Antifreeze is red, green, blue: what is the difference between them. Features of labeling and antifreeze colors, classification

Classification of antifreeze by color and marking.

Content

Antifreeze is a liquid that helps to cool the system in the car so that it does not boil, and does not freeze in winter. In this article we will tell you how the red, green and blue antifreeze differs.

Antifreeze is red, green, blue: what is the difference - the classification of antifreeze by color

All these substances differ in their composition. The fact is that the oldest is Tosol, but not always the oldest is the best. It contains the most primitive components that are currently morally outdated. If they are more or less suitable for old iron horses, then for modern sports cars that almost fly, they are absolutely not appropriate. There is a classification of cooling liquids, where they are divided by designation, as well as color.

Some Japanese cars will not start if you pour the inappropriate antifreeze. Inside the system are analyzers that allow you to determine the composition of the cooling substance. If it does not fit, the fuse is triggered and the machine does not start. This protects the iron horse from breakdowns. Inappropriate liquid can “gobble up” the radiator, with the formation of holes.

Classification and composition:

The simplest and most ancient can be considered blue antifreeze, that is, antifreeze. It represents a mixture of water and ethylene glycol, which eventually form a peculiar mixture, emulsion. In its ideal, such a mixture is very active and aggressive if nothing is introduced into it. She will simply destroy all the pipes, they will be covered with corrosion. In order to prevent this from happening, additives, which mainly consist of borates and silicates, began to introduce into such mixtures.
Simply put, these are inorganic salts that, when heated inside the tubes, form a peculiar coating or film that prevents the car and the entire system from destruction and corrosion. But over time, this kind of additives became inappropriate for fashion and modern cars. Because the alloys themselves and the composition of the metal from which radiators, stoves, and engine are made, began to vary significantly. Over time, they preferred lighter metals that are not lending to corrosion, respectively, the blue liquid is not suitable for them, so they made a different cooling substance.
In addition, there is a green antifreeze that wears the G11 marking. The composition is somewhat different from the standard antifreeze. The substance contains organic additives, such as carbonic acid. This allows you to form a thin film on the pipes and prevent the destruction of the metal. The main disadvantage is that this film can reduce the thermal conductivity of the metal, therefore it is not the best option.
One of the universal is the red antifreeze, in which the share of organics is higher. There are a lot of organic impurities, which allows you to make this substance universal for all brands of cars. It works well enough, but the carbon acid itself does not protect against the formation of corrosion and rust, but only destroys it in the initial stages. There is enough such antifreeze for about 5 years.
Not so long ago, around 2012, a new substance appeared on the car market called lobrid. Such substances are completely new in composition, because they have ethylene glycol, one of the main components of the coolant, replaced with propylene glycol. Such a replacement is due to the fact that the substance that was used before is considered harmful and aggressive. And this harms the environment.

Many motorists are wondering why all other liquids, if you can use red or purple? Not everything is really so simple, because it was found that the additives that are present in such cooling fluids are not quite suitable for radiators and cooling systems made mainly of aluminum. They damage them, they quickly leave the system. Therefore, when choosing a coolant, the metal from which the radiator is made is also taken into account.

The most interesting thing is that initially the color of the antifreeze was not at all chosen as a way to designate something. It was a marketing chip. In fact, the color itself does not depend on additives. This is just a fluorescent dye. The main task of the color is that when flowing, the substance is visible. So that the owner of the iron horse can determine that he really has a cooling system.

Antifreez marking: G-11, G-12, G-13

Peculiarities:

Do not focus on the color, you need to look at the marking, that is, G 11 is a green coolant. It contains mainly silicate additives, which form on the pipes a very thick layer that looks like a scale in a teapot or a spiral of a washing machine. Accordingly, if these flakes begin to collapse, then the radiator is clogged.
The next step was the emergence of the G12. These are silicate liquids, only with the addition of carbon acid. They practically do not form any thin layer, so there is nothing to collapse on the walls.
G 13 is the next stage, the so -called purple fluids, that is, lobrid, where ethylene glycol is replaced by propylene glycol.

Therefore, most often, the color of the antifreeze is written on the labeling of the cooling system, it can be anything and differ directly from the manufacturer. It is necessary to focus on the labeling with the letter G. There are hybrid substances with the marking G12+, this means that there is much more carboxylic acid, and part of the silicate additives is replaced by other inorganic salts.

Choose a coolant for your iron horse, focus not on the color of the antifreeze, but on its labeling and composition. For aluminum radiators, red antifreeze with carboxylic acid is not suitable. Give preference to green.