actually a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water – most of the time. There are also more concentrated coolants that are comprised of a 70/30 antifreeze to water ratio. While their names might imply conflicting purposes, antifreeze and coolant both help regulate your engine’s temperature.
Antifreeze is usually made from ethylene glycol or propylene glycol and tends to be green, pink, or orange in color. The majority of vehicles on the road in Charleston use green antifreeze, but it’s smart to check the owner’s manual to be sure.
Now, exactly what is antifreeze used for in your vehicle? Your vehicle stores antifreeze in the radiator. It’s connected by a tank in the engine bay, allowing it to circulate through the engine by way of a water pump. This carries the heat generated by combustion away from the engine. Now hot, the coolant is circulated back to the radiator where it is then air-cooled to remove excess heat and effectively regulate your car’s temperature, keeping you safe as you travel from Charleston to James Island.
Without antifreeze, your car’s temperature would go unregulated and the engine would overheat. Antifreeze is formulated not just to regulate the engine temperature, but also to prevent your coolant from freezing over on frigid below-zero nights. The following major components would be susceptible to serious damage without antifreeze and coolant:
If there is ever a time where you can feel intense heat radiating from under the hood or there is visible steam emitting from underneath, you should schedule a service appointment without delay.
Just like the other liquids in your vehicle, the coolant should be changed every now and then. We recommend checking it at least twice per year — once at the start of winter and once at the start of summer. As always, you should also check your owner’s manual to see what it recommends!
Whether you’re questioning what antifreeze is used for or you’re seeking other auto service knowledge, like how an alternator works, Rick Hendrick Chevrolet provides answers you can trust in our service tips hub. You can also speak directly with a service advisor when you contact us online! We look forward to hearing from you.
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