Asian Blue Coolant

[Carlostrece]

I recently learned that Peak & Prestone Asian Blue coolant are rated for 15 years. The other brands I've seen are rated for 5 years.

I also learned that Prestone is $1 to $2 less in my local area. That surprised me because for multi-vehicle universal coolants Peak is lower cost than Prestone in my area.

I know Peak Asian Blue is good. Is Prestone Asian Blue good?

 

[SC Maintenance]

Does Prestone Asian Blue have 2EHA?

All of the "good for up to" is just marketing. Will have a little asterix saying refer to your OEM manual and follow their interval.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Prestone Asian is not good. It's a dexclone 2-EHA impostor

Peak is better, and so is Zerex. There's also Pentofrost A3.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Prestone Asian is not good. It's a dexclone 2-EHA impostor

Peak is better, and so is Zerex. There's also Pentofrost A3.

$10K follow up question...
I have Peak and Zerex in the garage. Can I mix 'em?

 

[Carlostrece]

$10K follow up question...
I have Peak and Zerex in the garage. Can I mix 'em?

Great question. I would also like to know.

 

[Carlostrece]

Prestone Asian is not good. It's a dexclone 2-EHA impostor

You're sure of this?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

$10K follow up question...
I have Peak and Zerex in the garage. Can I mix 'em?

that is probably fine

You're sure of this?

unfortunately, yes

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I use Supertech Asian blue

 

[Carlostrece]

So with Peak claiming 15 years, Zerex and Supertech claiming 5 years, Supertech being made by Peak and really being Peak, and someone earlier in this thread said the number of years claimed it just advertising, it becomes a confusing issue.

How many years of use is realistic for Peak, Zerex, Supertech, or Pentafrost Asian Blue?

If it matters... I'm inclined to use Peak concentrate when I need concentrate and Supertech 50/50 when I need 50/50.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Prestone Asian is not good. It's a dexclone 2-EHA impostor

Peak is better, and so is Zerex. There's also Pentofrost A3.

You're sure of this?

Yes, per Prestone - it has 2EHA - Its probably also just OAT - a real Asian blue is PHOAT. I am too lazy to research further.

https://prestone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/SDS819.pdf

 

[JRay’07]

The Prestone Platinum that I used claims to last up to 350k miles or 15 years. That’s a long time.

 

[Carlostrece]

The Prestone Platinum that I used claims to last up to 350k miles or 15 years. That’s a long time.

Did you see the posts above about Prestone having 2EHA? That's not good because 2EHA is corrosive, especially to gaskets.

 

[Coolant Kid]

There is nothing wrong with 2EHA, it is the holy grail of corrosion inhibitors. I have been using cheap house-brand Dexclones like Supertech since 2007 in all kinds of Asian vehicles with no issues whatsoever. I've had it in my current daily driver, a 2006 Honda Civic, since 2008 and again, not one single issue. I changed the thermostat in 2021, just as a preventative measure and the cooling system passages and the old thermostat itself were all absolutely pristine looking. The old thermostat's rubber seal that surrounds the wax pellet looked basically the same as the seal on the brand new thermostat. All I could think while doing that job is it was a waste of time and money to change it.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

There is nothing wrong with 2EHA, it is the holy grail of corrosion inhibitors. I have been using cheap house-brand Dexclones like Supertech since 2007 in all kinds of Asian vehicles with no issues whatsoever. I've had it in my current daily driver, a 2006 Honda Civic, since 2008 and again, not one single issue. I changed the thermostat in 2021, just as a preventative measure and the cooling system passages and the old thermostat itself were all absolutely pristine looking. The old thermostat's rubber seal that surrounds the wax pellet looked basically the same as the seal on the brand new thermostat. All I could think while doing that job is it was a waste of time and money to change it.

Europe just banned it

 

[SC Maintenance]

There is nothing wrong with 2EHA, it is the holy grail of corrosion inhibitors. I have been using cheap house-brand Dexclones like Supertech since 2007 in all kinds of Asian vehicles with no issues whatsoever. I've had it in my current daily driver, a 2006 Honda Civic, since 2008 and again, not one single issue. I changed the thermostat in 2021, just as a preventative measure and the cooling system passages and the old thermostat itself were all absolutely pristine looking. The old thermostat's rubber seal that surrounds the wax pellet looked basically the same as the seal on the brand new thermostat. All I could think while doing that job is it was a waste of time and money to change it.

