But the short-lived nature of the corrosion inhibitors means this type of coolant should be changed every two to three years or 30,000 miles (though some products now claim a service interval of up to 50,000 miles with improved chemistry). Again, always defer to the owner’s manual. For example, OAT coolants should not be used in a vehicle that specifies the use of a hybrid OAT coolant. The fast-acting silicate and phosphate corrosion inhibitors provide quick protection for bare iron and aluminum surfaces, and have a proven track record of providing trouble-free service in virtually any vehicle application (domestic, Asian or European), assuming the chemistry is correct.
Traditional North American “green” antifreeze, the original “universal” formula that everybody used until the introduction of today’s extended-life coolants. There are essentially three basic types of coolants: The more we get into the specifics of each type of coolant, the more confusing the whole discussion becomes – so we’re only going to tell you what’s really worth knowing with respect to the different types of antifreeze. What’s more, colors can change if somebody tops off the system with a different coolant. You can’t go by the color of the dye in the coolant because two coolants with similar colors may have different chemistry, and two coolants with different colors may have similar chemistry. For example, Ford and Chrysler specify hybrid OAT-only coolants. It’s important to always use the coolant chemistry recommended in the vehicle owner’s manual. These requirements are usually spelled out in the vehicle’s owner’s manual, and/or a decal or label on the coolant reservoir. Your vehicle, do what you think is right, but this has worked for me for going on 30 years now.We’re not going to summarize the whole laundry list of OEM coolants and colors here except to say that each vehicle manufacturer has their own unique coolant specifications based on corrosion protection requirements, service life and chemical compatibility. I use the stronger solution mainly for the additional corrosion inhibitors, I don’t really need the additional freeze protection.īTW, I go at least 5 years between changes now, sometimes more (5 and a 1/2) and so far have not had the coolant show any signs of breakdown. I also no longer worry about a little old residual coolant in the system, I drain the block and the radiator, put the drain plugs back in and refill with a 2:1 ratio of antifreeze and distilled water. Now I use the new universal longlife coolants and haven’t had a problem with them. I have used Dexcool in both GM cars and even in our Honda and my Nissan truck with no problems.
I stopped using flushes after that and have had very few problems with cooling systems since then. I was talking to her on the phone and mentioned it, she told me that she had just had all new hoses put on it just before she sold it to me. Within a month I had to replace the water pump and every hose in the system. It took awhile to make the connection, but my mother sold me her car and I did the whole routine. After getting done, within a month or two I would start having problems with water pump leaks and hoses failing. Every time I bought another car, I would do a major maintenance on it, oil, all fluids and a radiator flush with new coolant. I haven’t used a chemical flush in about 30 years now, but back when I did, I was in the Navy and had a family to support, and that meant that I could only afford used cars, and older ones at that.
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