The Practical Limits of Coolant Testers

The Practical Limits of Coolant Testers

Sponsored by GMB North America, Inc.

An unhealthy cooling system can drastically shorten an engine’s lifespan. That’s why it’s important to test both the coolant and the mechanical components of the cooling system.

The Most Common Ways to Test Coolant

Many people are familiar with the following coolant-testing tools:

  1. Refractometers to measure the antifreeze concentration of the coolant.
  2. Paper test strips to measure the pH level and other variables.

Why Neither Test Tells the Whole Story

Refractometers and paper test strips are great tools to evaluate the health of the coolant. However, these tools have some drawbacks. For example:

  • A refractometer measures the antifreeze concentration by registering the amount of light shining through a sample of coolant. However, it can’t differentiate antifreeze from contaminants. So, it can measure coolant that’s cloudy and low on antifreeze properties but still indicate that the ratio is correct.
  • Test strips have become more advanced as coolants have become manufacturer-specific, but they have to be used under certain conditions. For instance, many test strips will require that the coolant be at room temperature, but this isn’t always convenient.

Despite these drawbacks, both of these tools are useful for evaluating the coolant. Coolant that has degraded can no longer provide corrosion protection to the coolant passageways and water pump. When this happens, corrosion can build up at unprotected areas of the cooling system and restrict the flow of coolant. This creates an engine that will overheat easily, among other problems. However, the coolant is only part of the picture. To evaluate the cooling system, the mechanical components of the system also need to be inspected.

More Thorough Ways to Inspect the Cooling System

If your customer is concerned about cooling-system health, they also need to inspect the mechanical components of the cooling system. Typically, they should check:

  • For leaks
  • The radiator cap with a pressure test
  • To see if the water-pump bearing is worn
  • The radiator hoses for any cracks or bulges
  • The water-pump drive belt or serpentine belt
  • Belt idler pulleys

When in doubt, it’s better to flush it out.

Sometimes the coolant just needs a top-off. That should be simple, right? But not anymore. In the past, there was only one kind of antifreeze – “Green” – on the market. Now there are several kinds.

  • IAT – Inorganic Additive Technology (Green) – For older vehicles
  • OAT – Organic Additive Technology (Orange) – GM, Saab, VW
  • HOAT – Hybrid OAT (Yellow) – Ford, Chrysler, some European vehicles
  • HOAT – Hybrid OAT, Phosphate-Free (Turquoise) – BMW, Volvo, Tesla, Mini
  • P-HOAT – Phosphated HOAT (Pink or Blue) – Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, other Asian vehicles
  • Si-OAT – Silicated OAT (Purple) – Mercedes Benz, Audi, VW, Porsche, other European vehicles

This makes topping off a radiator confusing, to say the least. Some of the newer coolants can be mixed, but some can’t. The only safe recommendation is to follow the owner’s manual. If a customer says the color of their coolant isn’t what it should be, the only safe recommendation is to flush and refill the system with the manufacturer-recommended product.

This article was sponsored by GMB North America, Inc. For more information, please visit our website at www.gmb.net

You May Also Like

Advanced Filtration Is Key to Vehicle Longevity

Let’s face it, we love our cars – and we drive a lot. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Americans drive more than 13,000 miles per year on average. Although the miles continue to rack up on our cars and trucks, their overall shelf life keeps increasing. Once upon a time, vehicles

Let’s face it, we love our cars – and we drive a lot. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Americans drive more than 13,000 miles per year on average.

Although the miles continue to rack up on our cars and trucks, their overall shelf life keeps increasing.

What Causes Fuel Pumps to Fail?

Like most vehicle components, natural wear and tear is the unavoidable cause for parts replacement. Fuel pumps are often out of sight and out of mind for most shop visitors. That’s because they are an as-needed repair and not typically a part of ongoing maintenance. Nevertheless, if you diagnose fuel pump failure, customers will want

Protecting Your Vehicle in the Winter

Depending on where you live, autumn is an idyllic time of year with bright colors and mild temperatures. If there is one downside though, it means that winter is on its way, which means frigid temperatures, snow, ice and difficult road conditions. The lifespans of cars and trucks are increasing all the time, so protecting

A Closer Look: Standard® Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI)

Gasoline direct injection (GDI) is used on most new vehicles and requires a different approach to diagnosis and service. GDI technology has been an integral part of helping to improve fuel economy while reducing emissions, and can be found on more than half of the U.S. fleet. In fact, the use of GDI engines has

Overcoming Supply Chain Issues in Today’s World

Many legislative and environmental mandates have affected the collision repair industry over the last decade. To comply with such mandates, vehicle manufacturers continue to design vehicles with increasingly advanced electronics, ranging from Advanced Driver Assistance Systems that increase safety, helping people with everything from parking to driving, to the recent push for electric vehicles. They’ve

Other Posts

High Oil Consumption?

A common question an OEM oil supplier like ENEOS sees is how to tell when oil consumption becomes excessive? Since a few factors could be involved, here are some of the potential implications. How much is too much?First, because of wear, vehicles are more likely to consume engine oil as they age. Common culprits that

The Value of Replacing the Water Pump and Timing Belt Simultaneously

Water pumps have long been considered the heart of a vehicle’s cooling system. Although its sole function – pumping coolant from the radiator through the engine – seems simple, it’s a crucial process to keep engines running at optimal temperatures. Unfortunately, some drivers can overlook this – along with proper care for the part. On

Fill Your Customers in About Total Vehicle Filtration

If you’ve ever wondered what one of the biggest threats to a vehicle’s engine is, the answer is microscopic particles. If these tiny specs of dirt and dust aren’t filtered properly, they will quickly accumulate inside the engine, which can cause significant damage to many parts. Worse yet, this can lead to complete engine failure.

A Closer Look: Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS)

Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) Overview: Advanced Driver Assist Systems have been quite the industry buzz over the last several years. We have seen new business opportunities arise, and even a new segment of mobile technicians focusing on ADAS calibrations. While ADAS may seem relatively new, automotive service professionals have been servicing Driver Assist Systems