LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Prestone Products has published a white paper designed to educate fleet owners and maintenance managers on the importance of cold-weather anti-free/coolant maintenance in heavy-duty vehicles.

“If the cooling system is unable to satisfy the essential requirements put on it by the heavy-duty engine, the vehicle’s horsepower, fuel efficiency, emissions and overall durability may be compromised,” said Colin Dilley, director of technology, Prestone Command Technology Center. “Selecting the highest quality AF/C products and replenishing at the recommended interval will ensure operating efficiency and optimal performance.”

The white paper focuses on testing essentials for coolant concentrations and the important role they play in winter engine management. Because glycol and water are naturally corrosive, coolant manufacturers add inorganic and/or organic salts and other chemicals, known as corrosion inhibitors, to the glycol/water mixture in order to prevent the cooling system components from corroding. It is imperative to test for these corrosion inhibitors to ensure engine metal protection, the white paper outlines.

“Having the ability to proactively initiate testing on any engine coolant system is imperative to making the right decisions for maintaining the correct levels of coolant concentrations,” said Dilley. “The new Prestone Command test strips and kits offer the ability to test a wide range of important variables from basic glycol concentration to the level of inhibitors for corrosion protection.”

You can find the complete white paper here.