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In severe cases, sources say that mixing the two can form a sludge that can gum up your radiator’s pipes. Usually, mixing OAT/HOAT with IAT coolant only reduces its effectiveness and lifetime in your engine. Mixing OAT and IAT-type coolants doesn’t make them into one super coolant nor does it boost their individual benefits. Never mix two different coolant types together. Heat and traffic are the enemies of the engine, so keeping your car’s engine cooling system in top shape is key if you want to keep your car out of the mechanic’s service bay. In addition, here in the Philippines where the climate is usually hot and where cars usually idle in standstill traffic, it's not a bad idea to have your system flushed a little earlier than recommended.
GREEN VS PINK COOLANT MANUAL
If for some reason you don’t have a manual on hand, you can always check online for a copy of your car’s owner’s manual or head over to your local dealer and consult them about your vehicle.Īs a rule of thumb, always check the label of the coolant container if it's suitable for your car, regardless if it's the same color or not. You can find the manufacturer's recommended fluid in your car’s manual.
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When replacing your car’s coolant, always refer to the manufacturer's recommended fluids, the same goes for every other vital fluid in your car, even fuel. This coolant type is present in major European, Asian, and German brand vehicles. HOAT coolant is recommended to be flushed out and replaced every five years or about 241,000 km. These hybrid coolants come in yellow, turquoise, pink, blue, or even purple colors. On top of that, additives are also present in this coolant to prevent rust from forming. The term hybrid is used because HOAT coolant has added silicates that increase aluminum protection from corrosion. These are a mix of IAT and OAT coolants used in some new cars. OAT-type coolants are now used by a majority of car manufacturers worldwide, so if you’re driving around a recently manufactured car, chances are that it likely uses Organic Acid Technology coolant. While it’s possible to get away with using this coolant for older vehicles, you should check your owner’s manual or consult with a local dealer or an experienced mechanic to ascertain if it's safe to use in order to prevent breaking vital engine components and clogs. OAT coolant or antifreeze is recommended to be flushed every 10 years or about 217,000 km. Organic Acid Technology or Organic Additive Technology uses Carboxylic acids instead of silicates and phosphates to inhibit corrosion. The coolant of this type typically comes in shades of pink, orange, bright red, blue, and dark green. OAT-type coolant can be found in newer cars sold around the world. In short, older cars would prefer this coolant, but availability could be an issue.
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If you own a car like the Ford Granada V6 or other American cars that are about the same age, this is the kind of coolant that goes with it. IAT coolants are outdated by today's standards and were used by American brands like GM, Chrysler, and Ford in their vehicles manufactured before the mid-1990s. This coolant contained silicates and phosphate corrosion inhibitors to protect the metal parts it comes in contact with like the engine and radiator, these coolants need to be flushed every two years or about 4800 km. IAT-type coolants came in bright green or blue colors. If the coolant your engine uses is unavailable in your area, there are universal coolant variants available that could match your vehicle’s requirements or at least come close to it.Ĭoolants of this type were commonly used by cars produced in America from 1920 all the way to 1990. There are three different types of engine coolant out there with different properties and uses, some vehicles, especially newer models, can only use a certain type of coolant so pay attention to what kind you’re getting. Never, ever choose your car’s coolant solely based on its color, but, knowing what these colors mean will be helpful in determining the one that you should put in your car.
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