Yummybud924

I just replaced my coolant today with Prestone Heavy duty, coolant.

it's a black bottle, heavy duty for diesel/ gas applcations. no phophates, low silicate formula. says it's charged with SCA's? for heavy duty applictaions.

not sure if this coolant protects aluminum/ cylinder head and rad.

you think this stuff is okay?

http://www.shamrockchicago.com/PrestHdAf.html

http://www.shamrockchicago.com/PrestHdAfSpec.html

Yummybud924

also this stuff was purple and I'm not sure what it means by " no intitial SCA's " requied.

Mighty Shilling

I beleive phosphate free is good.

Yummybud924

did you check that link.

well i don't know if it has addititves to protect aluminum.

also it says "contains intitial precharge of SCA's"

I googled tht and it says that SCA's stop turbulance at the waterpump? and prevent water pump and cooling system damage.

I'm kind of confused now. not sure if I should drain it and get some vw / porsche antifreeze to be safe.

Yummybud924

ah crap looks like the heavy duty prestone is mainly formulated for heavy duty diesel engines which are nto aluminum. so it's probably nto best for aluminum engines.

i might just have to replace ti again maybe I'll ge the porsche stuff to be safe. I'v heard stories of cylinder heads pitting due to people using the wrong coolant in their cars

Lizard944

Zerex G-05

xsboost90

why wouldnt you use a 50/50 premix regular antifreeze. Who knows if that stuff is compatable w/ the original stuff- i know some of the orange/red coolants will gel up in the system if they touch the green stuff.

Yummybud924

does just any regulary green antifreeze protect the aluminum in the engine / rad?

I know different car makes require different forumulas of coolant to protect the metals. I've heard of hondas and other foreign cars (some lady with a vanagoon) that had their cylinder heads pitted and needed replacing most likley because of using improper coolant.

StoogeMoe

You want phosphate AND silicate free antifreeze. My machine shop guy showed me what improper antifreeze did to a BMW head. All pitted and torn up. Use distilled water too.

Erzengal

Flush your system well to avoid gelling from mixing types.

Then get either the Audi/VW or Porsche Antifreeze. If the Dealer is charging over $40/gal, then get some from Paragon. You will need about a gallon, and you mix it 50/50 with Distilled Water.

Rich Sandor

You want 100% Silicate AND phosphate free.

I use the orange stuff that comes in a silver/gray jug. You can get it at CrappyTire or LordCo or whatever.

heybiff

Silver jug, orange color. Almost looks drinkable.

H.

JohnKoaWood

I used the black jug, you know the one with the Porsche logo on the label, almost pinkish after installing my new radiator and draining/flushing out all the orange crap...1 Gallon of Porsche GL5, 1Gal+ a little extra of Distilled Water at $25 beats the hell out of a new $350 Radiator, plus new hoses, thermostat, various other little bits...

Keep an eye on your radiator if using DexCool, you may end up with more of a mes on your hands then you asked for...

yellowline

This is like asking about motor oil. Everyone has an opinion, and everybody says to avoid what the other guy is using.

4 years of DexCool, no problems with the radiator. Have had the head off to change a 23 year old, 125,000 mile head gasket...which is the life most other head gaskets see. No problems with pitting.

I also run closer to a 60-40 antifreeze-water mix. Better lubrication for the pump, plus mine doesn't see truly extreme temps (~10-90 degrees F); the better cooling properties of water are not required. With AC delete, I also have better airflow to the radiator, making up for the slight loss of cooling ability- no condenser blocking airflow.

Yummybud924

well today I bought prestone long life antifreeze says mixes with all types of antifreeze and safe for aluminum engines.

but doesn't say phosphate and silicate free.

this is what I originally had in it for the past 2 years. it's a universal long life coolant, yellow bottle prestone.

I don't want to try dexcool or anythign else because I'm scared it might jell up.

how exactly do you flush to get all the coolant out of the block?


only the dexcool I found says phosphate free.

I can get the porsche stuff tomorrow I think it's 25 bucks for a gallon not too bad but I'm not sure if it can jell up with the purple prestone I have in right now.


I also bought distilled water and redline water wetter. Water wetter also says provides protection for brass, steel and aluminum.

I don't want to risk having my clydinder head pitting and having the headgasket fail because of the wrong coolant.