2EHA destroys certain plastics and synthetic gaskets. It was a good corrosion inhibitor on cast iron but not so great with other materials.

Prestone is also generally an OAT, which is fine just not generally as good as a HOAT or PHOAT which is what most Asian formula's are. I believe Supertech is pretty much just Prestone.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Europe just banned it

BMW coolant has had it for decades. Will be interested to see their new formula

 

[SC Maintenance]

BMW coolant has had it for decades. Will be interested to see their new formula

That is interesting. That might actually explain why everyone says that you need to change every plastic part in your BMW cooling system at 8 or 10 years?

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

That is interesting. That might actually explain why everyone says that you need to change every plastic part in your BMW cooling system at 8 or 10 years?

I had old BMWs. People said the BMW coolant was supposed to help the plastic. I switched 1 to G05 coolant and it didn't seem to matter. Same typical parts failed and leaked over time. I liked the theory that the cooling system pressure was too high as they got older and caused the parts to fatigue and fail. They run nearly double or more the cooling system psi as most other manufacturers.

 

[Carlostrece]

I believe Supertech is pretty much just Prestone.

I heard in an earlier thread few months ago that Supertech coolant is made by Peak and that Supertech Asian Blue is Peak in a Supertech jug.

Does anyone know who makes Supertech Asian Blue? More importantly, does Supertech Asian Blue contain 2EHA?

If Supertech is made by Peak, count me in for Supertech. It's it's made by Prestone, count me out for Supertech.

Peak is available in a jugs of concentrate or 50/50. Supertech is available only in jugs of 50/50.

I like to put in concentrate after flushing system with distilled water. For top offs I like to put in 50/50.

 

[Carlostrece]

This post is intended to be a summary of what I've learned, and presents some new/additional/refined info that Slacktide sent me in a PM. If any of my info below is incorrect, then please correct me.

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Slacktide sent me a very useful PM about maintenance schedule. With his permission I'm publicly posting it below so all may benefit.

Service Life of Coolant - Follow the vehicle's recommended service interval.

In this case the vehicle is an 03 Honda CR-V.

For your 2003 CRV, Honda says the first coolant should be at 10 years or 120k miles, and subsequent coolant changes should be at 5 years/60k miles.

Go to page 238 of the 2003 Honda CR-V Owner's manual

2006+ Hondas have an automated maintenance minder instead. For those cars with the MM, it's code 5. (I interpret that to mean change the coolant when MM tells you to, which is indicated by a code 5)

The standard vehicle maintenance schedule applies whether using Honda OEM Coolant or any brand of Asian Blue Coolant. It also applies regardless of # of years claimed on the jug of any brand.

To say that another way, change Asian Blue coolant as often as you would change Honda OEM brand coolant.

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Although there is some debate about this, I'm of the opinion that I only want to use a brand of Asian Blue that does not contain 2EHA because 2EHA is widely reputed to be harmful to plastic, gaskets, and maybe rubber, which could result in leaks.

Peak, Zerex (Valvoline) and Pentafrost do not contain 2EHA. So those brands are good choices. I would buy whichever of those is lowest cost. Walmart is likely to have lowest prices, but autostores sometimes have sales. NAPA sells Peak. Oreilly sells Zerex. I don't know about other autostores.

Supertech (Walmart store brand) Asian Blue does not contain 2EHA if it's made by Peak, but Supertech would contain 2EHA if made by Prestone. I don't know who makes Supertech coolants. So I don't know who makes Supertech or if it contains 2EHA. Hopefully that will become known for sure. Who makes Supertech coolant? More importantly, does Supertech Asian Blue contain 2EHA?

Prestone defineately contains 2EHA. So I would avoid it.

There are many other brands of Asian Blue. I don't know if they contain 2EHA or not. So I don't know if they're good, or not.

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Lastly, the consensus is that it's fine to mix different brands of Asian Blue coolant, which makes sense to me. However, I would avoid brands that contain 2EHA.

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If I left anything out, or you think I'm incorrect about any of the above, please let me know. Thanks!