What Causes an Increase in Car Antifreeze?
2 Answers
Car antifreeze increases due to engine cylinder leakage, which is a dangerous situation where engine oil enters the coolant. Antifreeze is a crucial substance in the cooling system, circulating through the radiator and pipes to dissipate engine heat. Besides preventing freezing and cooling, it also has excellent properties such as preventing boiling in summer, rust removal, and corrosion resistance. Situations requiring antifreeze replacement: 1. The color of the antifreeze in the reservoir has changed, showing a noticeable difference from the original; 2. Sediments or floating impurities are visible in the antifreeze; 3. The antifreeze level exceeds the limit; 4. Instruments detect insufficient antifreeze freezing point; 5. The engine temperature is too high.
Last time my car's coolant inexplicably increased in volume. The experienced mechanic spent a long time checking and found that engine oil had leaked into it. The main issue was at the cylinder head gasket - if the sealing ring aged or the cylinder head bolts weren't tightened properly, engine oil could seep into the cooling system, causing milky white bubbles in the coolant reservoir. Another common situation is when the radiator cap valve gets stuck - excessive pressure in the cooling system during hot operation with no release point can force excess fluid back into the expansion tank through the hoses. Additionally, if different colored coolants were mixed in the car, chemical reactions between them could cause volume expansion. If you notice this situation, shut off the engine immediately - coolant contaminated with oil can corrode engine seals, and continued driving will cause increasing damage.
