Can you mix Red and Green Anti-freeze?

The simple answer is no. Mixing these anti-freezes can cause problems for the engine. In fact, mixing any type of antifreeze can cause problems because every vehicle comes with its own recommended antifreeze which is best suited for its own functioning.

Vehicles may be used with other types of antifreeze, but it is better to use the recommended coolant as using or mixing different types of antifreeze might damage your vehicle and it is a costly mistake to make.

All coolants differ in color since all of them have different functions and benefits. Producing them in various ones helps us identify the type of coolant.

Other colors include light brown, black, pink, red, brown, pale amber, reddish brown, bright green, yellow and clear.  

Why can’t You Mix Them?

Mixing these anti-freezes will not cause huge damage, but it will harm the vehicle.

Mixing red and green antifreeze can result in the formation of a thick gel which would no longer be able to flow through the vehicle’s cooling system. This can overheat the cooling system and cause damage to its different parts.

The main reason these two anti-freezes cannot be mixed is that both of these are made from different technologies which use different types of additives.

Red antifreeze is made from hybrid technology while green antifreeze is made from IAT technology. Hybrid technology uses both inorganic and organic acid technology. On the other hand, IAT technology only uses inorganic acid technology.

Both anti-freezes have slightly different or added functions that might interfere with the other’s.

Moreover, both anti-freezes have different lifespan and stability levels so one will wear out faster and quicker than the other antifreeze.

If the red and the green antifreeze are mixed, they can give inaccurate readings of the freezing point to the mechanic or if the mechanic checks to see if there is enough coolant within the vehicle, inaccurate data will throw off the estimate or calculations.

This is dangerous because if the temperature falls too much and there is not enough coolant then the engine might crack.

Therefore, it is better to be safe than sorry and try not to risk mixing antifreeze and take advice from the mechanics to prevent a mistake that’s unavoidable, unnecessary, and heavy on the pocket as well.

A tester is used for such tests and measurements.

This is done by collecting some of the coolant into the tester to a specific mark. Going on further, the pointer indicates the freezing point and informs us of how protected the coolant is for temperature.

What to do if you have mixed antifreeze?

Get your vehicle checked by a car mechanic.

If you are fortunate, they will catch your mistake in time, and you will only be required to flush out the mixed antifreeze that is causing the problem and switch it with the antifreeze that is recommended for your vehicle.

If unfortunate, then your car will need more work and fixing.

This may include repairing or replacing components of the cooling system or even the engine or its damaged parts.

Things To Know About Red Antifreeze:

Red antifreeze is produced with HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid Technology) which is the combination of IAT (Inorganic Acid Formula) and OAT (Organic Acid Technology).

It is commercially termed as Dexcool.

It is meant to be used for European, Japanese, and Asian vehicles like Honda. Hyundai, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles. Red antifreeze has a longer life span of almost four years.

The color of the coolant turns out pink when red antifreeze is mixed with water. (So, if your buying a car, make sure you check that).

Things To Know About Green Antifreeze:

Green antifreeze is produced with IAT (Inorganic Acid Formula) which is one of the earliest technologies in anti-freeze manufacture, meaning that this is the most basic form of antifreeze.

The base used in this case is either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol with additives like sulphates or phosphates.

It is meant for older vehicles that are pre-2000 generation because they contain a good amount of steel and copper parts in the cooling system and green antifreeze has been proven effective against corrosion.

It also forms a thick protective layer which helps against leaks and cracks in the cooling system.

The lifespan of this antifreeze is about three years after which it needs to be flushed out and changed with a fresh amount of antifreeze.

Wrapping It Up:

To summarize, it is not advisable at all to mix red and green antifreeze because simply put, these two are just not compatible with each other due to their chemical composition and specific traits.

These differences between the two antifreeze can end up being a very big nightmare for your car’s cooling system, and if things go too far, the damage may get so extensive that components of the cooling system or even the engine might have to get replaced.