Every engine internal combustion generates heat during its operation. In order to achieve its sustainable and long-term operation This heat must be removed somehow.
Today, there are only two ways to cool motors, with the help of ambient air and with the help of coolant. This article will focus on engines cooled in the second way and on the liquids used for cooling, or rather on their replacement.
From the very appearance of internal combustion engines (ICEs), until the middle of the 20th century, their cooling was carried out using ordinary water. As a cooling body, water is good for everyone, but it has two drawbacks, it freezes at temperatures below zero and exposes the elements of the power unit to corrosion.
In order to get rid of them, they were invented special liquids- antifreeze, which means "non-freeze" in translation.
What are antifreezes
Today, most antifreezes are made on the basis of ethylene glycol and are divided into three classes G11 - G13. In the USSR, a liquid was used as a cooling solution, which was called "Tosol".
Recently, liquids based on propylene glycol have appeared. These are more expensive antifreezes, as they have higher performance properties.
Of course, the most important property of a cooling solution is its ability not to freeze when low temperatures, but this is not its only function, another equally important function is to lubricate the components of the cooling system and prevent their corrosion.
Namely, to perform the functions of lubrication and prevent corrosion, antifreezes contain a wide range of additives that have a far from eternal service life.
And in order for the cooling solutions not to lose these properties, these solutions must be changed periodically.
Antifreeze replacement interval
The intervals between coolant changes depend primarily on the type of antifreeze.
The simplest and cheapest cooling solutions of the G11 class, which include our antifreeze, retain their properties for 60,000 kilometers, or for two years. Higher grade antifreezes last longer and need to be changed much less frequently.
For example, class G12 liquids, which can be externally distinguished by red color, do not lose their properties for 5 years or 150,000 kilometers. Well, the most advanced, propylene glycol antifreezes, class G13, serve at least 200,000 km. And some types of these solutions can never be changed at all. These antifreezes can be distinguished by their bright yellow or orange colors.
Flushing the cooling system
The easiest way to clean the cooling system is as follows. Need to drain old antifreeze and instead of it for one or two days, pour plain water. Then drain, if the drained water is clean and transparent, then fresh cooling solution can be poured.
But this happens extremely rarely, if at all, so after you have flushed the cooling system once, you should flush it again. To speed up this process, you can flush with a descaling agent.
After this agent is poured into the cooling system, it is enough for the internal combustion engine to work for about 5 minutes, after which the cooling system can be considered cleaned.
Coolant replacement procedure
Below is a mini instruction for those who decide to change the coolant in their car.
- First, you need to find a drain plug. Usually it is located at the very bottom of the cooling radiator;
- Substitute under drainer, some container with a volume of at least 5 liters;
- Unscrew the plug and start draining the coolant. It must be remembered that immediately after turning off the engine, the coolant has a very high temperature, and if you start draining the liquid immediately after turning off the engine, you can get burned. That is, before starting the drain procedure, it would be correct to allow the antifreeze to cool for some time.
- After the drain of the liquid is completed, the drain plug must be wrapped;
- Well, the last procedure is the filling of antifreeze.
During the procedure for replacing the coolant, it is necessary to check the condition of the components of the cooling system.
First of all, you need to visually assess the condition of all connections and make sure they are tight. Next, you need to touch the elasticity of all rubber parts of the cooling system by touch.
Ability to mix different types of liquid
The answer to this question is very simple and short, no antifreeze, different types cannot be mixed.
This can lead to the appearance of some hard or jelly-like deposits that can clog the channels of the cooling system.
In addition, as a result of mixing, foaming of the cooling solution can occur, which can lead to overheating. power units and very serious consequences, and costly repairs.
What can replace antifreeze
During the operation of the internal combustion engine, sometimes there is a violation of the tightness of the cooling system, and the engine begins to warm up.
If you do not have the opportunity to quickly fix the problem, then you need to top up the coolant before visiting the service station. In this case, you can add plain water, preferably distilled.
But we must remember that such topping up increases the freezing point of antifreeze. That is, if the depressurization of the system occurred in winter, then it is necessary to eliminate the leak as soon as possible and change the cooling solution.
How much coolant is needed to replace?
The exact amount of coolant is indicated in the instruction manual for each car model. However, there are some common points.
