Which colour coolent - Blue, green or orange?

**L20KEV** · 11-6-09, 6:37

I meant coolant

I use green

Which do you use and which is best. also are any of them alcohol or methanol based. (read below statement for why i asked)

Coolant (5L) which must be suitable for aluminium alloy engines/radiators/cores in not being alcohol or methanol based.
welcome to Probe - MX6 - Maintenance section

**Zach** · 11-6-09, 10:32

I use distilled water with a bottle of 'water wetter'.

**nasher** · 11-8-09, 14:23

Use Prestone antifreeze / coolant. Its is suitable for all engines, and will mix with all other colour / types. I know this as I used to sell it.

Mike

**nasher** · 11-8-09, 14:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zach

I use distilled water with a bottle of 'water wetter'.

Proves that some yanks are retarded :-)

**L20KEV** · 11-9-09, 14:45

Anyone know the spec of the standard general motor store green, orange blue etc. thanks

**nasher** · 11-11-09, 14:22

L20KEV

The advice you need is above, why post if your not going to read?

**L20KEV** · 11-17-09, 10:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasher

The advice you need is above, why post if your not going to read?

yes, thanks for your partial advice (no need to be rude calling Zach a retard for being american and also with me about re-posting the question, though)

However, this was the question..

Which do you use and which is best. also are any of them alcohol or methanol based.

You only answered what you use. ( Prestone ) - is that a type or just a make? what colour is it??

But you didn't answer which is the best.. orange, blue or green

Nor if either of those are methanol/alchohol based

p.s. hope you dont think im being funny or ungrateful to you. but that is why I re asked the question later again a) to bump it up & b) coz only part had been answered.

**Goatcrapp** · 11-18-09, 8:48

Dexcool (orange) is silicate based, and safe for aluminum engines. Any silicate based coolant will be safe, but many ethyl based (typically green) ones are now safe for aluminum blocks as well, because of the anti-corrosion and other inhibitants they put in... it will say on the bottle whether it is safe or not. Prestone, btw is a brand. they make a "yellow" coolant that can safely be mixed with any other coolant, and is safe for aluminum, being partially silicate based. Note about other coolants: if you have been running an ethyl based (typically green), and switch to a silicate based (most common is orange) - you'll need to perform a very, very thorough flush of the system with water first... the two types will congeal when mixed... it's somewhat like a runny rice pudding at that point.

nasher - I hope you like the taste of humble pie... feel free to apologize to zach once you're done eating it. Quick lesson on engine cooling: from a performance standpoint, distilled water absorbs more heat per volume than *any* ethyl or silicate based commercial coolant, and is more efficient at thermal transfer/ heat exchange than any of them as well. The "water wetter" product reduces the surface tension of water, which aids in raising its boilover point.

"Best" is a subjective term, and if you don't need to worry about freezing - plain old distilled water with a surface tension breaker (there are several products) is the standard in the racing world, and also the least corrosive having a perfectly neutral PH. The OP asked for "best" and got one of many valid answers. Apparently, mr. nasher - some brits are retarded, too

**L20KEV** · 11-18-09, 10:08

Thanks Goatcrapp,

That was exactly what I was looking for.

BTW mine has green in it. I had heard that orange lasts longer etc & was gonna change over, but it soulds like a pain to swtich so I will just stick to green & ill make sure mine is silicate based.

how recently have green ones become ok for alloy?

Thanks again

**Goatcrapp** · 11-18-09, 11:23

at least a decade, but it doesn't mean all greens are aluminum safe... definitely check the bottle, or get the prestone yellow, when you're buying.

**L20KEV** · 11-19-09, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goatcrapp

at least a decade, but it doesn't mean all greens are aluminum safe... definitely check the bottle, or get the prestone yellow, when you're buying.

Comma Xstream Green Extralife Concentrated Antifreeze - 5 Litres [CO-XSG5L] - £16.49 - Wilco Direct - For All Your Motoring Needs

found the one i bought -can you work out from the product description if its ok?

P.S. good taste in cars (Jeep & MX owner too)

**Goatcrapp** · 11-19-09, 10:35

heh, thanks.

Without boring you with all the details - the phosphate and amine free part of that description means it won't harm aluminum components, so it'll work.

**nasher** · 11-25-09, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goatcrapp

Dexcool (orange) is silicate based, and safe for aluminum engines. Any silicate based coolant will be safe, but many ethyl based (typically green) ones are now safe for aluminum blocks as well, because of the anti-corrosion and other inhibitants they put in... it will say on the bottle whether it is safe or not. Prestone, btw is a brand. they make a "yellow" coolant that can safely be mixed with any other coolant, and is safe for aluminum, being partially silicate based. Note about other coolants: if you have been running an ethyl based (typically green), and switch to a silicate based (most common is orange) - you'll need to perform a very, very thorough flush of the system with water first... the two types will congeal when mixed... it's somewhat like a runny rice pudding at that point.

nasher - I hope you like the taste of humble pie... feel free to apologize to zach once you're done eating it. Quick lesson on engine cooling: from a performance standpoint, distilled water absorbs more heat per volume than *any* ethyl or silicate based commercial coolant, and is more efficient at thermal transfer/ heat exchange than any of them as well. The "water wetter" product reduces the surface tension of water, which aids in raising its boilover point.

"Best" is a subjective term, and if you don't need to worry about freezing - plain old distilled water with a surface tension breaker (there are several products) is the standard in the racing world, and also the least corrosive having a perfectly neutral PH. The OP asked for "best" and got one of many valid answers. Apparently, mr. nasher - some brits are retarded, too

Eat humble pie? Na, thats for retards too

I said Prestone would do the job, and you confirmed that.

Thanks

2.2literTurboIC · 1-14-10, 13:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasher

Proves that some yanks are retarded :-)

LOL I AGREE!