ASTM D3306 Standard Specification for Glycol Base Engine Coolant for Automobile and Light-Duty Service
4. General Requirements
4.1 Engine coolant concentrates or prediluted glycol base engine coolants shall be formulated with either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol meeting Specification E1177, water, and shall contain suitable corrosion inhibitors, dye, and a foam suppressor.
4.2 Ethylene glycol base engine coolant concentrates (Type I) may contain a maximum of 15 % other glycols, as long as the physical, chemical, and performance requirements of this specification can be met. Similarly, prediluted ethylene glycol base coolants (Type III) may contain a maximum of 7.5 % other glycols as long as all of the requirements of this specification can be met.
4.3 Propylene glycol base engine coolant concentrates (Type II) may contain a combined maximum of 1 % other glycols (less than 0.5 % for prediluted propylene glycol base coolants, Type IV) and all of the physical, chemical, and performance requirements of this specification must be met.
4.4 All engine coolant concentrates or prediluted glycol base engine coolants shall conform to the general requirements given in Table 1.
4.5 Prediluted glycol base engine coolants shall be formulated using water that meets the following requirements:
NOTE 3 - Prediluted coolants are intended for direct addition to an engine cooling system with no further dilution. However, if circumstances require addition and prediluted aqueous engine coolant is not available, use the appropriate engine coolant concentrate (Type I or II) diluted to 50 volume % with water of at least the quality outlined in Table X1.1.
4.6 When diluting engine coolant concentrates for actual service, use deionized (demineralized) or distilled water, municipal (treated) water, or a low mineral content well water (see Appendix X1, Table X1.1). This procedure will minimize the formation of hard water scale and avoid the introduction of mineral components, such as chlorides and sulfates, which can increase the corrosion rate of aluminum and iron.
4.7 When installed in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations and those on the product label, engine coolant concentrates or prediluted glycol base engine coolants shall be suitable for use in a properly maintained cooling system (Appendix X1) in normal light-duty service for a minimum of one year without adversely affecting fluid flow and heat transfer.
5. Detailed Requirements
5.1 Glycol base coolant concentrates and prediluted coolants shall conform to the physical and chemical requirements prescribed in Table 2 depending on coolant type (see 1.2).
5.2 The requirements listed in Table 2 for prediluted coolants (Types III and IV) are prescribed for the coolant as packaged, without further dilution or adjustment.
5.3 All coolant concentrates and prediluted coolants shall conform to the performance requirements listed in Table 3.
5.4 Coolant concentrates shall be diluted for performance testing as described in the individual ASTM test methods.
5.5 If necessary, the freezing point of prediluted coolants shall be adjusted with deionized water before proceeding with performance testing. The freezing point of prediluted ethylene glycol base coolants (Type III) shall be -36.4°C (-33.5°F) and that of prediluted propylene glycol base coolants (Type IV) shall be -31.0°C (-23.8°F).
5.6 Adjusted, prediluted engine coolant performance test solutions shall be prepared as described in Table 3, Footnotes B through F.
6. Keywords
6.1 engine coolant; engine coolant concentrate; ethylene glycol; light duty engine coolant; prediluted engine coolant; propylene glycol