For example, in engines up to 2 liters, up to 10 liters of coolant and at least 5 liters are usually used. That is, given that antifreeze is sold in cans of 5 liters, then to replace the coolant you will need to buy at least 2 cans.
However, if you have a small car with a volume of 1 liter or less, then one canister will probably be enough for you.
Summary
I hope this article describes the process of replacing the coolant in sufficient detail. But, however, at the same time, many operations are carried out from below the car, and they need to be carried out either in a pit or on a lift.
So, if you don’t have a pit or a lift on the farm, then the replacement will be quite time-consuming. You will need to jack up your car and be prepared to do a lot of the work while lying on your back under the car.
If you are not ready to endure these inconveniences, then in this case it is better for you to use the services of the station Maintenance. The very operation of replacing the coolant is one of the cheapest in the service station price list.
The answer to the question of how to change the coolant of a car with your own hands is not as simple as it seems at first glance. It should be noted that many car owners do not have such a question also because they consider replacing antifreeze a waste of money.
Why change antifreeze
The need for a fluid change internal combustion engine cooling dictated by its composition and the processes taking place in it during operation. Antifreeze consists of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol diluted with distilled water with the addition of anti-corrosion additives. The latter is more expensive, so it is used less frequently.
They both have a low freezing point and a small coefficient of expansion from liquid to solid. Anti-corrosion additives are needed to reduce the strong corrosive effect on metals, which is especially characteristic of ethylene glycol. This corrosion, of course, is not so strong as to cause depressurization of the cooling system. But it creates an oxide layer on metal parts, which significantly reduces thermal conductivity and, as a result, worsens heat removal from the car engine. Because of this working temperature engine may rise by several degrees. Which will negatively affect the condition of the oil, as well as increase the wear of parts such as piston rings and valves. Since they work with high temperatures Oh and need a good heat sink.
Over time, under the influence of high temperatures, anti-corrosion additives are destroyed and lose their properties. Impact on coolant exhaust gases(in case of leaks in the interface between the head and the cylinder block) disables it ahead of time. Dilution of antifreeze plain water also greatly degrades its anti-corrosion properties.
When to change the coolant
Corrosion in the engine cooling system
- If you dilute it with water.
- After working out the service life. The replacement interval depends on the composition of the coolant and for antifreezes with silicon-based additives should not be less than once every two or three years. The mileage of the car without replacing such antifreeze should not exceed 45 thousand km. Check with the manufacturer of this fluid for the frequency of replacing antifreeze.
- When oil gets into it. In this case, flushing is required.
If you do not know how long the antifreeze has worked
- Take a closer look at appearance coolant. Antifreeze that has lost its bright color, cloudy and faded, it is desirable to change. The presence of a reddish tint indicates the presence of rust in the coolant.
- Measure the density of the antifreeze. The density of the new should be close to 1.078 g/cm 3 .
- During operation, the density of antifreeze can change both up and down.
- Use test strips to find out if your car's coolant needs to be changed. They are sold in the same place as antifreeze. The test strip is inexpensive.
Coolant replacement
A complete replacement of antifreeze consists of draining the used fluid, filling in a new coolant and removing air from the system. This operation is simple. It is quite possible to do it yourself. Flushing the car's cooling system is not required in all cases. To drain the liquid from the radiator, either a faucet or a drain hole with a plug is provided. Both are usually unscrewed with fingers, but sometimes you have to use pliers. The drain hole on the cylinder block is located in its lower part, not far from the junction with the pallet. It is closed most often with a bronze plug with taper thread. The plug head is usually a 12 to 14 hex wrench.
One of common causes the occurrence of car breakdowns right during the journey is precisely a failure in the operation of the vehicle’s cooling system (and, consequently, in the functioning of the motor). Nevertheless, an impressive number of car owners continue to neglect the significance of this problem.
The proposed review article will help analyze what role antifreeze (or coolant) plays in full-fledged work car; how to choose the right car product and replace it yourself at home (taking into account why such a need arose).
