Dumb coolant question
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 459
Likes: 11
From: Western Slope of CO
Dumb coolant question
What color should the coolant be? My car has blue coolant. All the Porsche coolant I've seen is pink. Are there other Porsche approved/safe for aluminum coolants that are blue?
Racer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 412
Likes: 2
From: Out of Philly
Not a dumb question at all; I asked it a month ago.
Wait....
Here's what I learned and I'm open to corrections to learn more. There are "two" types of true Porsche coolants for newer models, of which you qualify. The older version of the newer coolant was/is yellow while the newer version is pink. Porsche no longer sells the yellow version.
When I say yellow, I mean yellow, not yellow/green, or green/yellow.
The typical Pep Boys yellow/green is the wrong coolant for our cars and may gel your factory coolant.
Go to your dealer (or search this board for cheaper alternatives). Pay $35. Buy Porsche pink coolant. Insert into car in appropriate orifice. You should not have the old yellow/green, you should have yellow and pink will mix safely. It did for me.
As I understand it, blue coolant is/was used on Audi and VWs and so you might have blue coolant, which some say is compatible.
Search "coolant" and you will find several threads:
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...hlight=coolant
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...hlight=coolant
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...still-low.html
Good luck.
Wait....
Here's what I learned and I'm open to corrections to learn more. There are "two" types of true Porsche coolants for newer models, of which you qualify. The older version of the newer coolant was/is yellow while the newer version is pink. Porsche no longer sells the yellow version.
When I say yellow, I mean yellow, not yellow/green, or green/yellow.
The typical Pep Boys yellow/green is the wrong coolant for our cars and may gel your factory coolant.
Go to your dealer (or search this board for cheaper alternatives). Pay $35. Buy Porsche pink coolant. Insert into car in appropriate orifice. You should not have the old yellow/green, you should have yellow and pink will mix safely. It did for me.
As I understand it, blue coolant is/was used on Audi and VWs and so you might have blue coolant, which some say is compatible.
Search "coolant" and you will find several threads:
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...hlight=coolant
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...hlight=coolant
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...still-low.html
Good luck.
Last edited by Peter 642; May 17, 2011 at 10:47 PM. Reason: Links added
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 459
Likes: 11
From: Western Slope of CO
I'm not sure what color this would be, but looks green/yellow? How hard is it to do a coolant sytem flush on these? Coolant is a little low too. This concerns me since a major service was just done on it in Feb by PO.
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Racer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 412
Likes: 2
From: Out of Philly
Hmm...I was going to say yellow, since mine looked like that from the top, but from the side shot it looks more yellow-green. It shouldn't be yellow-green. I cannot quote you how easy a flush is, but it's certainly safer than taking a chance. Do you know the car's history very well?
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 459
Likes: 11
From: Western Slope of CO
Unfortunately don't know much about the history. PO is a fellow Rennlister. He bought the car 3 yrs ago without knowing the history. It only has 40K miles on it. I did find that it had been regularly serviced at a Porsche dealer up to 2005 at 17500 miles. PO bought it with 39K on it. The in between time is a mystery. Car just had major service done at a indy Porsche shop. PO had receipts for all work done then. I don't have a Porsche shop near me. Nearest would be 5 hours drive 1 way. There is a shop 2 hours from me that specializes in aircooled cars. Would it be worth taking to him (flat high desert) or driving the 5 hours (over mountain passes and through a canyon)?
Parts Specialist
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Rennlist Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16,326
Likes: 30
many air cooled guys wont even look at water pumpers... they have enough work and dont care. My indy is very active in every generation from early 356 Carreras to GT3RS abd even the SUV's...
He likes air cooled and is a specialist and concourse board member of some level...knows a lot, wants to know more....
you could call the guy and ask what his interest is in M96's
as for that coolant, it looks wrong, i would go for a system flush but it will take a lot to get it all flushed AND will cost quite a bit even if you DIY... it takes a lot of coolant and its not cheap...learing about that system can be done here... many have had success with it
He likes air cooled and is a specialist and concourse board member of some level...knows a lot, wants to know more....
you could call the guy and ask what his interest is in M96's
as for that coolant, it looks wrong, i would go for a system flush but it will take a lot to get it all flushed AND will cost quite a bit even if you DIY... it takes a lot of coolant and its not cheap...learing about that system can be done here... many have had success with it
Track Day
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
The Factory BMW Coolant is blue and what I have been putting into my 1997 E36 M3. They (BMW) recently went to a newer/different color one but I have several gallons of the old stuff sitting around.
I know a lot of people will just go with "this is German made so it's good" point of view and maybe this is what happened there?
I know a lot of people will just go with "this is German made so it's good" point of view and maybe this is what happened there?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 459
Likes: 11
From: Western Slope of CO
Looks like I'm going to take the 5 hour drive to the Porsche dealer. I need to get a wheel lock key anyway. Should at least be a fun drive. Just hope I don't have a flat before I get there, or I'll really be in a bind.
