Any work is accompanied by the release of heat. And the internal combustion engine is no exception. To provide an optimal environment for the operation of the motor, a special coolant is used. It is called antifreeze. There are a lot of names of this liquid on the market, so you should understand the most basic types.

Grades G11 and G12. Antifreeze and its properties

Any motorist should have at least a superficial idea of ​​​​the coolant that is used in his car. Each model has its own specific properties that should be taken into account.

Serious requirements are placed on the coolant, which allow the engine to work in optimal conditions.

Corrosion

Water and ethylene glycol are added to the composition. Unfortunately, this mixture has an increased ability to rust. And if you take into account that car engines contain a large amount of light alloy metals, then it is necessary to use the latest technologies in the coolant to resist corrosion.

Freezing and boiling point

The first indicator is much lower than that of water. This allows the engine to operate even in the harshest temperatures. It also makes it possible not to expand when freezing, and not to damage parts with hoses in the system.

In addition, G12 or G11 antifreeze will have a high boiling point, which allows you to operate cars in the hottest conditions.

Cavitation and compatibility with rubber

The fuel mixture in the cylinders during the explosion transmits the vibration of the coolant. From such influences, she boils. This process is called cavitation. It violates the state of the film and destroys the metal. Antifreeze must resist the formation of microbubbles and create high-quality protection of parts from harmful effects.

The coolant must not react with the rubber hoses and seals in the internal combustion engine. It protects them from drying out or cracking.

The most common grades are G11 and G12. Antifreeze may also be called G12+ and G13. Consider the main types separately.

G11. This class is intended for vehicles manufactured before 1996. The composition includes ethylene glycol and inorganic additives. The optimal life of the fluid in the vehicle is 2, maximum 3 years.

G12. Antifreeze is designed for vehicles assembled and commissioned from 1996 to 2001. It is recommended to fill in engines operating at high temperatures and at high speeds. The service life is 5 years. It contains carboxylate compounds. It is necessary to explain a little what these chemical concepts are.

Carboxylate antifreeze G12

He was awarded this name because of the impurities added to the composition that prevent the occurrence of corrosion. Their principle of action is based on carboxylic acids. Unlike other components, they do not create a film on the entire working plane, but only in those places where rust forms. This allows you to increase the efficiency of heat transfer and not cover the entire surface with a protective layer.

Also, the absence of silicon in the composition can be attributed to the advantages of this type of coolant. This allows you to significantly increase the service life and avoid plaque.

Antifreeze color

Thanks to the added dyes, the liquids differ from each other. The color does not add any more operational properties. The color can be absolutely anything. But since the liquid is poisonous to the human body, bright and flashy shades are used. For example, G12 antifreeze is red.

Manufacturers have agreed among themselves to make it easier to classify liquids. The standard color is green. Yellow antifreeze has an extended service life, and red has the longest.

Mixing liquids of different colors is strictly prohibited. Additives do not interact with each other, but reduce the quality of antifreeze and its service life. If it becomes necessary to replenish the tank to the required level, it is recommended to use plain distilled water.

Antifreeze G11 and G12. Difference

The first difference among these popular liquids is their coloration. This is not the main, but the most conspicuous feature.

Red color is most often used for grade G12. G11 antifreeze is available in green. However, you need to be careful, because there are no specific prohibitions on coloring. Any manufacturer can apply any recommended color for their products.

Ordinary people call the G11 brand antifreeze. It is a mixture of ethylene glycol and plain water with various additives. The main disadvantage is the short service life, which is 2 years. You also have to use various impurities so that ethylene glycol does not corrode engine parts.

G12 antifreeze is red and not as poisonous. The main advantage is an extended service life of 5 years. Thanks to carboxylate compounds, the liquid resists corrosion and cavitation well.

Lukoil G12

Antifreeze "Lukoil" G12 is a modern coolant that has all the necessary properties for the most optimal engine operation in cars and trucks.

Thanks to carboxylic acids, antifreeze protects the engine from freezing, overheating, corrosion and cavitation. Confidently feels at a temperature of -40 degrees. Does not react and does not damage rubber and plastic products.