Why do you need antifreeze in a car
The key purpose of the coolant (or coolant) is to reduce the level of thermal impact on the components and other parts of the internal combustion engine installed in an automobile vehicle during its operation. Moving in a vicious circle with centrifugal pump, directly touching the walls of the cylindrical block of the engine (where the temperature of the combustible fuel reaches the maximum level of degrees Celsius), the antifreeze, cooling in the radiator, takes heat through a special cavity (“cooling jacket” of the power structure) and removes its excess from the engine cylinder system. An expansion tank in the cooling mechanism is provided for the "cooler" reserve.
Did you know? The word "land" in the name Land vehicle Cruiser Toyota the manufacturer took over from another company for the production of cars - Land Rover, and until 1954 this model carried Toyota name b.j. Antifreeze for such SUVs is selected depending on the modification.
In order for the engine to cool faster, 2 coolant options are used: distilled water and antifreeze. Water, necessarily purified, is the cheapest and non-toxic method with the highest heat capacity (the amount of heat required to heat a certain body) and a good ability to cool. Antifreeze, on the other hand, is an element that is not simple in chemical structure, which has a high boiling point and immunity to critically low temperatures. external environment(from minus 40 to minus 70).
In the engine cooling mechanism of current cars, water is not used on an ongoing basis due to its low practicality in the cold season. We are talking about freezing already at zero temperature, growth in volume by 10%, followed by transformation into a solid state of aggregation. Thus, under such circumstances, water can no longer carry out the main function - limiting the motor from heat. Ice crystals, however, formed in the vehicle cooling mechanism, have every chance of "harm" to the nodes and parts of the motor, destroying the cylindrical blocks and heads. The composition of the antifreeze liquid includes 2 basic components: water and polyatomic alcohols (ethylene or propylene glycol), which have a specific ability to expand their volume when heated (and this is one of the most important functions refrigerant for automotive system cooling).
The density of propylene glycol is lower and the viscosity is higher than that of ethylene glycol. Thus, the former is less toxic. Unfortunately, the latter quality when exposed to the internal combustion unit of external sub-zero temperatures provokes a drop in the rate of fluid circulation through the auto cooling mechanism, negatively affecting the efficiency of its main functions. 
In the structure of antifreeze, in addition to water and polyhydric alcohols, as a rule, there are various additives that improve the working properties of the product: suppression of the start of corrosion in the form of rust on metal surfaces, boiling upon reaching maximum level temperature, destruction of rubber elements, creation of steam condensate.
Important!The quality, service life and cost of the coolant depend on which additives were added.
How often does it need to be replaced
Most often, the need to replace antifreeze in a car depends on the quality and type of fluid. Its factory life is also important. The procedure for changing the refrigerant in the cooling system is performed in three cases:
planned
Timing scheduled replacement depend on the following indicators:
- type of antifreeze;
- recommendations in the documents for use specific model auto;
- the working properties of the coolant after the expiration of suitability (on average, after 4-5 years it loses its ability to resist the occurrence of rust, it can boil at relatively low internal temperatures, it removes heat worse from structures and elements of aggregate installations).
Prematurely, or ahead of schedule
It is used in case of a structural failure of the motor or a violation of the tightness of the cooling system, and therefore, when gases enter from exhaust pipe or outside air into the antifreeze. You can notice these deviations when the frequency of turning on the radiator fan has increased, and at a temperature of minus 15 Celsius, sediment or jelly-like deposits are noticeable on the walls and bottom expansion tank.
Due to an emergency
Antifreeze is replaced if the cooling system hose bursts, and the liquid decreases in volume due to leakage. The driver in emergency mode has to bring the amount of fluid in the system to its original level, and, as practice shows, this is most often done with tap water. However, compared with purified distilled, the latter contains a considerable amount of salt compounds, which, when interacting with coolant additives, activate the occurrence of corrosion processes and the formation of sediment. 
The flow of refrigerant through the system becomes more difficult, and the efficiency of heat removal from the motor components decreases. Consequently, the latter is overheated. That is why, as soon as possible, it will be necessary to carry out complete replacement antifreeze, before washing the mechanism with distilled water.
Did you know? According to Mercedes-Benz, the record for mileage on cars of her brand was broken by the Greek taxi driver Gregorios Sakinidis (Gregorios Sachinides). During the 23 years of operation of his 1976 model 240 D vehicle, he drove 4.6 million km on it (this is 200 thousand km / year, about 20 thousand km / month and approximately 700 km / day). In 2004, the owner returned his car to Mercedes-Benz Museum, located in the city of Stuttgart (Germany), and in return received a new one.
