Is there a simple test (not tasting!) to see if water has antifreeze in it?. My engine undertray sometimes has a little puddle of water in it and I'm trying to find out if it is a leak or thrown up off the road.
Cheers
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the average small independent can test the antifreeze strength. Alternatively, put some in the freezer!!
(don't tell SWMBO)
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do you have to top your antifreeze up? or is it self rejuvinating?
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\"a little man in a big world/\"
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Could it be condensation from the Air Conditioning running down?
If it is then this is quite normal and nothing whatsoever to worry about.
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Is there a simple test (not tasting!) to see if water has antifreeze in it?. My engine undertray sometimes has a little puddle of water ....
Antifreeze tends to leave a stain mark where ever it's been. Also if you think it's antifreeze, then surely your cooling system must need periodic top ups?
What car, btw? Someone with the same make *may* be able to tell you if they also have a puddle of water.
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if u know somebody who is an engineer...get a REFRACTOMETRE we use it to test the slurry strength....but it is also good for testing antifreeze...it is a common instrument in engineering...i have 2..
if u live near dorset...u can borrow mine
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www.storme.co.uk
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Thanks all.
No I don't have to top it up, but it has a large expansion tank and the 'puddle' is tiny but noticable. I also don't use the car much in this weather. I think the independants testing method is specific gravity? if so there's not enough to suck up into the hydrometer. No A/C for the condensation theory - UK 1990 mx-5. Stain mark is an idea, but salty roads are leaving stains as well now. One of these days the roads might dry out and I'll see if it's there then.
Thanks, Martin
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Hmm... bit of an ethical dilemma here!
Take it to a small independent - who will, without a doubt, test it by sticking a finger end in it and touching the tinies amount on their tongue, before spitting it out copiously ( a well known H&S 'control measure'!) then using their vast skill, experience and judgement to decide whether its a) sweet - antifreeze b) salty - from the roads c) indescribable - from a dog near you. (Dont ask!)
Or, you could do the same yourself, saving the dilemma and the cost... clearly there are some perils involved here, but I know what I'd do, and have done infrequently but whenever necessary over the last 30 years of sporadically working on cars!
Its a bit like speed (as in mph not the drug..!) in that it kills in theory, but in (surprisingly large) doses in the case of speed and the tiny ones involved in the case of antifreeze, I haven't noticed me dying yet.
Go on, you know you want to...(but don't construe anything I've said as encouraging this dangerous and death-defying practice..!)
Neil
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you could use a bit of blotting paper and see if it freezes
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I bought an antifreeze tester kit from halfords several years ago, I think it was only a couple of pounds or so. Seems to work ok.
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you could use a bit of blotting paper
Or maybe litmus paper. No idea what colour it should change to if it comes into contact with antifreeze though.
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>> you could use a bit of blotting paper Or maybe litmus paper. No idea what colour it should change to if it comes into contact with antifreeze though.
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Neutral, I would imagine.
Neil is right - taste a tiny bit and spit it out.
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Have you got a cat?Apparently cats occasionally die from lapping up the sweet sweet antifreeze.I am not recommending using your cat as an antifreeze tester b.t.w.,get a neighbours to do it;)
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Just rub it between your fingers. Antifreeze feels greasy and has a characteristic smell.
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A bizarre image comes to mind, of an antifreeze-tasting session.
A panel of experts confronted with a row of unmarked samples. The experts don't just swig it back - they rub it between their fingers, sniff the bouquet, maybe taste a tiny drop on their little finger. Using litmus paper is a bit infra dig, a brash American habit that is unfortunately becoming more common.
Finally the panel pronounces - the winner is an amusingly fruity little AF from Bluecol, with just a hint of Summer coolant.
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IIRC the Austrians discovered the benefits of antifreeze as an additive for white wine about 20 years ago! It killed the wine industry (and probably some cats?) in that country!
Since then various other wine producers have experimented with it.
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pmh (was peter)
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Most accessory shops sell anti-freeze testers;machinemart.co.uk also offer them.
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Most accessory shops sell anti-freeze testers....
Somehow I doubt the little puddle under martin123's car will have enough fluid present to suck up into one of these testers for the floats to rise.
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Thats the problem - not enough to sample (with a gadget).
Anyways - It's water thrown up from the O/S front tyre, getting through a small hole where a screw that should hold part of the undertray is missing.
Car temp off road today, I'm another victim of the road humps with a broken rear spring.
Martin
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