Alright all you coolant experts out there

[shuswaper]

Many years ago, a professional colleague of mine educated me on the merits of determining the life expectancy of anti-freeze in your radiator. Basically taking a multimeter and setting it on the lowest voltage scale, attaching probe to ground and dipping the other into your coolant mix, one comes up with a reading! Here are the points of reference: .2 ok; .5 borderline; and .7 change. These numbers are relative to the degree of acidity in the system. Any concurrence out there?!

 

[joebiodiesel]

While that is a cool phenomenon, I'd never rely on it to determine the health of my coolant. There are just too many things that can affect a voltage reading. Use coolant test strips to test the pH, and a specific gravity tester to test the mixture. The vast majority of folks use only one methed or the other, but you really need to do both to be sure.

Thanksfully both tests are inexpensive and easy.

Joe

 

[FJRBluesman]

Just change your coolant as recommened or ever two years, you can't go worng.

 

[FJRAE]

While that is a cool phenomenon, I'd never rely on it to determine the health of my coolant. There are just too many things that can affect a voltage reading. Use coolant test strips to test the pH, and a specific gravity tester to test the mixture. The vast majority of folks use only one methed or the other, but you really need to do both to be sure.

Thanksfully both tests are inexpensive and easy.

Joe

Agreed

 

[phroenips]

Just change your coolant as recommened or ever two years, you can't go worng.

I agree with this one more

 

[dcarver]

Coolant is easy.

I just wonder about the hoses and what not...

I run a 2006 with lots of miles..

 

[RossKean]

Many years ago, a professional colleague of mine educated me on the merits of determining the life expectancy of anti-freeze in your radiator. Basically taking a multimeter and setting it on the lowest voltage scale, attaching probe to ground and dipping the other into your coolant mix, one comes up with a reading! Here are the points of reference: .2 ok; .5 borderline; and .7 change. These numbers are relative to the degree of acidity in the system. Any concurrence out there?!

A voltage reading bears little relationship to pH of the system! What you might be seeing is an electrochemical reaction between the meter probe and the fluid which will have far more to do with the composition of the probe material, the formulation of the antifreeze and the conductivity of the fluid. I suppose that fluid that is more on the acid side would react more with the probe material (think corrosion) and could yield a higher voltage but as a direct measure of the health of the fluid, it is practically useless. If you are using "acidity" as your only criterion for fluid change, take a proper pH measurement using a pH meter or at least a pH test strip. pH is only one parameter that might indicate the "goodness" of the coolant. Contamination and depletion of anticorrosion additives are critical factors which can't be measured using a simple meter test.

If its more than 2 years old, just change the damn stuff rather then relying upon some pseudo-scientific test procedure that simply does not make any sense.

Ross