The main procedures for caring for the cooling system, which prevent premature and emergency replacement of antifreeze, are:
- timely washing of the cooling mechanism, as well as replacement of the refrigerant;
- regular monitoring of the level of the cooling liquid in the tank;
- periodic inspection of the elements of the cooling system for malfunctions: hoses (they should not be swollen), belts (do not allow excessive wear and damage to the latter) and radiator (it should not leak).
How to choose the right one when buying
If you are going to purchase a high-quality refrigerant for your car's cooling system, then you must first of all pay attention to the recommendations for operating your car from the manufacturer. To do this, you should carefully study the documents on vehicle: they must necessarily indicate which antifreezes can be directly used to cool the engine of your car. 
If you cannot find a similar factory fluid in a regular auto shop, contact official dealer brand of your car and order the same coolant or ask for help in choosing an analogue. The amount of antifreeze is also indicated in the operating documentation (on average, it is 6-8 liters of liquid).
Important!If, during the replacement of the coolant, you drained the remaining one and found impurities and a characteristic sediment in it, the engine cooling mechanism must first be cleaned using detergents containing organic acids in their composition, and then use distilled water.
An obligatory moment when buying antifreeze (like any other product) is a careful study of the date of manufacture, expiration date and storage conditions. Under no circumstances should you take a liquid that leaks through the lid when the container is turned upside down: a violation of the tightness of the packaging during storage may affect its quality. There should be no small particles or sediment at the bottom of the bottle or canister. When shaking the package with high-quality coolant, the foam resulting from this should disappear within ten seconds.
Antifreeze for cars can be of 4 types, which differ in functional additives:
Did you know?Ferruccio Lamborghini started his business with the production of not cars, but tractors. Having a Ferrari 250 GT in his possession, he often complained about alleged "factory" clutch problems. When Ferruccio turned to Enzo Ferrari with a remark about this deviation in the operation of the mechanism, the latter pointed out to Lamborghini his ignorance in the manufacturing process sports cars(in contrast to Ferrucho's direct specialty - the production of tractors). The future industrialist and businessman decided to completely disassemble the car and improve all its components. Thus began the automotive-productive career of Lamborghini.
How to replace antifreeze in a car with your own hands
Replacing factory-filled coolant is easy, so this procedure it is possible to do it yourself. It is recommended to wear gloves on your hands before carrying out this process, since antifreezes are toxic in themselves and, if they come into contact with open areas of the skin, can cause severe intoxication.
The procedure for replacing antifreeze in a car is as follows:
Video: How to replace antifreeze Thus, we can conclude that antifreeze plays an important role in the quality functioning of the internal combustion engine of a car. Monitoring the integrity of the elements included in the cooling system, timely and correct replacement of the refrigerant will protect you from unforeseen unpleasant situations on the road.
Important! It is impossible to mix old and new coolant due to the fact that the expiration date of the first one is already shorter. And here's why: the different components that make up them can enter into a chemical reaction, which can adversely affect the working properties of antifreeze.
Replacing old antifreeze with a new one at home is not so difficult. The main thing is to do everything according to the instructions, do not forget to drain old fluid and only after the system is completely cleaned, fill in a new one.
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Cooling system car engine responsible for storing, supplying, and circulating coolant in a car engine. Thanks to the functioning of this system, the engine is protected from overheating and boiling. It is extremely important to maintain and change the antifreeze of the cooling system in a timely manner, as this guarantees the engine normal operation and protects against premature wear and corrosion. Cylinder head corrosion - bad antifreeze began to "eat" the block head
According to the instructions, antifreeze must be replaced after the car has been driven every 40,000 km. Although experts in the field automotive technology give a recommendation to change the antifreeze annually, regardless of the mileage of the car. This rule is especially true for cars with radiators made of aluminum. How better antifreeze, the less likely it is that corrosion will form in the cooling system. Lately on automotive market antifreeze appeared, which, according to experts, is able to maintain its technical properties much longer, and when using it, the car can easily travel up to 100,000 km without requiring replacement.
