What are the hazards of a car lacking antifreeze?
2 Answers
If a car lacks antifreeze, the engine temperature will become too high, which can easily cause engine damage. The proper functioning of the vehicle's cooling system is essential to ensure the normal operation of the engine. Any faults related to the antifreeze system should not be overlooked. Functions of antifreeze: Antifreeze has five main functions: cooling, antifreezing, anticorrosion, lubrication, and cleaning. Among these, the primary roles are antifreezing and cooling, maintaining the engine at a normal working temperature and preventing freezing in extremely cold weather. Precautions for adding antifreeze: Do not mix antifreeze of different colors and specifications. When using antifreeze from different brands, try to completely drain the original antifreeze from the cooling system. Regardless of high or low temperatures, antifreeze should be used for the efficiency and longevity of the cooling system. When adding antifreeze to the car's radiator, pay attention to the scale marks—there are minimum and maximum levels, and it is usually best to fill it to the middle level, not completely full. The frequency of adding antifreeze depends on your driving habits, but generally, it should be added every 20,000 kilometers.
I've been driving this car for years and learned the hard way about running low on coolant. During a long trip, the engine temperature gauge suddenly shot up to red, nearly causing a blown head gasket. When I pulled over, I found the reservoir completely empty. The biggest danger of low coolant is engine overheating - the oil burns dry, pistons can melt, and repairs can cost 10,000 to 20,000 RMB. It's worse in winter; if the cooling system freezes and cracks, the engine is basically totaled. Coolant shortage also corrodes radiators and pipes. When rust clogs the system, cooling efficiency plummets and fuel consumption skyrockets. Now I pop the hood every three months to check levels, keeping it between min and max marks. In a pinch, I'll top it off with distilled water. Coolant should generally be replaced every two years - if it appears cloudy, change it early. Don't try to save pennies here, or you might empty your wallet on major repairs later.
