Do Cars Need to Be Topped Up with Water? How Often Should It Be Done?
1 Answers
Cars do not require water; they need specialized coolant instead. Below is relevant information about coolant: Basic Introduction: Coolant, whose full name should be antifreeze coolant, refers to coolant with antifreeze functionality. Antifreeze prevents the coolant from freezing during cold seasons when the car is parked, which could otherwise crack the radiator and damage the engine block. Antifreeze is not just for winter use; it should be used year-round. In standard car maintenance routines, the engine antifreeze should be replaced every year. Composition: Coolant consists of three parts: water, antifreeze agents, and additives. Based on the antifreeze agent used, it can be categorized into alcohol-based, glycerol-based, ethylene glycol-based, and other types of coolant. Alcohol-based coolant uses ethanol as the antifreeze agent, which is inexpensive, has good fluidity, and is simple to produce. However, it has a low boiling point, is prone to evaporation, has an easily raised freezing point, and is flammable, leading to its gradual phasing out. Glycerol-based coolant has a high boiling point, low volatility, is non-flammable, non-toxic, and minimally corrosive. However, its effectiveness in lowering the freezing point is poor, and it is costly and expensive, making it difficult for users to accept. Only a few Nordic countries still use it. Ethylene glycol-based coolant uses ethylene glycol as the antifreeze agent, with small amounts of anti-foaming, anti-corrosion, and other comprehensive additives added during formulation.