This concludes the theoretical part and will continue to be given how to change antifreeze without contacting a service station (SRT).
Correctly drain antifreeze from the cooling system
So, let's start in order. For correct replacement antifreeze, we need, for convenience, to install the car on a flyover. The engine must be allowed to cool completely. In order to properly drain the old antifreeze, it is necessary to do two steps - first, drain the coolant from the radiator, and then from the block.
Let's start with a description of how to properly drain antifreeze from a radiator on the example of VAZ 2114 (everything is similar on the classics). Here, the first step is to remove the engine crankcase protection, if any, and the thin engine protection installed from the factory. Next, we climb into the salon and open the heater (stove) tap completely, in other words, put it on the hottest air. In order for the antifreeze to flow out faster, you can unscrew the cap of the expansion tank (and on the classics, remove the radiator cap). Then we take a bowl and climb under the car. It is better to take a larger basin so as not to miss the old antifreeze on the ground. 
The figure shows how to properly drain the antifreeze. Position 10 on the left is the radiator drain plug. The drain plug of the engine block is shown on the right.
We are looking for a drain plug on the radiator below (in the first figure it is No. 10) and slowly and carefully unscrew it, after which we catch the draining liquid with a basin. Care is needed in order not to flood the generator with antifreeze. You can also find a hose with an outer diameter of 8 mm, plug one end with a plug, and quickly insert the other end in place of the drain plug, then all the liquid will go through the hose when you remove the plug. Leave the basin under the radiator for 10 minutes so that all the antifreeze is drained. In view of the toxicity of antifreeze, pouring it onto the ground, as well as into water bodies, is prohibited by environmental law.
Let's move on to how to drain antifreeze from engine block. To do this, we substitute our basin under the engine and rise to the top. On the block, if you look at the spark plugs, there is a drain plug to the right and a little lower (second picture). We unscrew it, substituting a cardboard box in order to direct the jet down and not flood the ignition module. When the main flow of the coolant pours out, remove the cardboard and wait for 10 minutes in the same way. After that, we twist everything drain plugs and remove the bowl.
What to do if antifreezes of different brands or manufacturers
Now let's talk about how to change one antifreeze to another. As you might guess, this will require flushing the cooling system. You can rinse with both water and liquids and additives specially sold for this purpose. Pour the flush into the expansion tank (it should fit about the same amount as the old antifreeze poured out). Then we start the engine, let it run for 5-10 minutes, wait until it cools down completely and drain washing liquid(water) according to the instructions above.
If the antifreeze to be replaced is of the same brand and manufacturer that will be filled in, the flushing procedure is not necessary.
Now it remains only to fill in a new antifreeze. After that, start the engine and let it work a little so that the antifreeze completely “gets used” in it. That's the whole replacement procedure. I hope that after reading the article you will not have any questions about how to properly change the antifreeze yourself and do it no worse than at a service station.
There are times when antifreeze is required when refueling. The link below describes several ways to do this.
If you have any questions or comments, then I invite everyone to discuss. For the convenience of communication, registration is not required, so writing a comment will not be difficult. See you!
Many inexperienced motorists often ask themselves the question: how to distinguish antifreeze from antifreeze and what to fill in with the cooling system? When literally translated into Russian, the word "antifreeze" means nothing more than "antifreeze". In fact, antifreeze can be called any coolant that can not freeze at fairly low temperatures. Antifreeze is just a brand of domestic antifreeze, which has been produced since the construction of the Volga Automobile Plant in Togliatti.
Replacing the coolant in a car is a simple procedure that even a novice motorist can handle.
As we have already figured out, antifreeze and antifreeze essentially mean the same thing, but they chemical composition still different.
Domestic antifreeze brand "Tosol" serves no more than two years. It contains inorganic compounds that prevent corrosion of metals and rubber products cooling systems. Experts recommend not to use antifreeze in cars imported production. In addition, antifreeze begins to lose its properties when the temperature reaches +105°C. In addition, it is extremely toxic and harmful to the environment, so you need to work with it with extreme care.
Currently, many motorists prefer foreign G-12 antifreeze, which includes carboxylic acid salts. Such antifreeze retains its properties up to a temperature of + 135 ° C.