Qualitatively selected antifreeze is a guarantee of long and successful operation of the engine in a car.

Antifreeze is a coolant used in cars. The percentage composition of class G11, G12, G12+ antifreeze is as follows: ethylene glycol 90%, additives 5-7%, water 3-5%. Please note - the difference in additives is 5-7%.

Composition of antifreeze G11

G11 antifreeze contains silicates and inorganic additives. This coolant was used for cars of old brands (until 1996) under the name "Tosol". The boiling point of G11 is 105 degrees. The service life of such a brand of coolant is 2-3 years or up to 80 yew. km of run. The fluid is designed for vehicles with a large volume of the cooling system. It creates a protective film in the entire cooling system, which protects parts from corrosion, but at the same time, this film reduces the thermal conductivity process, which is a significant disadvantage.

Therefore, for modern cars that have a small amount of cooling system, this type of antifreeze is not suitable, due to its insufficient cooling capacity.

Attention! Ethylene glycol is a strong poison, the lethal dose for humans is only 200-300 grams.

Specifications G12

If you have used G11 antifreeze before, then a logical question arises: how do G 11 and G 12 antifreezes differ and what is the significant difference?

G12

The composition of antifreeze G 12 is based on carboxylate organic compounds. The difference between G 12 antifreeze and G 11 is that G 12 antifreeze uses a different chemical composition of additives. The boiling point of this type is 115-120 degrees, and the period of use is up to 5 years or up to 250 thousand kilometers. Antifreeze G12 is used for high-speed cars, therefore it has a high thermal conductivity. The ability of antifreeze G 12 to act only on the centers of corrosion in the system, and not to cover the entire system with a protective film, significantly increases its efficiency and fully answers the question: "What is the difference between antifreeze G11 and G12?".

Interesting! Translated from English, "Antifreeze" means "non-freezing".

G12+

Using class G12 antifreeze, you involuntarily ask yourself the question: "Which antifreeze is better than G12 or G12 +?" The answer is obvious - of course G12 +. Antifreezes G12 and G12 + do not differ in chemical composition from each other, but there is still a difference between them. It can be said that G12+ is an improved modification of G12. True, the temperature characteristic of boiling and the service life remained approximately the same. This type of antifreeze is used on modern cars.

The newest coolant (created in 2012) G13 differs from previous types of liquids in the chemical composition of the base. If ethylene glycol is used as the basis for G11, G12, G12 + antifreezes, then propylene glycol is used in G13 antifreeze.

This liquid is less toxic, decomposes faster, and therefore does less harm to the environment, but it also costs more. Cars that use the G13 are equipped with a forced engine, that is, an engine that operates in extreme conditions. These include sports cars, motorcycles, etc. The main advantage of the G13 coolant is an unlimited service life, provided that it is filled in by the car manufacturer.

Interesting fact!The color of the coolant does not indicate its marking and is chosen by each manufacturer in random order.

Which coolant to choose

Before choosing a coolant for their car, drivers are often worried about the question: "Can I mix G11 and G12?". Despite the same basis for class G11, G12, G12 + antifreezes, manufacturers use different additives in their manufacture, so mixing different classes is not recommended. This can lead to the process of coagulation of fluids. But in critical situations, mixing is possible for liquids G12 and G12+, as well as G11 and G12+, G12+ and G13, G11 and G13. Moreover, the liquid recorded first should be the main one.

Important! Under no circumstances should coolants of class G11 and G12 be mixed; G12 and G13.

Compatibility of class G11 and G12 antifreezes is not provided. The coagulation process will cause the formation of a precipitate in the form of flakes. Therefore, if you decide to replace the antifreeze in your car, you must flush the system with water in several stages.

If, during the operation of the vehicle, the antifreeze has greatly changed its color, this means that it must be replaced, since it has already lost its properties. The replacement process is necessary even if the life of this fluid has not yet ended. Although the color of the coolant does not indicate its class, there are standard colors:

Blue – antifreeze;

Green – class G11 antifreeze;

Red – antifreeze class G12, G12+;

Yellow – antifreeze class G13.

