due to cold temps tonight, and the fact that my poor old cars are stuck in the drive... i need a quick check for sufficient antifreeze. i heard that antifreeze tastes sweet...so is it ok just to dip a finger in the rad and drop a drip on my tongue? i know its not gonna tell me if there's enough but it will tell me that the previous owners had put some in.
Steve
I never thought I'd hear anyone say that.
--Nick.
The message from "r.p.mcmurphy" contains these words:
It's toxic - so it's up to you really whether you fancy the risk. It doesn't appear to be cumulative, and the amount you'd get on the tip of a shaken finger ain't likely to be fatal. It also contains additives and collects heavy metals during use.
You could always draw off a sample and stick it in the freezer. It'll probably still freeze anyway in a domestic freezer, which ususally run somewhere around -18 degrees. However, if antifreeze is present in useful amounts the resultant ice should be mushy and soft.
However - dogs die of drinking it when careless people let it run down the gutter to the drain.
There are suggestions that polypropylene glycol might replace ethylene glycol. It's far safer, though slightly more expensive. And that might change if there were greater demand.
Careful! You might get to like it.
Simple testing device from Halfords or elswhere, takes a sample of the water and tells you the proprtion of cooplant. Costs a couple of quid, dead easy to use.
PS wasn't a wind-up was it?
Cats are more likley to die than dogs but both are at considerable risk.
It's not as good as straight glycol and it's still toxic. Also with the OAT stuff that's been around for a decade and is non toxic it's a bit of a dead duck.
Friend's diagnostic technique for which fluid is coming out of the car: coolant/antifreeze is nice, oil a bit nasty, petrol worse and brake fluid disgusting!
cheers, clive
A few years ago it was revealed that certain producers of a European white wine were not averse to sweetening with anti freeze. Drink red. DaveK.
Hmm, I like oil and coolant on a nice piece of toast ;-)
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