Coolant

Coolant, or antifreeze, allows your car to operate properly under extreme winter chill, as well as hot summer heat. When an engine is not in use, there is no heat of course, and it can drop to below freezing temperatures in, well... below freezing temperatures. If you just used water as a coolant, it could freeze, and if it doesn’t thaw in enough time (after your vehicle is started) to begin flowing through the engine to cool it, your engine can overheat. Vice versa - coolant keeps your engine from overheating in the summer as well.

You see, antifreeze has a higher boiling point than water which keeps the engine cooler. It will also not evaporate as quickly as water. To top it all off, antifreeze also contains anti-corrosive additives and lubricants that aid the water pump in functioning more effectively. Pretty important stuff, huh?

Yes it is, but conventional coolants are disastrous to our environment if not disposed of properly.

Conventional antifreeze contains some pretty nasty chemicals like ethylene glycol, which is toxic to all forms of life including, aquatic and land based reptiles and mammals - that includes us humans. When introduced into our environment, large quantities of glycol can suffocate aquatic life and disrupt sewage treatment plants. That’s not good.

Used conventional coolant, while carrying all the same properties as new coolant, also contains some unpleasant heavy metals and chemicals. These toxins are picked up through a lifetime of being circulated through an engine. They include lead (heavy metal) and benzene (organic chemical compound) - both of which can cause serious health and environmental problems.

Fortunately, there are companies that have recognized this problem, and have started fixing it. Manufacturers such as AMSOIL have begun using propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol-based products. It is, according to AMSOIL, “biodegradable and its low toxicity limits the threat to children, pets and wildlife.” These new propylene glycol products are also as effective, if not more effective then conventional coolants, and are also safe to mix.

Never pour used coolant down the drain, in your yard or in the street. Always dispose of it at an appropriate collection center - it should never be introduced to the environment. And, as always, let us know how these products have worked for you.