Another difference between antifreeze and antifreeze is that antifreeze forms a protective corrosion layer over the entire surface, while antifreeze protects only damaged areas of the metal. However, the service life of carboxylic antifreeze reaches five years.
How to change the coolant
During operation, the coolant loses its properties, as a result of which it begins to aggressively act on the parts of the cooling system, whether it be rubber pipes or a cylinder block cooling jacket. As a result of this phenomenon, corrosion of the cylinder block and radiator occurs. The water pump starts to wear out faster. From this it becomes clear that periodic replacement of antifreeze is necessary.
It is produced with a frequency of 2-3 years or 60-70 thousand kilometers.
How to drain antifreeze? Wait for the engine to cool completely before draining the antifreeze. First of all, it is worth relieving pressure in the cooling system, for which slowly turn the cap of the expansion tank counterclockwise until it opens completely.
This radiator diagram shows the coolant drain hole.
There are two ways to drain the liquid from the radiator - through the drain valve located on the lower tank, or by disconnecting the lower pipe. After the coolant is drained from the radiator, it must be drained from the cylinder block. For this purpose, it has a drain plug located at the bottom.
This diagram shows the location of the antifreeze drain valves.
At this stage, it is required to flush the radiator and cylinder block.
Something else useful for you:
Where to pour antifreeze?
Antifreeze is poured into the radiator neck located on the upper tank. Before filling the cooling system with fresh antifreeze, make sure that all pipes are securely fastened, clamps are tight, and drain plugs are in place. It is necessary to fill the radiator with a mixture of coolant and water with a ratio of 50:50.
After pouring antifreeze, it is necessary to bleed air. Some cars have a special hole to remove air when filling the cooling system. In this case, it is necessary to unscrew the plug of this hole. During venting through the drain hole, a slight release of antifreeze is possible. To avoid this, you can put a transparent hose on the drainage hole and bring it to the upper edge of the hood, to a height of 1-1.5 meters. In this case, emerging air bubbles will be visible, and their disappearance will indicate the completion of pumping the system.
However, in most modern cars there are no such openings. In this case, the cooling system is simply filled with antifreeze to the set level. After that, the filler cap remains open, and the engine starts and runs for several minutes at idling. When the system is bled, air will escape through filler neck, then simply add antifreeze to the maximum mark.
While the engine is running, turn on the interior heating to maximum so that the antifreeze can be evenly distributed throughout the cooling system.
During the first 3-4 days, carefully monitor the coolant level and engine temperature.
Replacing the coolant on the example of Citroen C4
Where does the antifreeze go from the expansion tank?
At normal operation engine, the level of antifreeze in the expansion tank remains constant. Lowering the level of antifreeze directly indicates a malfunction of the cooling system. Most often, in this case, antifreeze leaves through leaks in the joints.
Antifreeze leakage can be identified by the color of the coolant
The first step is to pay attention to the rubber pipes of the radiator. As a result of exposure to high temperatures during engine operation, accelerated aging of the material occurs, cracks appear. To detect cracks, it is necessary to carry out visual inspection parts of the cooling system. Antifreeze manufacturers paint their products in various colors. bright colors- blue, red, green. This makes it much easier to spot the leak.
Before carrying out any work, the engine must be cool. Otherwise, you can easily get a serious burn.
Check the tightness of all clamps on the pipes. If at visual inspection the leak could not be found, perhaps the problem lies in the wear of the pump. When the pump seal is worn, the antifreeze begins to flow along its stem, after which, when the pump rotates, it is sprayed onto the surrounding parts.
If everything is in order here, you should pay attention to the cylinder block, block head and gasket. Cracks may form in the cylinder block and head of the block, and the gasket may be pierced. When the engine is running, the pressure in the cooling system is much higher than the pressure in the crankcase, as a result of which the coolant begins to seep into the crankcase and enters engine oil. Oil, mixed with antifreeze, forms an emulsion that foams easily. The lubricating properties of such a mixture are very low, and this is fraught with engine jamming. Detecting a coolant leak into the crankcase is quite simple - on oil dipstick there will be traces of white foam.
It can also cause the disappearance of antifreeze. When the temperature rises, the antifreeze begins to boil, the pressure in the cooling system rises and the plug in the expansion tank opens safety valve releasing vapors into the atmosphere.
