Antifreeze Application Note

Benefits of the miniLab Pocket-sized pH meter:

	Rugged- no glass to break
	Portable- can directly measure a vehicle’s coolant mix
	Easy to use- no maintenance and stores dry
	Easy to clean- with toothbrush and detergent
	Long lasting- 15,000-20,000 tests typical

Coolant in many vehicles these days is badly neglected. Various surveys have concluded that about a third of all vehicles have coolant that needs attention. Even if the coolant is still green and looks new, it could be devoid of the corrosion-fighting additives that are most important to the mixture. One cannot judge the condition of the coolant by how it looks. Another problem not detected by appearance is the concentration of antifreeze in the coolant. Many times the amount of antifreeze is much greater than the 50/50 antifreeze-water mix that is recommended by vehicle manufacturers. One in three vehicles have either too much water or too much antifreeze in their coolant mix.

The long-term effects of coolant problems can be detrimental to a vehicle’s overall condition. Coolant neglect causes corroded and clogged radiators, eroded aluminum cylinder heads, eroded water pumps and thermostat housings, rotted radiator hoses, leaky heater cores and freeze plugs, blown head gaskets and chronic overheating.

A 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water is best, according to most vehicle manufacturers. Straight water provides no freezing, boilover or corrosion protection. Straight antifreeze cannot be used without mixing it with water to lower the freezing point of the solution. It also cools less efficiently than the 50/50 mix. It is best to use distilled water because it is pH neutral, contains no acids, dissolved salts or minerals and maximizes the coolant life.

In order to know whether the coolant is accurately mixed, one needs to measure the strength or concentration of antifreeze. If the extra antifreeze is just added in, one could add too much, which would clog the radiator and reduce heat transfer. To ensure a proper coolant change, you must flush out the system to get rid of all the old coolant, clean out the system and then refill it with a correctly balanced mix of distilled water and fresh antifreeze.

To combat corrosion, one must monitor the rate of corrosion within the cooling system. The rate is caused by a number of factors, including the acidity or alkalinity of the coolant. The acidity and alkalinity is measured on a pH scale and is very important. If the coolant remains alkaline, corrosion is inhibited but if it becomes acidic, the coolant begins to eat away at the interior of the system.

The alkalinity of an antifreeze/water mix varies because of the additives used and the ingredient ratio but should be between the pH range of 8 and 11. The average antifreeze pH value is 10.5. When the antifreeze is mixed with water and added to the cooling system, the pH decreases to 8.5 to 9. A higher pH level is not always better because some new long-lasting coolants have a pH of 8.3. As long as the pH value stays stable, the cooling system is fine.

Monitor the condition of the corrosion-inhibiting additives in the coolant with the miniLab pH meter. Low pH readings- below a pH of 8- indicate bad coolant and signal that it’s time for a change. Find out what pH level the coolant can drop to in certain vehicles. Some Asian model cars have newer coolants that last longer and can drop to a pH of 7 before the coolant goes bad. pH readings are critical because they let the driver know when it’s time to change the old coolant before the vehicle begins to have problems. pH readings will not predict how much life the coolant has left, but will help determine the condition of the coolant effectively.

As you can see, pH measurement is very important to the effectiveness of the coolant. In order to ensure the best quality, use the miniLab Pocket-sized pH meter with durable silicon chip sensor. Conventional probes have glass bulb sensors, which are easily broken or clogged. The IQ silicon chip sensor eliminates these problems. Our probes have no glass to break and are easy to clean with a toothbrush and detergent. Don’t waste testing time maintaining delicate sensors. IQ guarantees rugged and reliable pH measuring equipment. In order to view the miniLab pH meter and get more details, click here.