# How to test Propylene Glycol?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-test-propylene-glycol/58078>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 29, 2010, 12:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-test-propylene-glycol/58078 "2010-11-29T12:15:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DJohnC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6f9a4e/32.png) [@DJohnC](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DJohnC)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 12:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-test-propylene-glycol/58078/1 "2010-11-29T12:15:52Z")

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How to test propylene glycol? I used my radiator tester with the five floating balls, and none of them floated. I think the mechanic put propylene glcol in the radiator instead of ethylene glycol. Since propylene glycol has a density much closer to water, the ethylene glycol tester didn’t work. There must be a tester for propylene glycol, but what if I mix them? Then no tester will be accurate.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-test-propylene-glycol/58078/2 "2010-11-29T12:19:53Z")

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I would start by checking your owner’s manual and see if it specifies one or another type of coolant. Make sure you have the recommend coolant in your car. Then get a gauge useful for the type of coolant you have. Frankly I don’t believe mixing is a good idea, unless you have checked out the compatibility.

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**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-test-propylene-glycol/58078/3 "2010-11-29T13:06:47Z")

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Check back with your mechanic to make sure…perhaps his/her glycol solution is too dilute?

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-test-propylene-glycol/58078/4 "2010-11-29T13:58:02Z")

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Thexton has a tester for propylene glycol. It has a green squeeze bulb.

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**Author:** ![\_Deleted\_User1111116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/ac91a4/32.png) [@\_Deleted\_User1111116](https://community.cartalk.com/u/_Deleted_User1111116)\
**Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/how-to-test-propylene-glycol/58078/5 "2010-11-29T16:11:35Z")

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Mixing them sounds like a bad idea