[Healeys] Semantic Battles over Silly Things

[editorgary at aol.com]

As an editor (of a car magazine), I just love these semantic battles:
Are antifreeze and coolant the same thing by different names? And who sez?

One person's quick-and-dirty wikipedish online source says they're the same.


BUT, my primary reference for this kind of information, the Road & Track
Automotive Dictionary (John Dinkel, Bentley Publishers, 2000), says:

"Antifreeze: Any of several substances (commonly liquids and typically
ethylene glycolo) mixed with water and added to a car's cooling system to
lower the freezing point of the coolant and to inhibit formation of rust and
other deposits."

Note that according to them, the two terms are obviously different, and also
note, according to them, Antifreeze DOES NOT RAISE THE BOILING POINT OF THE
COOLANT. Only something like Water Wetter can actually do that.

So there, for what it's worth.

Gary

Gary Anderson
Editor-in-Chief, The Star Magazine
Editor-at-large, Austin-Healey Magazine