Is engine coolent and antifreeze the same thing?

Question

I thought it was until I looked in my car and the coolent was very dark brown - antifreeze is light. Is it just old? Or are they 2 different things?

Answer 1

yes they are one inthe same, there are 3 possiable reasons for it being dark brown, 1, your level of anti-freeze is low and you've been adding just water when it's low and now your seeing rust, suggest flush and change, 50-50 mixture of water-anti-freeze in the lower 48, 75% ant-freeze in the upper 48. 2 it's been a long time since it's been changed,what your seeing is rust . 3, if you've had a leak an added a stop leak product, like bars leak, it's dark brown ad will change the color of your coolant. in any event flush and change, however if you did have a leak after flush, you can expecet leak to return, if you cant afford to have leak fixed at the time of the flush just readd stop leak product, suggest, silver seal, or just add the tabacco from 1 cigarette, either will last about 6 months.

Answer 2

It is very important that antifreeze or engine coolant is changed every two years to replenish the additives that protect the cooling system from rust, corrosion, pitting, electrolysis and foaming. Your automobile cooling system should have a concentration of 50% to 70% antifreeze to water at all times.

Many newer cars are using Extended Life antifreezes that last much longer. Some manufactures say it can last 100,000 miles or 10 years but reality has proved that they should be changed in about 50,000 miles or 5 years to prevent system damage.

good luck

Answer 3

The term coolant actually means water with antifreeze mix, but yeah the same thing. If yours is dark brown it's time for a change and flush. It does get darker and dirtier with agr but shoulkd not be dark brown. It should be either bright green or with the newer "non-toxic" types pink.
Just had a thought though. If the types were mixed it would be brown but shouldn't be dark.

Answer 4

The antifreeze is what you should use for coolant. Water is a coolant but not an antifreeze. Water could become antifreeze if you add % of antifreeze or pure alcohol to it.

Answer 5

i think you got there was rust, its not coolant, the coolant i knew is color green, and if you are i a place where climate is cold you have to put antifreeze on it because if you put just water, itll freeze, and coolant prevents your water jacket build up rust.

Answer 6

Same thing.... sounds like you could use a cooling system flush

Answer 7

It's the same thing, yours is dirty and needs to be flushed out.

Answer 8

simply, yes!