How much antifreeze do I add?

How much antifreeze do I add?

To find out how much you need to add, multiply the amount of coolant your vehicle can hold by the percentage of concentrated coolant you want to achieve. For example, if you want the coolant system to contain 50 percent of concentrated coolant, then you would multiply 0.50 x 12 to get an amount of 6 liters.

What percentage of antifreeze should I use?

The most common ratios used are 70 percent water to 30 percent antifreeze for very warm parts of the country, but in colder areas a safer ratio – and the one most manufacturers recommend – is 50:50 antifreeze to water.

Is it OK to put straight antifreeze in your car?

Using pure antifreeze inside your vehicle’s cooling system causes that system to lose about 35 percent of its ability to transfer heat versus a proper mixture of antifreeze and water. For this reason, you should not run your vehicle on pure antifreeze.

How long does antifreeze stay in your car?

A sealed bottle of antifreeze has an indefinite shelf life. Once opened, it will keep for years if stored in the original container. Antifreeze – coolant that has not been mixed with water – tends to last even longer than pre-mixed engine coolant, though both last for years.

Is it OK to add water to the coolant?

Your car’s cooling system needs coolant to keep it from overheating. Although water can be added to the radiator for this purpose, it’s preferable to add a mixture of coolant and water because plain water can boil before the proper coolant will boil, causing your engine to overheat [source: pontiac].

Is it OK to top up coolant with water?

Coolant should only be topped up with water in case of an emergency when the coolant liquid level is lower than it should be. Adding a little water to coolant shouldn’t do any real damage but adding too much will lower its boiling point and stop the coolant from working as efficiently.

Can you add water 50/50 coolant?

While it’s ideal to add a 50/50 mix of coolant and water (or a pre-mixed coolant), if you absolutely have to keep driving, you can add water to the radiator to get you to your destination. If you attempt to remove the cap while it is still hot, hot coolant can sputter and may cause burns.

How often should you change coolant?

A typical mechanic will recommend changing coolant every 30,000 miles. But many will tell you, changing the coolant is not even on their radar. An owner’s manual might recommend changing the coolant/antifreeze after the first 60,000 miles, then every 30,000 miles.