If you think choosing a automotive additive It's a complicated task, so in this post, we'll show you that the task is much simpler than it seems.
The additive has several functions in cars, such as preventing corrosion, wear and sludge in your car's cooling circuit. Therefore, making the correct choice of product is very important.
Contrary to what many people think, choosing the right automotive additive is not that difficult. After all, most manufacturers inform which type to choose in the owner's manual.
So, let's get to the points that matter!
What is an automotive additive and what is it for?
Before understanding what types of automotive additives are and the difference between them, it is extremely important to have a minimum of knowledge about what this product is and what its purpose is.
Good! Quite simply, automotive additives are products that help reduce problems such as: corrosion within your engine's cooling circuit, rapid wear of metal parts and the formation of sludge in this circuit.
The automotive additive works through the use of silicates, which is the component that helps prevent this wear and tear.
What is it for
In this way, the additives will ensure that the pipes and metal ducts in the refrigeration circuit are not damaged quickly, giving them much longer lifespan and reducing maintenance costs.
Another function that the automotive additive has is changing the freezing point and boiling point of water.
Considering a common engine, the temperature it operates is usually a little higher than 90 ºC, considered the ideal average to maintain the vehicle's proper functioning.
water temperature
However, if car use is very intense, or if the region is very hot, the water temperature easily exceeds 100 ºC, which causes the water to end up evaporating.
This causes the engine to overheat, leading to serious damage to the vehicle, which you can avoid with the use of an automotive additive.
With the additive, the boiling point of water goes from 100 °C to around 110 °C. On the other side, the freezing point of water, which is generally 0 °C, drops to -20 °C.
By making these changes to the boiling and freezing points of water, the automotive additive helps to preserve the entire refrigeration circuit, in addition to improving efficiency in situations where the environment is more hostile.
What are the types of automotive additives?
It is common to have questions about which type of automotive additive to use in your car. But, first of all, it is important to highlight that the vehicle manufacturers themselves already determine the appropriate type.
In fact, in some cases, even the brand of which product to buy.
This information is contained in the owner's manual, which makes it very easy to know which types of additives to use in your car.
Therefore, the best automotive additive will always be the one that the manufacturer indicates in the owner's manual. Knowing this, it's time to understand what the types are and the difference between them.
There are two types of automotive additives: concentrated and ready-to-use.
Concentrated automotive additive
The concentrated automotive additive is the strongest option and needs to be diluted in water before being used. Depending on the brand, it will be necessary to mix the additive with water in a proportion of 40% to 60% of the vehicle's total water volume.
The rules for diluting the concentrated additive are expressed on the product packaging. To proceed, the owner must check the owner's manual to determine the volume of water required by the car.
Then, just calculate it according to the percentage shown on the packaging.
Ready-made automotive additive
On the other hand, ready-to-use automotive additives do not need to be diluted before use, as the name suggests. Simply add the additive to the cooling system according to the amount required by the system.
This means that, if your circuit requires 6 liters of water, then you will need to add 6 liters of ready-to-use additive.
In general, concentrated additives are more expensive, but a smaller quantity is used, precisely because it is necessary to dilute, which increases yield.
In the case of ready-to-use additives, they are cheaper, but a larger quantity of product is required.
How to choose the best automotive additive for your vehicle?
As we explained above, there are two types of automotive additives. But the choice process must be based on what the owner's manual recommends for each vehicle.
Both types are efficient despite their differences. Therefore, there is no better or worse type. The best additive for your vehicle will always be the one recommended by the manufacturer.
However, a point of attention is when purchasing, it is essential to buy a quality product.
Os STK additives are options with much more advanced technology, which guarantee total quality for your vehicle and more efficient and lasting results.
All products are designed and developed to make vehicles more efficient. Therefore, STK automotive additives are made with innovative components, which guarantee more savings and better quality.
O STK Traditional, for example, expands the boiling temperature to 114 ºC, while the STK Racing increases the boiling point to 130 ºC. Furthermore, the site offers automotive additives for windshield cleaner and fuel!
Find our STK automotive additives at shop online, as well as several other high-quality products for automobiles.
Therefore, access the website and check the characteristics and information of each one to make a safe and accurate purchase.