If a customer’s coolant hasn’t been changed in a year or in the past 20K miles, then a coolant test is in order.
There are several ways to test the quality of the coolant. You want to see if:
- The coolant is clean
- There’s enough coolant still in your engine
- The coolant’s protection level is still adequate (not too diluted by water)
Technicians check the cleanliness and the coolant levels simply by visually inspecting it. Testing the coolant’s protection level is slightly more complicated. Commonly, technicians use one of the following to test the coolant’s protection level:
- Litmus paper: Test strips that measure the pH level of the coolant to see if the water/antifreeze mixture is still ideal
- Refractometers: A handheld device that measures the concentration of antifreeze in the coolant. It does this by reading the amount of light shining through the coolant.
There are a few things to keep in mind about the most common coolant testing methods:
1. Litmus Paper Testers Don’t Tell the Whole Story
While litmus paper can tell you how acidic the coolant is, it doesn’t tell you anything else. When you test coolant with litmus paper, you’ll find out whether the water/antifreeze mixture is correct. But you won’t know whether the coolant has lost its ability to prevent corrosion, or if the coolant is contaminated with something else.
2. Refractometers Aren’t Always Accurate
Refractometers look like fancy tools, but they’re actually not always accurate or easy to use. For example, a refractometer might not generate the right reading if it’s being tested on dirty coolant. Dirt and other contaminants can make it appear that the coolant mixture has enough antifreeze when it’s really not the case.
3. Both Testing Methods are Limited
Both litmus paper and refractometers are limited. They can’t accurately assess corrosion resistance, heat capacity, etc. They also don’t tell you if the right coolant is being used in the engine.
When in Doubt, Flush the Cooling System
Sometimes coolant will pass the tests, but you may be thinking it should be replaced due to age or other factors. If so, it’s a good idea to replace it anyway. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Running bad coolant through the engine can:
- Cause corrosion in the water pump, radiator, hoses, and more
- Make the engine overheat due to inadequate cooling
- Make the engine susceptible to freeze damage in cold climates
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1-16 of 104 results for"coolant test strips"
Sort by:Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2012
I had an opportunity to test these strips against a pro-grade refractometer. I had an HVAC tech over the other day to help me raise the polyethelene glycol concentration in my radiant heat system (it had become slightly diluted after 10+ years).
Over the course of an hour we compared readings about 7 times as we brought up the concentration. Since he had the more accurate device, I'd call out my reading first and then he'd share his. I was within 2-3% of his concentration readings each time ... and I had a ph reading as well.
Now to be fair, I got better over the series of trials because I could calibrate my readings off of his. But even so, you should be confident that you can be within 5% in a concentration estimate without the benefit of a refractometer (as long as you are not color blind).
But I did notice that the bottle has an expiration date ... as it should, since the chems on each strip won't last forever. I think the exp date gives you about three years, and with 50 strips, you'd need to test a lot of glycol to go through a bottle in that time. So buy a bottle and share it with a friend, and keep your eyes on that expiration date !
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2021
I rarely leave reviews, but this product’s quality and simplicity motivated me to do so. It made testing the propylene glycol coolant in my construction equipment enjoyable. I’ll confidently use these with my $100k fleet.
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2012
While the freeze & boiling point measurements of this product is very helpful, the pH range of the strips don't help much, if at all. It gives results for pH levels of 6, 7, 7.5, 8 and then jumps all the way up to 11. The range between 8 & 11 is the most critical, as this is where the pH level should be on most engines. I used the strips to test the coolant on my RV's auxiliary generator. My coolant pH level should be between 8.5 & 9.5. But since the strips jump from 8 to 11, there's no way for me to tell if I'm at the correct pH level.
The lower levels of 6 through 8 are measured at close intervals which is useless, as the coolant should be changed in almost any engine if it falls below 8. The makers of this product should have made the measurements more precise ABOVE 8, not below it.
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2011
I change my coolant religiously at the 30k mile or the 2-year mark (whichever comes first as recommended) for my 1995 Nissan Pathfinder. It
had been 2 years and I took my truck in for my mechanic's inspection for the coolant change. He told me the coolant was in real good shape and no need to flush it just yet.
Me being me, I was just curious and wanted to test it a bit more for my own eyes. These strips told me exactly what my mechanic did. And, as advertised by the product, in only 30 seconds. Extremely easy to do, 'even a cave man can do it.' I'll be using them again and again and with a set count of 50 it should hold me for a
while. Seems to be an accurate and very fair priced product.
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2016
Very handy tool for selling coolant flush services to customers. Quick and easy to use. I deducted one star because this product can not be used with red or orange colored antifreeze, due to issues with the dye. That is not mentioned in the details listed for this product. You only find this out, once you have purchased the test strips and read the directions.
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2010
Yeah, yeah, yeah. It tests freeze protection and acid level. Oh, wait--it DOESN'T test acid level of "orange" (extended-life) coolant. Gee, it'd be nice if a person knew about that BEFORE purchse, since this product isn't going to be fully compatible with newer vehicles; or older vehicles that have been converted to extended-life coolant.
They put that disclaimer on the bottle, but not in the online descriptions.
Works fine when used with the common, ordinary green Ethylene Glycol coolant. There's NO mention of it's suitability when used with Propylene Glycol.
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2016
I bought this mainly for determining the concentration of glycol after conducting a fluid change. I have 2 of the ball-type indicators and found them both unreliable and difficult to use. This product seemed to provide accurate feedback of my Peak Global (green) glycol concentration. Given the price point when compared with competing products I would say this is a good deal for home use.