It gets pretty cold during the winter in Etna Green, IN, cold enough to freeze the water inside your engine. Enter antifreeze. Its active ingredient—ethylene glycol—not only lowers the freezing point of water but also increases the boiling point.
You can’t use straight antifreeze, though, or you’re defeating the purpose. The chemical mixture will freeze and be too slow to generate enough heat.
But when you mix it with water, it keeps the solution inert. Using 50% water and 50% antifreeze allows temperatures to get down to -34.6°F before freezing. It also increases water’s boiling point so your vehicle won’t overheat when it reaches 212°F. This mixture is now your car’s coolant.
You should check the coolant at least once every month and have it flushed and replaced every three years. That’s because it loses its properties after some time.
The auto technicians at Mast Service Center can look at your coolant to ensure it’s still working properly. They can also flush the system and add new antifreeze and water.
Do You Need to Change Your Coolant During Winter?
Yes. Because you’re going to experience lots of issues if you don’t. Especially if you top off your vehicle’s radiator throughout the year, diluting the antifreeze and reducing its concentration in the coolant to less than 50%.
Without the proper amount of antifreeze, you could cause several problems, including:
- Overheating engine
- Engine freezing during the winter.
- Metal parts of the engine (including metal bypass lines) rusting
- Freeze plugs rusting
- Mineral buildup in the radiator and engine
- Rusting of the thermostat (causing it to be stuck open or closed)
Moreover, a thermostat that is stuck open allows the coolant to flow through the cooling system too fast, causing the engine to overheat. On the other hand, a thermostat that is stuck closed does not allow the coolant to flow at all, also causing the engine to overheat.
Leaks can also cause overheating if enough coolant leaks out. We can check such leaks when you bring your vehicle to Mast Service Center. We can flush the coolant system and replace the coolant with the proper mixture of 50/50 antifreeze and water.
Cooling System is Not All About Coolant
It’s not all about coolant, though. The cold can affect other cooling system components, like the radiator, freeze plugs, water pump, thermostat, and hoses.
Some components malfunctioning can cause your vehicle to overheat. So, in conjunction with inspecting and topping up your coolant, the mechanic should also attend to these components.
Contact Mast Service Center for Cooling System Services in Etna Green, IN
The fall is an excellent time to check the coolant level and cooling system before winter arrives. The auto technicians at Mast Service Center can flush the coolant system and replace it with fresh antifreeze and water. We can also inspect and service other crucial parts of your cooling system.
Contact us at (574) 646-2127 or fill out this online form for inquiries or an appointment. You can also drop by our shop at 8608 North State Road 19, Etna Green, IN 46524.