For a modern car

For modern vehicles manufactured since 2001, G12+ class antifreeze is recommended, and for vehicles manufactured between 1996 and 2001, G12 class is recommended.

For "old car"

For cars of old brands produced before 1996, experts advise using class G11 antifreeze. It is clear that class G13 coolant is suitable for all types of vehicles. But keep in mind that by increasing the properties of antifreezes from class to class, manufacturers have also increased their cost. Therefore, it is necessary to choose antifreeze based on the class of your car, its year of manufacture, the appropriateness of using this particular antifreeze, and most importantly, the manufacturer's recommendations.

Let's start with a little excursion into history. At one time, we didn’t have a special choice of coolants - water, which had to be drained at night in the winter, and the good old Tosol, which many still consider to be some kind of special liquid. In fact, this, of course, is a typical representative of the old ethylene glycol antifreezes, and the question " which is better - antifreeze or antifreeze' is formally meaningless. Why formal? Because those liquids that are now produced under the name "Tosol" by anyone (and this, in fact, is a trademark inherited by FSUE GosNIIOKhT from the Soviet Research Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology), often do not meet any technical requirements at all - some manage to burn (!) And contain methanol, what can we say about the freezing point. Considering that even the old antifreezes of the “Volkswagen” class G11 already use more effective additives and have a longer service life, it really makes no sense to choose Tosol now.

Now let's just talk about the classes adopted according to the Volkswagen documentation. They differ among themselves primarily in the composition and mechanism of action of the additive package. The fact is that for all its positive properties, ethylene glycol is not only poisonous, but also corrosive - so the additives in antifreeze, in fact, primarily protect the cooling system from the antifreeze itself.

AT antifreeze G11 primarily silicate additives are used (as in the Soviet Tosol) - their mechanism of action is very simple, a film is formed on the surfaces of the parts that prevents direct contact with ethylene glycol. But it also worsens heat dissipation - therefore, as the forcing of automobile engines increased, antifreeze G12 on a carboxylate basis, in which the additives already work "pointwise", in the centers of corrosion. Such antifreezes last longer and are now the most common, especially G12+, which have improved properties and compatibility with other types. If G12 and G11 cannot be mixed, then G12 + can already be added to both G11 and G12 (roughly speaking, in terms of the composition of additives, G12 + is something in between these types).

Lobrid antifreeze G12++- this is a combination of organic corrosion inhibitors with all the same silicates. Hence - and compatibility with other antifreezes, and a high service life: factory filling can be calculated for the entire life of the car. Which, nevertheless, should not be considered an ultimatum recommendation - even if the replacement intervals can be increased, it is still worth changing such antifreeze from time to time if the car is not bought for a year or two.

But with G13 the situation is quite interesting. For some reason, the assertion constantly wanders from site to site in Runet that such antifreezes are made only on the basis of propylene glycol, but even the original "Volkswagen" antifreeze of this class is not. In fact, of course, environmentalists had a hand in the appearance of this type of antifreeze, but the improvement in "environmental friendliness" is almost always achieved here by replacing part of the ethylene glycol with glycerin. According to the composition of additives, these antifreezes also belong to lobrid ones, and can be easily mixed with them.

No less important than the brand of fuel for the engine. Knowledge of the composition and types will help drivers choose a high-quality and, most importantly, suitable coolant for a car. What are the types, what is the difference between the composition of antifreeze and antifreeze - readers will learn all this after studying this material.

The composition of antifreeze for a car and its types

Organic and inorganic antifreezes

Today, coolant can be divided into two types - silicate and carboxylate antifreeze. As for silicate, “Tosol” refers to it. The composition of such a coolant includes inorganic acids, borates, silicates, phosphates, nitrates and nitrites. Silicates are the main additive in inorganic coolant. Such antifreeze is not suitable for modern cars, as it has many disadvantages. Made from ethylene glycol.

Additives settle on the inner surface of pipelines, their main task is to provide corrosion protection and normal conductivity. Antifreeze copes with the first task perfectly, and with the second - exactly the opposite. Due to the low thermal conductivity, heat transfer is very sluggish, which results in frequent overheating of the motor. That is why it is not recommended to use antifreeze on foreign cars, since engine wear occurs too quickly. There is another serious drawback - you need to change the silicate antifreeze every 30 thousand kilometers, otherwise, in addition to overheating, corrosion will also appear inside the cooling system.

