Type of Coolant?

[pharm_rodeo]

Just wondering what brand/type coolant do you guys use? I used the OEM pre-mixed coolant for my Hondas in the past, but it gets pricey. But, at least I knew it was easy on my aluminum engine. Would the run of the mill auto parts store pre-mixed coolant work?

[surferfletch]

I use Prestone in the yellow jug from Advance in my aluminum '97 3.2L V6.

[pharm_rodeo]

Speaking of Prestone from Advance, I just got back from picking some up..lol. It was $8, but that's not too bad for a pre-mix. The new "advanced" coolants don't have the sweet smell anymore. Maybe I just can't smell it. I stood there and read over several different brands. Seems like most coolants today can be mixed w/o damaging our Rodeo's. I guess only time can really tell.

[Ramblin Fever]

Was using Prestone pre-mixed for ALL cooling systems, till I found out that it's mostly a dex-cool product that *supposedly* shouldn't be mixed, or used in systems designed with the old traditional green.

Now have Peak on hand if needed.

[amigo-2k]

I use the Prestone pre-mix.

[pharm_rodeo]

What puzzles me is why Prestone's 50/50 states it can be mixed with ANY coolant for ANY vehicle, but then they have a Dex-cool line. A non-informed consumer will just think that the 50/50 can work with Dex-cool too. I don't know if it would or not. The bottle doesn't state either way. I'm pretty particular about what goes inside my cars, but in this case I think Prestone should be fine.

[Blue Bowtie]

You CAN mix almost any PEG coolant with any outher PEG coolant and get satisfactory freeze and boilover protection. However, whether you SHOULD do it depends upon how long you intend to keep the vehicle, and how much trouble you want to avoid. The older style coolants used silicates, phosphates, and/or nitrates to coat the metal surfaces in the cooling system and prevent corrosion. These work rather quickly to build a coating. However, they also dissolve and break down more quickly, which is why they need to be flushed clean and replenished every two years or less. DexCool and other silicate and phosphate-free formulas use organic acids to coat the metal surfaces in the cooling system. The process takes longer, but the protection is better and longer lasting.

Unfortunately, mixing the two can cause the silicates to precipitate out of the solution, causing sludge formation and potential blockage of small passages. Also, the reaction between the additives tends to negate the longer term corrosion protection of the acids. Most manufacturers have switched to some form of silicate free coolant for their original fill.

For a fairly in-depth look at the problem, check here:

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2005/us90554.htm

[pharm_rodeo]

So is the Prestone 50/50 considered a dex-cool product? Any evidence that it may damage our rides? I topped my radiator with it yesterday, but I don't know what the previous owner used. All I know is that it is green..lol.

[Ramblin Fever]

Well, I can tell you that I think it's offly funny that I've been dealing with major cooling issues on two vehicles in the last 6-7 months that have always called for the GREEN stuff, and over course of the last 2yrs have had "topoffs" of the Prestone 50/50 mix with ALL antifreezes.

Both of these vehicles have had various hoses replaced over the last 2yrs, requiring top offs at least a few times for both, and suddenly within the last 6 mnths, I have not only dealt with a headgasket failure on a toyota engine that was just rebuilt 40k miles ago, but I've had little hoses causing problems on both vehicles. Not too mention a sudden waterpump failure on my Rodeo - could be coincidental, I don't know, but it was only 5yrs old.

Both vehicles have always had antifreeze flushes every 25k or 2yrs at the most, and my mechanic uses a high silicate (REALLY green) antifreeze. After I realized what *possibly* was occuring, I had both trucks back to my mechanic for 2 separate flushes each within a few weeks, and have still had a hose here and there of question.

Like I said, could just be coincidental, as both trucks are in their higher mileage end of life - but I can tell you that the Prestone ALL antifreeze is NOT a true GREEN, and it doesn't smell like the pure green stuff in my radiators now.

The old true green antifreeze is getting VERY hard to come by, but for topoffs in the future, it's either only Peak or what my mechanic has in bulk quantity.

[pharm_rodeo]

Thanks for the info Ramblin. I looked through the manual but it really doesn't go into types of coolant. What type of coolant do the dealers use? Do the dealers stock their own coolant like Honda? I do believe the old green coolant will be hard to find. In fact, I didn't see any at Advance. I really don't forsee any problems with using the Prestone 50/50 if you maintain the flush at 2 years/30,000 miles. I wouldn't leave any coolant, including dex-cool, in my radiator longer than 30,000 miles.

[df2000]

I use AutoZone brand in Rodeo, I think it still true old "green" stuff.
I use Zerex G05(gold jug) in my Honda since it more close to Honda stuff and cost less, I get it at Pepboys.
Prestone is all makes now and kind of same as Dex-Col, and I just don't want any Dex-Col stuff in my vehicles.