How is engine oil different from coolant? How often do I need to replace them?

Answer 1

Oil lubricates the internal moving parts of your engine. Coolant is used to keep the engine from overheating.

Oil should be replaced about every 3,000 miles.

Coolant should be replaced about every 50,000 miles depending on where you live. If you live in the extreme hot or cold you will want to change the coolant prior to the extreme season.

Answer 2

Engine oil is the internal lubricant used to keep the metal parts in your engine from wearing out in a few seconds. By pumping oil under pressure to the bearing surfaces and the cylinder bores the metal to metal contact is cushioned with a thin layer of oil which allows the engine to operate for many thousands of miles without undue wear.
Coolant is a substance used to circulate through the engine block and carry the heat that is produced from internal combustion away to the radiator where it is cooled down and recirculated.
Oil needs to be changed regularly (3000 miles) to prevent the build up of acids and contaminants that reduce its efficiency. Coolant should be change at a less frequent interval for the same reasons.

Answer 3

Engine oil is just that, oil. Coolant is made from diethylene glycol or some derivative. They are two entirely different chemicals. Engine oil can withstand much higher heat than coolant. Also, coolant needs to be mixed with water for optimum effectiveness.

Answer 4

Engine oils job is primarily to stop all the metal surfaces in your engine from grinding together and tearing themselves apart from friction, and dissipating the heat generated from this process. It also transfers heat away from the combustion cycle and must be able to hold in suspension the nasty by-products of fuel combustion, such as silica (silicon oxide) and acids. It cleans the engine of such chemicals and buildups, and keeps the moving parts coated in oil. Doing this helps minimise exposure to oxygen and thus oxidation at higher temperatures. It does all of these things under tremendous heat and pressure and for the most part without succumbing to fatigue or black death, the ultimate engine destroyer.

Synthetic oil is good and will last longer: change every 5000miles
Regular oil is also good but breaks down sooner so change every 3000 miles

Antifreeze is a water-based liquid coolant used in gasoline and diesel engines and you put it into the radiator. Compounds are added to the water to reduce the freezing point of the mixture to below the lowest temperature that the engine is likely to be exposed to, and to inhibit corrosion in cooling systems which often contain a range of electrochemically incompatible metals (aluminum, cast iron, copper, lead solder, etc.). The term 'colligative agent' is to be preferred as, in warm climates, the benefit of these compounds is to increase the boiling point of the coolant, which should then be more properly referred to as 'anti-boil', and as anti-freeze decreases and increases both properties, respectively, 'colligative agent' more accurately describes the liquid.

Answer 5

i think it's every 24,000 miles you need to replace you coolant