As for carboxylate antifreezes, they use only organic acids. That is why this type has significantly fewer drawbacks than the silicate version. Organic additives cover only those areas where corrosion occurs, so heat transfer is practically not lost. This is the main advantage over silicate antifreeze. Carboxylate antifreeze is made based on ethylene glycol or propylene glycol.

It was the carboxylate liquid that began to be called antifreeze after it began to be supplied to the CIS. But many today call it antifreeze. The task of the motorist is to choose the appropriate type for his car. If this is an old domestic car, then antifreeze will not get worse, and it costs much less than organic antifreeze. In other cases, you need to purchase carboxylate coolant. As for the replacement of antifreeze, it is required only after 200 thousand kilometers. It was also possible to achieve such a long period by adding organic additives.

Antifreeze classification

To date, there are three classes of antifreeze:

• Class G11. Has a green or blue color. This class includes the cheapest fluids that are on the automotive market. The composition of antifreeze G11 is as follows: ethylene glycol, silicate additives. It is to this lower class that domestic antifreeze belongs. Silicate additives give antifreeze lubricating, anti-corrosion and anti-foam properties. As mentioned above, the service life of such antifreeze is quite low - about 30 thousand kilometers.
• Class G12. Most often it is red or pink antifreeze. Higher level of quality. Such a liquid serves much longer, has more useful properties, but the price of G12 is higher than that of G11. G12 antifreeze contains organic additives and ethylene glycol.
• Class G13(formerly G12+). Has an orange or yellow color. This class includes environmentally friendly coolants. They decompose quickly and do not harm the environment. This result became available after propylene glycol was added to G12 antifreeze, while carboxylase remained as additives. Any antifreeze based on ethylene glycol will be more toxic than the equivalent based on propylene glycol. The only disadvantage of the G13 is the high cost. Most environmentally friendly G13 is common in European countries.

Popular brands of antifreeze

We figured out the classification, now you can go through the well-known brands that drivers prefer throughout the CIS. These include:

• Felix.
• Alaska.
• nord.
• Syntec.

These are the best options in terms of price / quality ratio. So, let's start with "Felix" - this antifreeze is designed for all trucks and cars. Able to function normally in severe climatic conditions. Felix antifreeze contains special patented additives that extend the life of the cooling system pipelines, protect the engine from freezing and overheating. The composition of Felix antifreeze contains anti-foam, anti-corrosion and lubricating additives, the liquid belongs to the optimal class G12.

Composition and properties of Felix antifreeze

If we talk about high-quality liquids that belong to Tosol (G11 based on inorganic additives), then this is Alaska. The emphasis in this product is on fighting the cold. For example, a certain composition of Alaska antifreeze can withstand temperatures down to -65 ° C. There are options for warm regions, where in winter the thermometer needle does not fall below 25 ° C. Of course, the types of antifreeze marked G11 have their drawbacks.

Composition and properties of antifreeze Alaska

Another good option is NORD antifreeze. The company supplies all types of coolant to the automotive market - from G11 to G13, so it makes no sense to describe the composition of NORD antifreeze.

And the last option we'll look at is automotive antifreeze Sintec. The company is mainly engaged in the production of class G12 liquids. Antifreeze is great for all modern engines. Many professional repairmen recommend using this company's antifreeze for those drivers who drive cars with an aluminum engine. The composition of Sintec antifreeze includes the company's patented additives, they perfectly protect the system from the formation of deposits in the water pump, various channels, engine compartment and radiator. Sintec also reliably protects the cooling system from corrosion.

The composition and properties of antifreeze sintek

Antifreeze G-11 and G-12 is a chemical compound using an aqueous solution designed to cool the engine at maximum loads. Its use directly depends on the cooling system and engine configuration.

For old models, manufactured before 1996 inclusive, equipped with banal stoves, ordinary antifreezes are quite suitable, without sparing formulas and modern additives. For subsequent brands of domestic and foreign cars, more modern coolants are needed that are able to meet not only modern standards for frost resistance and boiling, but also protection against various system deposits.

