Anti Freeze question

[pompei]

I went to buy some today  -  it seems to come in blue (down to -16 degrees) and red (-34 degrees) but both labels say don't mix with any other colour fluid.  I have no idea what is in the radiator.  What is the worst that could happen? (needless to say I was thinking about the blue which is half the price of the red)

 

Thanks

[skattrd]

I don't know what happens if you mix, but you can buy a clear one you can mix with either, I have some in my emergency tool kit.

 

Can't you drain a bit of fluid out (radiator tap/hose) to check whats in there? or flush the lot and put fresh in.

[spike60]

Drain the lot, flush and start again if you don't know. I was a bit skeptical about not mixing antifreeze but we got a 2nd hand Tranny at work which seized soon after, the coolant in the galleries had become jellified and coolant mixing was blamed.

[fordperv]

You would get violet antifreeze if you mixed the 2 colours, Joking aside if your getting antifreeze anyway you may as well drain and flush the system

[Rusty_Rocket]

Red/ pink is usually OAT antifreeze, blue/ green is normally traditional glycol stuff.

The two do not mix well, you get a brown sludge if you try!  Generally, OAT was specified for stuff built in the early 2000's onwards.  You can fill an older system with the newer stuff, but it needs totally flushing first.

[Pillock]

Yeah, if you mix the two types together they'll react and you get something like pouring gravy granules, mayo and chocolate mousse in. Only not as tasty.

 

I'd drain, which lets you see what colour was in there, and then refill with the same colour to save flushing the lot plus then you have the right concentration of new antifreeze. This will guarantee the weather won't drop below 10 degrees all winter.

[Guest Lord Sward]

So what camp does green fall into?

[red5]

Glycol.

 

OAT Organic Acid Tech stuff is usually pink/orange

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I think antifreeze rotting the rubber sealing beads on the head gasket is responsible for a lot of K series HG fails. I know Rover insist on OAT coolant but I wonder if even this attacks the rubber or the bonding agent, albeit very slowly.

[Guest Lord Sward]

From what I understand of the beading on the K-series gaskets, it naturally leaves the gasket over time and use.  Gylcol has a heavier specific gravity which does the delicate head no favours.  OAT FTW for K-series.

[RoadworkUK]

Ooof! My coolant arteries are caked with cholesterol. Christ knows how many different flavours of antifreeze I've had through there in sixteen years.

 

Right. Out it comes. What would y'all suggest as the best coolant flush to get it all out?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

From what I understand of the beading on the K-series gaskets, it naturally leaves the gasket over time and use.  Gylcol has a heavier specific gravity which does the delicate head no favours.  OAT FTW for K-series.

 

Yeah I think this business of it naturally leaving the gasket is a big problem, and the main reason for going to an all-steel gasket. I reckon those moulded-on beads just come off over time, don't know if the antifreeze breaks down the bonding of the rubber onto the metal or what but all the k series HGF's i've met have had the original gasket and the elastomer beads have come debonded from all of them which to me explains the failure.

[Partridge]

we got a 2nd hand Tranny at work which seized soon after

Oooooh, Matron!

[gordonbennet]

From what i've read (no doubt only partially understood), OAT the pink and red stuff is fine for later designs, but can be destructive to soft metals such as brass or copper, so for older cars i use Glycol, so got a gallon of each type from ECP.

 

For flushing i didn't use anything in particular, just used me usual washing trigger that fits onto the mains pressure hose, luckily the narrow tapered 'barrel' of the gun seals nicely inside heater hoses so by disconnecting the odd heater hose the system could be flushed fully on both cars.

 

Subaru was a bugger to bleed,  as the chaps on the Outback forum said would be the case, however i tried it would not bleed fully until the front was raised high, the exit from our drive is seriously steep and that did the trick.

 

OAT stuff is rated as 5 year life, Glycol still rated as 2 year unless anyone knows different.

 

Oh and watch out, some of the stuff is now pre mixed so you're paying for bloody water.

[Guest Lord Sward]

Mr Bollocks, with regard to the K-series, I still prefer the beaded gasket to the later type.

[danthecapriman]

I dont use OAT (red/pink/orange) in old stuff, I too have been told it can damage soft metals and old rubber. The old blue or green glycol stuff is still as good as anything as long as its in a clean system.

Ive just bought some blue antifreeze concentrate from ecp, for my yank. Ive got a tin of the wynns coolant flush aswell so ill see how that goes. Ive used the Holts radflush before in my Capri and it seemed to shift a fair bit of silt and sludge. Not convinced its going to help a really dirty system though!

 

I normally use the flush as directed on the bottle, then drain and refill with just water - run up to temp then drain again. Keep repeating untill the water drains out clean, then add the antifreeze mix.

[mercrocker]

There is no simple answer to the original question - even flushing and refilling will not stop pink and blue from sludging in narrow tubes and galleries (or moving stuff around to lodge in new places).   Flushing an old rad can destroy old repairs etc etc.  Iron engines can withstand wrong coolant better than aluminium ones.  Get as much as you can out.  If its an older, more tolerant vehicle I would run it on plain water or a generic coolant for a week, perhaps with some radflush added, then flush and refill with chosen potion.   Still the risk of blocking a waterway though.  Is it a car you are familiar with enough to notice any change in temperature behaviour or an unknown quantity?

[oldcars]

Shite, i have been using the pink in the Reliant, i think it should be blue 

[Minimad5]

Has anyone use the Evans waterless coolant yet ?

Not idea how it works, but read some good reviews.

[pompei]

Thanks for your input fellas.

 

The car is a 2002 Saab 9-5.  I think just to be on the safe side, I'll flush it out and start again.  Coincidentally, the dash display is giving me a message that the coolant level is low - it does that from time to time even when there seems to be plenty there ...

[sierraman]

I'd definitely use the red stuff. As people have noted its likely to cause some damage using the blue glycol based stuff on anything as recent as the Saab . I've been to look at cars and its been the biggest pointer to iffy inexpert 'maintenance' when I see something relatively recent with some poundland blue antifreeze in.

[twosmoke300]

Saabs had pink/red antifreeze at least from 98 on if not before