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What’s The Best Car AntiFreeze?

Mercedes Coolant / Antifreeze

Choosing the right engine coolant

Surprisingly, some people believe that the best car antifreeze for their radiator is ordinary water – it’s not.

Antifreeze remains a perplexing topic for numerous drivers.  However, even those who recognize the significance of antifreeze may not possess a comprehensive understanding. Aspects such as antifreeze color, additives, and the technology employed often elude most drivers.

In this discussion, we will explore various types of antifreeze, its purposes, guidelines for selecting the appropriate variant for your vehicle, and more. By the end of this guide, it is anticipated that you will have gained substantial knowledge regarding all facets related to coolant liquids.

What's the best Car Antifreeze?

The best car antifreeze is a mixture of distilled water and antifreeze, normally in a 1:1 ratio.

The best antifreeze for your car is the one that adheres to the manufacturer’s recommendation – information can be found in your owner’s manual, or in the maintenance guide – we recommend Haynes.

Discover the latest offers on Haynes Repair Manuals

The best liquid for your car radiatior

Modern engines are designed to initiate controlled explosions and efficiently harness the resulting power. Despite the somewhat primitive nature of this process, we have mastered it, propelling ourselves into the era of globalization.

Nevertheless, even the most precise combustion reactions generate heat as a byproduct. Various materials respond differently to high temperatures, and most don’t fare well under such conditions. Engines, in particular, are highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

Running an engine too cold accelerates wear and tear, while running it too hot can lead to issues like warped heads. Maintaining the engine at the optimal temperature is crucial. To achieve this, engineers have developed sophisticated coolant liquid mixtures, predominantly based on antifreeze.

Contrary to the belief of some, water alone is not a suitable coolant. Pure water can induce corrosion in the engine’s metal components, including the radiator. To prevent such corrosion, modern engines require a blend of distilled water and antifreeze.

What is Antifreeze?

Antifreeze plays a crucial role in ensuring year-round optimal engine temperatures. This fluid comprises a blend of additives, serving two primary functions. One of these functions is dedicated to temperature regulation, the other is the prevention of corrosion.

What does Antifreeze do?

Even distilled water, a key ingredient in coolant, has freezing and boiling points of 0°C and 100°C, respectively. Pouring plain water into your engine poses a significant problem—it can freeze during winter or boil when the engine exceeds its standard operating temperature.

Incorporating antifreeze into your coolant serves to lower the freezing point and raise the boiling point. This adjustment ensures that when you start your engine in sub-zero temperatures, you won’t encounter solid ice obstructing the system.

Glycol

Adjusting the boiling and freezing temperatures of water involves the use of glycol, an alcohol-based compound widely employed in various industries for temperature regulation. In modern antifreeze mixtures, two distinct types of glycol stand out – Propylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol. The difference between these two is significant.

Propylene Glycol

Of the two main glycols, Propylene Glycol is the less toxic variant. Its widespread usage extends across various industries, particularly in settings where proximity to food is a concern. However, its lower toxicity comes with certain drawbacks – specifically, Propylene Glycol doesn’t match the temperature control capabilities of Ethylene Glycol.

Ethylene Glycol

Conversely, Ethylene Glycol, while more toxic than Propylene Glycol, generally surpasses it in terms of efficiency. The primary drawback associated with Ethylene Glycol is its potential harm if it enters the human body.

Do you need Coolant Additives?

Besides glycol, the typical antifreeze contains a variety of additional additives. Antifreeze and coolants, in a broader sense, are frequently utilized to prevent the interior of the engine—through which the coolant circulates—from succumbing to corrosion.

Is your coolant OAT or IAT?

If you’ve delved into antifreeze research, you’ve likely encountered the abbreviations IAT and OAT. But what exactly do these abbreviations signify?

IAT and OAT refer to the corrosion protection type employed in antifreeze. OAT stands for Organic Additive Technology, a more modern technology often found in long-life coolants designed to endure for many thousands of miles.

On the contrary, IAT, denoting Inorganic Additive Technology, necessitates replacement approximately every two years or 20,000 miles, depending on the antifreeze type and your car’s make and model.

Both technologies have their advantages and drawbacks. In the past, coolant color indicated its type, but this is no longer the case.

A crucial point to note is never to mix IAT and OAT antifreeze, as such a combination can lead to damage to the cooling system in a relatively short period.

Engine Coolant Colors

Now that we have covered the essential information, let’s quickly review the different colors of coolant:

  • Green and Yellow: Typically associated with older coolant types that utilize inorganic acids to prevent corrosion. These coolants feature a silicate and phosphate-rich blend specifically designed for aging cooling systems.

  • Orange and Red: Representing modern OAT coolants, usually containing ethylene glycol and designed to last for around five years or up to 150,000 miles. Dex-Cool is a notable example of a contemporary OAT coolant, commonly used in SAAB and other GM-based engines. It’s crucial to note that OAT orange and red coolants are not compatible with older vehicles, as their use in vintage cars can lead to deterioration of various cooling system components.

  • Purple, Blue, or Pink: Coolants with these colors fall into the category of wild cards. This segment includes HOAT, NOAT, or POAT coolants, representing various hybrid technologies. Unless you are certain that your car specifically requires one of these unique coolants, it’s advisable to approach their use with extreme caution.

The right coolant for your car

Navigating through all this information can be perplexing, especially if you simply want to fill up your car and hit the road with minimal hassle. So, how do you go about selecting the appropriate coolant for your vehicle?

Our advice is to adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Many car makers even offer their own certified genuine coolants, streamlining the process and making it much easier for you overall.

The Wrong Coolant for your Car

Encountering a car, even a certified preowned one, with the incorrect coolant in its system is not uncommon. In such a scenario, your immediate priority is to remove the unsuitable coolant from the car. Assessing the extent of any potential damage to the cooling system can be challenging.

To purge the old coolant, a solution like a genuine Mercedes-Benz citric coolant flush can be employed. The application of such products is straightforward. Simply mix the coolant flush product with distilled water and circulate it through the system. Activate the heater to ensure the flush reaches the heater core. Then, drain the flush liquid and fill the system with the appropriate coolant. It’s essential to bleed the system after refilling it.

What Color is Coolant for Mercedes?

Genuine Mercedes Coolant comes in three variants, 325.6 which is red, 325.0 which is blue, and 325.7 which is yellow.

The Mercedes 325.0 (blue) coolant specification served as the standard formula in the early 2000s, employing a Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) formula consistently utilized by Mercedes until the 2014 model year.

After an emission update prohibited specific chemicals in automotive applications, Mercedes adjusted their engine coolant formula to comply with the updated regulations. The revised formula incorporates Si-OAT (Silicate Organic Additive Technology) without borates, which were present in the 325.0-spec antifreeze. Initially identified by the 325.5 and 326.5 designations, this pink-colored coolant transitioned to the 325.6 (red) formula and continues to serve as the prevailing standard in Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG engines.

To determine the best coolant for your car, you should follow the manufacturer’s recommendation – information can be found in your owner’s manual, or in the maintenance guide – we recommend Haynes.

Discover the latest offers on Haynes Repair Manuals

Correct ratio of coolant to water

Determining the appropriate coolant ratio should be a straightforward task, as most cars provide this information in the user manual. Opting for a 1:1 (50:50) mix is a reliable choice. Blending one part antifreeze with one part water guarantees resilience against winter-related issues, regardless of how severe the cold temperatures become.

Having said that, if you live in a northern region where temperatures plummet significantly below zero, considering cold-weather antifreeze might prove beneficial. Nevertheless, it’s advisable to consult your user manual and/or your local dealership for the most up-to-date advice on this matter.

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