A proper mix of water and coolant is designed to protect your engine from extreme temperatures of heat and cold. Coolants carry special lubricating properties to keep all moving parts lubricated while circulating through the cooling system of the vehicle. Having the proper mix in the cooling system raises the boiling point and lowers the freezing point of the coolant mix to protect the engine.
Depending on the type of coolant your vehicle is designed to use, there are different service intervals.
Servicing the coolant can also be determined by the condition of the coolant. For color, pH balance and protection level, there are different service intervals. When your coolant is clean, the Standard Coolant is bright green, Dexcool (GM’s Extended Life Coolant) is orange. Toyota Extended Coolant is pink, Ford Extended Life Coolant is yellow, VW Extended Life Coolant is blue, and there are some other Extended Life Coolants that are clear.
Some manufacturers say that the extended life coolant can last 5 years and up to 150,000 miles. History has shown that sticking with the industry standard of flushing your vehicle’s cooling system every 2 years or 30,000 miles is the best way to keep proper pH balance in your cooling system. This will help maintain your vehicle’s longevity. We recommend at least having your coolant tested at each oil change so that you can make sure that
your engine is protected.
Happy Motoring!
Karen Johnston, AUTO REPAIR INSIDER
All About Automotive
139 NW 2nd Street
Gresham, OR 97030
503-465-2926
allaboutautomotive.com/
Steve and Karen Johnston are owners of All About Automotive, providing auto repair and auto maintenance in Historic Downtown Gresham. If you have questions or comments, call them at 503-465-2926 or email them at [email protected].
