Different Types of Anti Freeze

[DHallworth]

Hi Guys,

A quick question about Anti Freeze....

Just before winter started we bought a 25 litre tub of anti freeze from Millers Oils in Glasgow. When I opened it I noticed this stuff is bright orange compared to the blue stuff I was expecting.

I've read online that if you mix blue and orange they react and can block radiators and do damage to the cooling systems such as corroding the water pumps etc. There's also a class action on going against GM in America as they reckon the wrong anti freeze was causing the engine blocks to corrode.

I've got no intentions of mixing them, but wanted to know if the orange stuff will be OK to use in the PRV & PSA V6 engines or whether it's best just to stick with the blue stuff?

Thanks!

David.

[spider]

I'd be interested in this too.

Different brands / different cars have different colours.

Although without any real knowledge I think as they are all really suitable for mixed metal cooling systems (and everything that's been made in the last 30 years is mixed metal really I guess) , my theory is as long as you do not go mixing different types or brands you will not have a problem.

IE: If you had 'green' stick to that, same make rather than anyone's green.

If you wanted to change it flush it out (not a bad idea anyway) and just fill with whatever you have.

I am not a fan of the PSA long life red coolant though, I used to prefer the green one (before in about 05/06 when they changed it) , I don't really like the idea of leaving coolant for five years. Two or three (three seems sensible) is plenty.

As above am interested to read some unbiased opinions on this subject too.

[HDI]

Orange and red coloured coolant denotes long life type. Long life coolants are silicate free but react if mixed with traditional green or blue coolant.

This is a good explanation of the subject :-

An alternative to tradition green antifreeze is a product currently used by many vehicle manufacturers. Orange or Red antifreeze known as long life or extended life antifreeze increases the useful life of engine coolant. Long life antifreeze is also ethylene glycol based.

The difference between the two colours is that Orange / Red antifreeze contains a different type of corrosion inhibitor that has a much longer life than silicates, phosphates and borates. Orange / Red antifreeze contains organic acids that protect engine parts from corrosion.

Green antifreeze does not mix with long life antifreeze. Never mix the two colours in a cooling system. The organic acids in orange types will cause precipitation of silicates in the green type and corrosion protection is greatly reduced.

Orange type antifreezes are suitable for up to five years or 100,000 miles. They can also be used in many older vehicles if all of the green antifreeze is flushed from the system and is replaced with the orange / red antifreeze. The lifespan of long life antifreeze is about four years or 60,000 miles in older cars.

If you have doubts about switching from the green type of antifreeze to long life antifreeze, contact you retailer or car dealer and ask about compatibility with your cooling system. You can also contact Tetrosyl by email for further advice and technical support.

The level of protection of the coolant has little relevance to the corrosion protection. An antifreeze tester may show adequate frost protection but cannot test for corrosion protection which is depleted over time.

Change your coolant mix on a schedule based on the colour of the antifreeze you are using. Severe corrosion to engine and cooling system components can occur with resulting expensive repairs.

[spider]

I still don't really trust the long life ones. I'd rather drop it out every two or three years and be done with it

[HDI]

Long life coolant is to minimise servicing costs, the big issue for car manufacturers.
It's like Iridium spark plugs, no advantage apart from much longer life, at a price though !
I have a Mitsubishi Evo 6 and a new set of Iridiums is upwards of £40, I use standard double copper plugs with no affect on performance, just shorter life and only £8/set !
I do use long life coolant though, it causes less deposits in the coolant system so allows better coolant to metal contact which reduces hot spots.
I just replace it every 3 years.

[citronut]

i dont know any technicalitys,
but do know you must not mix the red with blue or green, and now reading this it seems orange is tared with the same brush as the red,

but you can mix the blue and green,

i also thought the red and now the orange have a completly diferent make up to blue and green,

i dont think it matters on brand,

the only diference here i belive is the amout they are dilouted before you pour them out of the can,

i did ask my local ECP a while back and he hadent got a clue on the diference's,

dont give us much hope does it



regards malcolm

[Deanxm]

i agree, dont ever mix antifreeze types, just stick to one or the other.

Kind of interesting to go all green though, Motor oil used to be lhm green, i know the stuff my Dad uses on his Triumph is green, Citroen used to have Green Transmission fluid from total for the ZF autoboxes although i hear they had confused customers which led to LHM being poured into auto boxes by mistake.
Also They used to use green coolant before going to blue and now red and to complete the colour co-ordination Halford stock bright green screenwash .

D

[vince]

No comment Malcolm

Some good advice on here....

When selling out anti freeze and lubricant products the general rule of thumb we advise is to stick to what the car handbook says. The vehicle was designed for a specific grade of product and tailored around that, deviating from that in my book invites problems and there is always someone on hand to advise you something else as it isnt their car.

It is down to individuals however on how often they feel a product lasts and how often they wish to change it. Personally i always change things around half the life they state they should last for (even though i am currently overdue an LHM change and oil change) That way if money is tight, by the time you sort that out your still within the recommended change interval. Sure its a tad more expensive, but coolant looks after radiator and head gasket failure issues and they are hellishly more expensive

Mixing blue and red.....based upon whats written here I'd air on the side of caution