In this article, we will get acquainted with the main types of antifreezes (G-11, G-12, G-12+, G-13), their properties, what is their difference, and is it possible to mix these antifreezes with each other?

In this regard, there is a generally accepted classification of antifreezes, which makes it easy to navigate the world of coolants.

Antifreeze classification:

• antifreeze G-11- are based on silicates and inorganic additives. It is interesting to know that ethyl alcohol, which underlies domestic Tosol, also meets the entire G-11 class, so the statement that antifreeze and antifreeze are one and the same can be taken as true with confidence. The main use of G-11 antifreezes is predetermined in older cars, which differ from modern models in the large volume of the cooling system. As already mentioned more than once, the entire class of these antifreezes creates a special protective film, which is aimed solely at protecting against the effects of an aggressive environment inside the car. The disadvantage of such protection is that thermal conductivity is significantly reduced, which is why modern cooling systems on new cars cannot use such coolants, their thin channels of the cooling system will immediately become clogged with a film formation and will not be able to provide sufficient circulation of antifreeze. The average boiling point for class G-11 is at around 105 degrees Celsius. The optimal mileage declared by the manufacturer ranges from 50,000 to 80,000 kilometers, which averages 2-3 years with gentle operation of the car.
• antifreeze G-12— propylene glycol compounds with universal balanced additive packages, mainly made of carboxylate compounds of organic origin. All G-12 class antifreezes are indicated for use on modern cars with high-speed engines, which can be classified as heat-loaded. The average boiling point is 115 - 120 degrees above zero, although some analogues of G-12 can overcome this threshold. The pressure in the cooling system directly affects the boiling point of antifreezes in this class, therefore, depending on the modification of the machine, the performance of the coolant may vary. Protective additives against corrosion and other deposits in the system work pointwise. They, like a doctor, choose the place of the disease and eliminate it by reacting with a chemical compound. The viscosity of such antifreezes is higher, and harmful components are reduced, unlike the entire coolant class G-11. G-12 or red antifreeze, as they are also called, have an extended service life without loss of performance, which can be correlated with five years or an approximate mileage of 250,000 kilometers.
• Antfreeze G-12+ — the next generation, with a more improved and adapted formula. The chemistry of this class is considered less harmful to both humans and the environment. At its core, G-12+ is also organic, flavored with more modern additives. Otherwise, no differences were found between G-12 and G-12 +, although many automakers claim this particular class of antifreeze for their cars.
• antifreeze G-13- This is a new version of the coolant based on propylene glycol, although this statement is debatable. Previously, it was considered that all three previous classes were based on ethylene glycol. Indeed, before the development of a new propylene technology, this was exactly the case, but with the advent of the synthesis of propylene, almost all classes G-12 and G-12 + also refer to the G-13 component, which was created to cool the engines of sports cars, motorcycles and other similar power units operating at maximum loads in extreme conditions.

Difference between G-11 and G-12 antifreeze?

It is possible to mix homogeneous bases with each other and then, preferably from the same manufacturer, in order to prevent the conflict of additives. In other words, you need to read the label and make sure that for the mixture, both antifreezes have the same base of ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. If you mix these two components together, then with a 100% guarantee, the mixture will either foam or give sediment in the expansion tank, sometimes there may be flakes on its surface.

To the question - Is it possible to mix G-11 and G-12 antifreezes, the answer is on the surface: under no circumstances do not interfere with G-11 and G-12 !!! Even if they have the same base. Differences in additives will also give sludge, flakes, a rusty tint, or at best shorten the life of the G-12.

For mixing, the G-11 and G-12+ systems may be suitable in emergency cases, the latter has a more neutral formula. In this case, the nuclear cocktail should be replaced as soon as possible, after washing the cooling system several times with distilled water or a special agent. It seems that the answer to the question - what is the difference between G-11 and G-12 antifreezes, and whether they can be mixed - is exhaustive.

The main thing is to act according to the instructions given by the automaker, then many problems will bypass both you and your car.