How do I know if my coolant is OAT or IAT?
Knowing whether your vehicle's coolant is Organic Acid Technology (OAT) or Inorganic Acid Technology (IAT) is important for proper maintenance and avoiding costly damage. Here's how you can quickly determine if your coolant is OAT or IAT.
What is OAT and IAT Coolant?
OAT coolant, also known as extended-life coolant, is a type of antifreeze that uses organic acid additives to protect the engine and cooling system components. OAT coolants are designed to last much longer than traditional IAT coolants, typically up to 5 years or 150,000 miles. OAT coolants are usually orange, yellow, or pink in color.
IAT coolant, on the other hand, uses inorganic acid additives and has a shorter service life of around 2 years or 30,000 miles. IAT coolants are typically green or blue in color.
How to Identify Your Coolant Type
There are a few ways to determine if your vehicle's coolant is OAT or IAT:
- Check the coolant color: As mentioned, OAT coolants are usually orange, yellow, or pink, while IAT coolants are green or blue.
- Consult your owner's manual: The manual should specify the type of coolant recommended for your vehicle.
- Look for coolant identification tags: Many coolant bottles and containers are labeled with the coolant type, such as "OAT" or "IAT".
- Test the coolant: You can use a coolant test strip or take a sample to an auto parts store for analysis to determine the coolant type.
Knowing whether your coolant is OAT or IAT is important to ensure you use the correct type when topping up or flushing the system. Mixing the two coolant types can lead to compatibility issues and potential damage to the cooling system.
How to identify coolant type?
You should check your owner's manual, to check on what type or color of antifreeze your car takes. One of the most common, and longstanding coolants of this type is DEX COOL®, which was developed by GM in the late 1980's and has been used ever since.
What color is OAT coolant?
OAT coolants are typically orange, red or pink in colour, and won't need to be changed for around 5 years or 50,000 miles. OAT coolant is also more popular in modern cars due to changes in the manufacturing.
Can I use OAT coolant instead of iat?
However some manufactures don't follow this OAT/HOAT standard. Havoline is apparently one of them. OAT based antifreeze is not compatible with IAT antifreeze; although, some HOAT formulas claim compatibility with certain OAT formulas or IAT formulas.
Can you mix Hoat and IAT coolant?
First, what's important to know is that many IAT and OAT coolants do not mix. In fact if they're added into a cooling system together the results can be catastrophic, creating a gelatinous substance that blocks the system and causes widespread damage to internal components.
What is the difference between OAT and iat coolant?
IAT antifreeze contains silicates and phosphates for corrosion protection, OAT is silicate and phosphate-free with a longer lifespan, and HOAT combines elements of both for better protection in modern engines.
What color is OAT engine coolant?
orange
OAT coolants are designed for use in heavy and light-duty diesel engines, as well as natural gas and gasoline engines. Color: orange or red, but can also come in yellow, blue, red and dark green depending on the manufacturer.
What does OAT coolant look like?
OAT Color: OAT coolant is typically orange, but that's not always the case. The palette available to today's drivers includes a variety of hues – from MOPAR's proprietary purple to shades of pink, red, and even dark green. However, color alone doesn't guarantee compatibility.
How to know if coolant is IAT or OAT?
Common Antifreeze Types by Color
- Green. If you have a green coolant, you have Inorganic Acid Technology (IAT) coolant.
- Orange. An orange coolant typically indicates that you are looking at Organic Acid Technology (OAT) coolant.
- Yellow.
- Red.
- Color Can Lie: Always Read the Label.
- Europe.
- Asia.
What coolants are IAT?
IAT coolants are made with ethylene glycol with silicates and phosphates added to prevent corrosion. This coolant type is used in older vehicles, usually cars manufactured in the U.S. before the late 1990s.
Can I mix IAT and OAT coolant?
First, what's important to know is that many IAT and OAT coolants do not mix. In fact if they're added into a cooling system together the results can be catastrophic, creating a gelatinous substance that blocks the system and causes widespread damage to internal components.
