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Does Antifreeze Expire? How To Check
Antifreeze is a critical component of long-term engine performance. As an industrial-grade chemical, it performs several functions across industrial, commercial, and automotive applications.
In any of these implementations, the stakes are high for ensuring that the engine receives the proper antifreeze product and that it remains effective.
Degraded antifreeze performance can threaten engine longevity by introducing contaminants and failing to maintain engine health as intended. Source top-quality antifreeze products from Cadence to maximize engine performance, efficiency, and longevity.
Why Is the Viability of Antifreeze Important?
Antifreeze and coolants perform several key functions depending on the application. It’s important to clarify that antifreeze is a concentrated fluid, while coolant is diluted. Industrial equipment often relies on the more potent antifreeze, but the average passenger car requires coolant.
Antifreeze's water, ethylene glycol, and special additives enable it to fulfill multiple critical roles. For example, the water in antifreeze removes heat from the engine, the glycol decreases the freezing point but increases the boiling point, and the additives protect the engine from corrosion. Antifreeze optimizes overall engine performance to reduce downtime and costly repairs.
Does Antifreeze Expire?
Yes, automotive antifreeze expires. Unlike food that spoils when it expires, antifreeze degrades due to improper storage, a poor seal, and natural chemical changes. Under ideal conditions, unopened antifreeze can last between two to five years. Opened antifreeze lasts for a year or less, but the antifreeze in your vehicle can last anywhere from three to five years.
What Affects Antifreeze’s Shelf Life?
It’s best to use coolant as soon as possible after opening it to minimize the potential for contamination or degradation.
Below are several factors that affect antifreeze’s shelf life, opened or sealed:
- Storage conditions: These include exposure to air, temperature, and containers.
- Contamination: Dirt, moisture, and other fluids can contaminate antifreeze.
- Chemical composition: Ethylene glycol lasts longer than propylene glycol.
- Additives: Integrated corrosion inhibitors can degrade naturally over time.
If you have open antifreeze containers in your garage and are unsure when they were opened, it’s best to recycle them rather than risk them in your vehicle. The extra money you spend replacing that coolant could be a fraction of what you’d pay for repairs. Review the EPA’s recommendations for antifreeze recycling to learn more.
How to Prolong Antifreeze Shelf Life
As with any automotive fluid, it’s better to have extra antifreeze and not need it than to find yourself needing more.
Use the following tips to prolong the shelf life of any extra antifreeze you have:
- Avoid mixing different types of coolants, even if the coolant is from the same brand.
- Keep the antifreeze container sealed until you’re ready to use it.
- Store unopened coolant in a cool, dry place.
- Keep coolant bottles out of direct sunlight.
- Ensure viable coolant bottles are marked and separate from coolant bottles containing expired or used coolant.
- Never put antifreeze in metal containers, whether for storage or as a quick solution.
- Regularly inspect unopened and open antifreeze bottles to ensure they haven’t expired.
If you like to keep a few bottles of antifreeze on hand just in case, rotate out your stock regularly to ensure you use it before or by the expiration date. If the manufacturer doesn’t include the expiration date on the bottle, write the date you purchased it on the bottle with a permanent marker. When pouring or transferring antifreeze, use clean tools designated for the task.
How to Check if Antifreeze is Expired
Routinely monitoring and testing your antifreeze can help you identify and properly dispose of expired stock. One of the easiest ways to determine if antifreeze is still good is to give it a whiff. Given you’ve smelled fresh antifreeze before, your olfactory senses can distinguish between fresh and expired coolant.
If the coolant passes the smell test, the next step is typically to evaluate it based on its appearance. A visual inspection can reveal expired antifreeze that may exhibit discoloration, separation, a milk or oil film, or foreign particles. The presence of any of these characteristics signals expired antifreeze.
Further antifreeze testing can include viewing a sample via a hydrometer or thermometer to test its specific gravity or refractive index. A set of pH strips can also determine the alkalinity of an antifreeze sample. Viable antifreeze has a pH range of 7.5 to 11.
What To Consider When Purchasing Replacement Antifreeze
If you plan to replace your vehicle's coolant, consult the owner’s manual to find out what the manufacturer recommends. The vehicle’s country of origin classifies most coolants, whether domestic, Asian, or European. Failure to comply with the automotive manufacturer’s recommendations can void your warranty and potentially cause catastrophic failure and an expensive repair bill.
Due to the varying concentration levels available, compatibility plays a significant role in selecting the appropriate antifreeze. For example, a 50/50 coolant is half antifreeze and half water, but a 70/30 mix is higher in antifreeze. Avoid coolants weaker than a 50/50 blend, as you risk overheating your car’s engine.
Note that vehicles of varying makes, models, and model years may require different types of coolant in varying concentrations. The recommended coolant has been tested to maximize engine performance based on multiple climate conditions.
However, purchasing a high-quality coolant or antifreeze — like those available from Cadence — is also a good rule of thumb to ensure optimal performance.
Protect Your Engine With Superior Antifreeze Products From Cadence
Antifreeze can expire, so it’s vital to your engine’s longevity that you maintain it with high-quality antifreeze fluid. Cadence offers a premium range of expertly developed antifreeze and coolant products designed for a wide array of commercial, industrial, and automotive needs.
Give the experts at Cadence a call at 336-629-2061 today to learn more about our exceptional antifreeze solutions and how we deliver value at every turn.
Sources:
Common Coolant Additives, And How They Can Damage Your Engine | GMB Blog
Antifreeze Information | NORA, An Association of Responsible Recyclers