Coolant - Miscellaneous

What is the difference between Mono Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol?

The main difference between Propylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol in antifreeze/antiboil coolants comes down to the toxicity levels and efficiency of performance.

Ethylene glycol has superior heat transfer properties whereas Propylene Glycol has a very low toxicity level.

These differences also dictate where they are best served. Propylene Glycol based coolants are suited to environments where their low toxicity levels will not cause harm such as in marine and outdoor areas whereas Monoethylene Glycol is more suited to modern hotter running motor vehicles where its better heat transfer properties can be utilised.

Coolant for EV, PHEV & Hybrid vehicles

Modern EV, PHEV and Hybrid vehicles use liquid cooling to maintain their batteries at peak operating temperature. This is usually between 20 and 40 degrees celcius. If batteries overheat this directly affects their performance in relation to range, longevity and charging performance.

OEMs use a mixture of glycol and water to maintain the battery temperature. Penrite OEM coolants are the perfect choice for vehicles with liquid cooled batteries to maintain their temperature, prevent corrosion throughout the system and extend the battery's life cycle in electrified vehicles.

Coolant Colour

Hint - Coolant Colour:

Just because a coolant is coloured does not mean it is categorised as a Type A or Type B product. The colour in coolant is a dye and should never be used to distinguish what type of coolant it is or what type of inhibitor pack it uses. Coolants come in colours such as yellow, green, blue, orange, red, magenta, pink and purple. Users should always check the type of coolant by it's label markings which should clearly indicate the type (A or B) and inhibitor type.

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Coolant and vehicle manufacturers use products made in a range of different colours. These can vary by country of origin and by manufacturer. Overall, a coolant can be any colour that a manufacturer wants to make it. Hence, coolants should never be purchased based upon the colour.

Some colours are associated with different inhhibitor types but this is a misconception and should not be used as a reference. In Australia, Red/Pink/Magenta coloured coolants are generally associated with an OAT inhibitor pack whilst Green/Blue/Yellow are generally classified with Hybrid (HOAT) inhibitor packs.

 

 

Can I use a Type B Coolant in my modern vehicle?

Yes, if the vehicle travels in conditions where it is not subject to climatic conditions below freezing point.  Most new vehicles can run comfortably on a Type B coolant. Some Type B coolants can be more effective than Type A coolants in reducing engine temperature.  Type B coolants are used in competition road vehicles as they do not create a hazzard in the event of a crash and their ability to reduce cavitation effectively reduces heat spots inside the engine leading to cooler running motors.

Type B coolants will generally not mix with Type A coolants and could cause a reaction of the inhibitors, so if you want to run a Type B coolant, the safest option is to remove the OEM or Type A coolant and completely fush out the cooling system prior to filling with a Type B coolant.

 

 

Engines can be Air Cooled or Water Cooled

Engine cooling generally falls into two categories - Air or Water Cooled

Engines that are "Air Cooled" do not require a heat transferring fluid or coolant.

"Water Cooled" engines require a fluid to dissipate the heat away from the engines. This fluid is referred to as coolant.

However, engines are generally made from metal and sometimes more than one type and are likely to rust over time, especially if no corrosion inhibitors are used in the cooling fluid.

Hence an engine coolant is required.

Other coolant facts

• Type “A” Anti-Freeze Anti-Boil coolants are now found in new vehicles.

• The type of coolant, whether it be an OAT or Hybrid formulation, is dependent upon the vehicle manufacturer and determined by region, climate, type of vehicle etc.

• The colour of the coolant is a dye only and may change from region to region depending on the preference of the vehicle manufacturer and the supplier of the coolant to the manufacturer.

• Depletion rates of inhibitors determines the lifespan of coolants. Long Life coolants can last up to and beyond 10 years.

• There are OEM Approvals on coolants for some manufacturers.

Results with and without coolant

The images below, show the results with and without coolant for a Radiator, Head Gasket and Thermostat Housing.

Although plain water is a good heat dissipation product, the lack of inhibitors can cause significant internal corrosion of the cooling system and associated parts.

With & Without Coolant

 

 

Glysantin

Glysantin® is a brand owned by BASF in Germany and they are the largest OEM supplier of coolants for factory fill in Europe.

They have particular products such as G05, G30, G33, G34, G40, G48, G64 & G65 which are OEM coolant products.

 

 

What is the average storage life of coolants?

Concentrated coolants have a safe shelf life of about 3 years when stored correctly.

Hydrolastic Suspension Fluid

Suspension fluid for Morris, Austin, Leyland, BMC and Wolseley vehicles.

Hydrolastic Suspension Fluid is a “fluid” system that was used on a number of Morris 1100 derivatives, Austin and Morris 1800s, Minis between 1964 and 1971 and Wolseley 18/85s as well as MG/F’s produced from 1995 to 2002.

The units were filled with a mixture of alcohol, water and additives to prevent corrosion. A valve in the top of the fluid separating chamber replaced the conventional damper of other systems.

When either wheel on one side of the car hit a bump in the road, the fluid was displaced and caused the unit on the other wheel to react. In this way a bump at the front made the rear of the car rise to a corresponding height and the car always remained level.

There is not a particular dedicated product replacement for the original fluid. Available off the shelf in most outlets, a comparable product for this application can be made by mixing: 33% by volume Anti-Freeze Anti-Boil coolant with 67% by volume distilled water.

Penrite COOL350PREMIX can be used directly for these applications.

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