Coolants in a Dodge Hoat and OatMany people have anxiety about the different colors of orange, red, green, and purple coolants.

Many people today STILL think that green is the normal coolant and appropriate for all cars. However, the green coolant is not recommended for our LX and LC, LD, LA cooling systems.



It is true that as much as 40% of the engine problems that occur are either directly or indirectly resultant from improper used or wornout coolants. Neglecting this system tends to be common practice. After all, if there is fluid in there, it is ok right? WRONG.



There are 3 types of coolants available today:

First is the traditional I.A.T or Inorganic Additive Technology. This is considered the "conventional coolant" It contains inorganic corrosion inhibitors.....Sodium Tetraborate, Sodium benzoate, and Sodium Silicates and Phosphates.



This is how traditional coolants function. The rusting/corrosion potential for metals is the result of several competing factors. The two that are most concerning is the electrode potential, which is a measure of the tendency of a metal to oxidize (the atoms/ions of the metal combine chemically with oxygen to form a participate or create a solid like we


have seen in many Hemi V8s) and the protective strength and stability of the surface films. The most corrosion prone metals in an engine are the aluminum pieces and solder used in the system.

Second is called O.A.T or Organic Acid Technology. This technology ends up with an additive package that is organic acids and sodium as opposed to inorganic sodium contents like the I.A.T coolants. The organic additives tend to last longer as they react slower. O.A.T coolants can last twice as long as the standard I.A.T coolants.



Cast iron and steel both have relatively low corrosion rates in automobile engines. The simple but essential task of reducing ferrous metal corrosion is accomplished by adding inhibitors to the coolant formulation. Additionally, the corrosion products of ferrous metals are readily dissolved in the coolant and moderately stable in common coolant solutions. Ferrous metals corrosion is not a major problem in the engine our cars.



However, copper, and brass, (an alloy of copper and zinc), have higher corrosion rates then iron and steel. The old cars years ago used soldered copper radiators, and standard I.A.T and O.A.T silicate coolants protected these. The only major alternative to a brass and copper radiator is an aluminum and plastic radiator. Like ferrous metals the corrosion of brass and copper can be easily controlled through the use of sodium corrosion inhibitors which both traditional coolants have relied on for years.



Third type (which is recommended for Chrysler Vehicles between 2005 and 2012 cars) is the H.O.A.T or Hybrid Organic Additive Technology. This type of coolant is designed more for European type vehicles and upper end manufacturers.



The Mopar OEM coolants factory installed in our cars when the first came out were are this type. They were designed for extended life in excess of 60,000 miles and up to 150,000 miles. (Today Chrysler uses an O.A.T. coolant as of 2013 which is purple.)



The negative or downside to this coolant is that it contains the same I.A.T and O.A.T additives that tend to react to heat and "plate out" onto surfaces and eventually buildup in the coolant passages and lower water jacket as does the other two types of manufacture.



The reason for the H.O.A.T spec is that corrosion of aluminum can be quite a different problem because of its electrode potential. Aluminum is the most corrosion prone metal in an engine (radiator and heads). Only magnesium sodium and potassium have a greater oxidation potential (these metals will burn/oxidize violently) The reason our precious heads and radiators do not turn into lumps of white powder is that aluminum oxides tend to form stable surface films on the cooling/engine waterways.



However aluminum is particularly sensitive to a process, called erosion-corrosion where a rapidly flowing fluid can remove the protective oxide layer. Erosion can be controlled by limiting the surface flow rate of coolant to 3 m/s or less. This is easily achieved everywhere except at the water pump.



The most vulnerable aluminum component in many engines is the water pump. Water pumps and their housings are susceptible to corrosion caused by erosion-corrosion and cavitation. Cavitation causes the formation and subsequent collapsing of high pressure vapor cavities, which exert high mechanical forces on metal surfaces. Erosion corrosion is the process whereby a flowing fluid surface destroys the protective film giving corrosion free play. The results of both reactions are very similar which produces severe localized damage.



The rate of cavitation is affected by a number of factors. Increasing the fluid density or fluid boiling point tends to increase cavitation While increasing viscosity, compressibility or dissolved gases tends to reduce cavitation.



These properties are effected by coolant additives and the effect on cavitation is one of the characteristics of our proprietary coolant package in the QuantumBlue Gold HP Coolant. Evaporation of heat is extremely important and we know that nothing evaporates heat better than water but we have to modifiy it so that it won't freeze and we add a lot of anti-corrosion inhibitors and proprietary compounds to make our coolants the best possible.