Honda Civic/Acura Integra

since 1994 release

Repair and operation of the car

Antifreeze – general information

Do not allow hit of antifreeze on open parts of the body and the painted surfaces of the car. Immediately wash away incidentally got splashes a plentiful amount of water. Remember that antifreeze is extremely toxic liquid and its hit in an organism even in small amounts is fraught with the most serious consequences (up to a lethal outcome). Never leave antifreeze stored in leaky closed container and immediately collect the cooling liquid spilled on a floor. Remember that the sweetish smell of antifreeze can draw to itself attention of children and animals. About ways utilization of the fulfilled cooling liquid consult at any station of car service. In many regions of the world special points on different reception of working off are equipped. Do not merge old cooling liquid in the sewerage and on the earth at all!

Recently nontoxical grades of antifreeze are developed, however they are also subject to utilization in an organized order.

For gas station of the cooling system the antifreeze mix made in due proportions on the basis of ethylene glycol with soft water is usually used. Mix has to show resistance to freezing at temperatures to – 30 °C, and if necessary below, depending on climatic zone of an arrangement of the region of operation of the car. Except frost resistance, antifreeze gives to mix anticorrosive properties and raises a point of its boiling.

Depletion and washing of the cooling system it has to be made according to the schedule of routine maintenance of the car (see the Head Routine maintenance). Use of cooling liquid during longer term is fraught with different damages of system, development of corrosion and scaling. If tap water in the region where the car is operated, is "rigid", i.e. differs in the increased content of mineral salts, for formation of cooling liquid it is necessary to use the distilled or rain water.

Before adding cooling liquid in system check reliability of fastening of its hoses on the unions – antifreeze has high fluidity and is capable to escape through the slightest thinnesses. During normal operation of the engine cooling liquid is not spent therefore falling of its level is a sign of development of external leaks which reason has to be immediately found out and eliminated.

The exact composition of cooling liquid is defined by specific climatic conditions. At the same time the content of antifreeze in mix should not be lower than 50% and not exceed 70% – address the card of composition of cooling liquid (see the Head Routine maintenance). Areometers for determination of the specific weight (density) of cooling liquid can be bought practically in any shop of automobile accessories. Try to use only the antifreeze grades recommended by manufacturers of the car (see Specifications).