Why do we want low pH antifreeze?
 

I know it must be something simple, but low pH means acidic. Why put acidic fluid in the car? G-05 specifically says low pH and low silicate. I've read posts where people want their test strip to show pH of 9 or more. That's not low pH.
Thanks,
Dave

Says low phosphate and low silicate. pH starts north of 9, so it it doesn't get anywhere near "low pH" if you consider low 7's as neutral.

Wher did you see "low pH"?

• Automaker approved technology. Protection for up to 5 years / 150,000 miles
• Minimizes inhibitor depletion
• Low-silicate, low-pH and phosphate-free formula
• Protects all cooling system metals, including aluminum

The above is copied from the Valvoline website. That's what made me wonder.
Dave

Dave,

I think there is a simple answer to your query that rather intrigued me. I took a look at the Valvoline website out of interest and nowhere could I find a reference to the term "low pH". However on their product description for their Zerex G05 I did see the term "reduced pH" used. Now when looking through the product description one sees that the pH 50% v/v is quoted as 17.9 which is rather bizarre given the pH scale stopped at 14 when I was at school!

I suspect that given that pH is a measure of acidity their perception of "reduced pH" is mean to imply "less acidic". To be fair, most systems that measure something use numeric values that go higher as the value increases but pH is "ass about face".

I suspect therein lies the conundrum! :banghead:

It sounds like their copywriter thought low pH means low acid. I guess since this is good anti-freeze, marketing errors don't matter that much. I was afraid that I missed something and that aluminum engines actually prefer an acidic environment, but just didn't sound right.

BTW here is the link to the Valvoline website:
https://www.valvoline.com/our-produc...freeze-coolant

Thanks,
Dave