An Engine without any water or antifreeze will overheat fast and further damage will occur if it continues to overheat. You can expect gasket and seals to give way and fluids will leak out resulting in other engine components to break down.

The best Engine Coolant is the Concerntrated Zerex G-05 Antifreeze that has a lower silicate, phosphate free technology, which protects all cooling system metals.

Engine coolants main benefit is that it remains as a liquid regardless of the temperature. It will not freeze or boil meaning that it will keep the engine cool in both temperature ranges and prevent damage to the engine.

Best Radiator Coolants For Hot Weather

Engine Coolant and Antifreeze are two terms used to describe the liquid but in short, it is an additive that mixes with water that increases is freezing and boiling points. It is an essential fluid that your car requires in order to run properly.

The additives used within the coolant liquid prevent corrosion of metal parts and without it, the engine can cease up. This will result in a rather expensive repair bill and even a brand new engine because of the mistake.

Never pour just water or just antifreeze into your radiator, it should be a 50/50 mix unless otherwise stated. Below is a list of the best engine coolant and antifreeze to prevent your car from overheating in hot weather.

Zerex G-05 Concentrated Antifreeze

Zerex G-05 is an antifreeze solution that can be used in both gasoline (petrol) and diesel engines. It is phosphate free and protects all cooling system metals from corrosion and cavitation.

The Zerex G-05 uses a high quality defoamer system to preserve the hoses, plastics or original vehicle finishes. You can expect at least 5 years or 150,000 miles of driving without needing to flush the system with this formula.

Overall, it is the best engine coolant antifreeze you can buy for the protection. Zerex state that 50 to 70% concentration is the adequate for the majority of vehicles.

Zerex Original Green Antifreeze

For those with older cars that want to remain with the Zerex brand, they offer a green engine coolant. It is rated all the way down to -34 degree fahrenheit, which helps prevent rust and corrosion.

The patented organic acid corrosion inhibitor solution provides a much longer protection with up to 5 years or 150,000 miles of driving.

Overall, the original formula by Zerex is low silicate formula that is available in 1 gallon bottles at a reasonable price. It is the best antifreeze for older vehicles that are prone to overheating in the hot weather.

Engine Ice TYDS008 High Performance Coolant

The TYD5000 formula by Engine Ice is for those running vehicles (including motorbikes) at race temperatures that may reach up to 256 Fahrenheit or less.

For those into road racing, it is permitted for use by CCS and ASRA road racing around the world and its engineered for optimum performance with no loss of power.

It uses propylene glycol, which is a proven ingredient to reduce water pump gasket and seal failures. It is a biodegradable, phosphate-free and non-toxic antifreeze that is the best engine coolant for racing.

Prestone AF888 Dex-Cool Antifreeze

The Prestone Dex-Cool antifreeze formula is very popular and works best for vehicles with aluminium radiators that require Dex-Cool coolant. Using a high quality inhibitors, it protects against corrosion and damages from high temperatures.

You can expect 5 years or 150,000 miles of driving without requiring flushing of the system. It is a ethylene glycol based low silicate formula and provides excellent value for money against alternatives that also include propylene glycol formula.

Overall, the Prestone Dex-Cool is one of the best cheap engine coolants for modern cars and the best buy for aluminum radiator vehicles.

Star Brite Star-Cool Coolant

Star Brite is another high performance antifreeze that maintains engine temperature to ensure optimal horsepower. It exceeds all OEM engine coolants and reduces the temperature quicker than other high performance alternatives.

It is a non toxic formula (no ethylene glycol) but includes a PCT additive to maintain the temperature and seal pinhole leaks. It is a synthetic formula for extended usage but this does result in a higher cost for this antifreeze.

Overall, the Star Brite Star Cool synthetic formula is the best high performance antifreeze with the only drawback being the price.

Engine Coolant Buying Guide

High quality antifreeze is not something you avoid to save money, it is an essential fluid that your car requires. Pure water is not a solution because it has the potential to cause rust and corrosion to metal components.

Engine coolant is a grey area among many car enthusiasts but the majority know it is essential and it mixes with water with at least 50% and more of concentration.

Pure Water As Car Coolant

The problem with just using water as engine coolant is that it boils and freezes much easier. This will cause all of the issues mentioned with overheating and causing the metal parts to corrode.

Engine coolant prevents corrosion with inhibitors and has a wide temperature range with regards to boiling and freezing points. Using just water or the wrong mixture ratio will almost certainly shorten the engines life span by corroding the inside of the engine and destroying your engines water pump.

A 50/50 mixture is the perfect combination for protection and safely within operating limits as suggested by car manufacturers.

Different Colored Antifreeze

There are different colors of antifreeze available but its difficult to find information of what each do. The two most common colors are green and orange.

Green colored antifreeze is Inorganic Acid Technology that is commonly used for cars made before 1990. It contains silicates and phosphate corrosion inhibitors and requires flushing out every 2 years or 30,000 miles.

Orange colored antifreeze is Organic Acid Technology that is used in modern cars. It does not contain silicates or phosphates but additives to act as corrosion inhibitors. For this reason, it can be used within the cooling system for much longer and in some cases up to 150,000 miles or every 5 years. Aside from orange, it can also be a red or amber color but there is no standardized color.

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