can you use plumbing antifreeze in a car

[VanDamian]

No, you should never use plumbing antifreeze in a car's cooling system. They are chemically different products designed for entirely different purposes. Using plumbing antifreeze in your car can cause severe and expensive damage to the engine, radiator, and cooling system components.

Automotive antifreeze, also known as coolant, is specifically formulated to protect your engine from freezing in winter and overheating in summer. It contains special additives called corrosion inhibitors that protect metals like aluminum, cast iron, and copper found inside your engine and radiator. Plumbing antifreeze, often made for winterizing pipes, lacks these crucial inhibitors. When circulated through your car's engine, it can lead to rapid corrosion, clog the radiator and heater core, and cause the water pump to fail.

The following table outlines the critical differences:

Feature	Automotive Coolant	Plumbing Antifreeze (e.g., for pipes)
Primary Function	Regulate engine temperature, prevent freezing/boiling	Prevent water pipes from bursting in freezing weather
Corrosion Inhibitors	Yes, formulated for aluminum, iron, copper, solder	No, not designed for automotive metals
Chemical Base	Typically Ethylene Glycol or Propylene Glycol	Often Methanol or Ethylene Glycol without inhibitors
Effect on Engine Seals	Formulated to be compatible	Can cause seals and gaskets to deteriorate
Heat Transfer Efficiency	Optimized for engine cooling	Not designed for high-heat automotive environments

If you accidentally add plumbing antifreeze, do not start the engine. Have the car towed to a mechanic to drain and flush the entire cooling system thoroughly. The cost of a proper flush is insignificant compared to the price of a new engine. Always check your owner's manual and use the type of coolant specified by your vehicle's manufacturer.

[RiverMarie]

Absolutely not. I learned this the hard way years ago on a beater truck. I figured antifreeze was antifreeze, right? Wrong. It started overheating within a week, and the repair bill was more than the truck was worth. The mechanic told me the plumbing stuff ate away at the seals and created a sludge that clogged everything. Just spend the few extra bucks on the real stuff from the auto parts store. It's not worth the risk.

[AugustLynn]

Think of it like this: you wouldn't put diesel fuel in a gasoline engine, even though they're both fuels. Automotive coolant has special chemicals to protect the delicate aluminum and other metals inside your engine. The stuff for pipes doesn't have that protection. It will actually cause corrosion, leading to leaks and potentially destroying your radiator and heater core. Always use a coolant that meets your car manufacturer's specifications, which you can find in the manual or at any auto shop.

[ValeriaLee]

This is a dangerous shortcut. The critical difference is corrosion prevention. Your car's engine has a complex mix of metals, and coolant is engineered to protect them all. Plumbing antifreeze is corrosive to those same materials. Using it can cause premature failure of the water pump, thermostat, and even lead to head gasket failure from overheating. That's a repair costing thousands. The correct coolant is a minor expense that provides major protection.

[StephanieFitz]

Beyond the corrosion issue, many plumbing antifreezes use methanol as the primary ingredient. Methanol has a much lower boiling point than the ethylene glycol in automotive coolant. Under your hood's high temperatures, methanol can boil off, losing its antifreeze properties and potentially creating dangerous pressure spikes. This leaves your engine unprotected against freezing and overheating. Stick with a quality pre-mixed automotive coolant to ensure the correct chemical balance and protection for your vehicle.