by 1972nail » Sat Apr 17, 2021 7:37 pm
It used to be easy to choose antifreeze because type was identified by colour and blue was the one that was good for our cars. Now the colour is no indication of the type.
Older types use IAT technology and is suitable for cast iron engines, alloy fittings and lead soldered copper or brass radiators. This type has a relatively short lifespan of two to three years typically.
Newer developments are OAT and HOAT types. These have a longer lifespan and give better alloy corrosion resistance but are not kind to soldered radiators.
All these types can be found in various colours depending on what the manufacturer chooses. So best to choose one that uses IAT technology from a recognised manufacturer rather than choose by colour. Having said that after a quick internet search it appears that IAT antifreeze appears to be available in blue only. However, there are blue HOAT antifreeze available. These should not be used in our engines.
You will probably buy your antifreeze as a concentrate which you dilute with water. It is recommended that you use distilled water to avoid the chlorine and other additives in tap water which are naturally corrosive or cause scaling.
You can however buy your coolant as a premixed liquid, but be careful of the type as it is not always clear what type these are.
Editor of the VVOC Magazine ReVival
"When you have a Firenza like mine, who needs any Minis?" copyright David Maxwell 1979.