Changing coolant-water ratio of 50-50 premix?

[Jake_J]

Needless to say running 100% coolant is a very bad idea and somebody claiming to have done so for 20 years with no ill effects is like arguing that smoking is not bad for your health because your Grandpa Joe smoked for over 50 years and lived to a ripe old age. Both the OP's 2006 Vibe and CR-V use essentially the same kind of coolant (P-OAT) dyed two different colors. Flushing a modern Toyota or Honda cooling system is a waste of time and money as unless it was not maintained or abused in the past as the cooling system will be spotless when you drain the coolant. If the OP wants one concentrated coolant that he can use in both cars to change the coolant/water mix and not change the coolant color then I'd suggest Prestone which is now a P-OAT and is designed to not alter the factory coolant color.

 

[Davejam]

Originally Posted by Jake_J

Both the OP's 2006 Vibe and CR-V use essentially the same kind of coolant (P-OAT) dyed two different colors. Flushing a modern Toyota or Honda cooling system is a waste of time and money as unless it was not maintained or abused in the past as the cooling system will be spotless when you drain the coolant. If the OP wants one concentrated coolant that he can use in both cars to change the coolant/water mix and not change the coolant color then I'd suggest Prestone which is now a P-OAT and is designed to not alter the factory coolant color.

Hmm what is Prestone up to? It doesn't say on their label if they are silicate, borate, nitrate, amine free like would be required for Honda (Asian). On the vibe its not really clear to me what came in it from the factory, whether it was Toyota/GM coolant. But I think if you do a complete flush with water and Asian coolant will suffice. Pentosin, OEM Recochem have concentrates available.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by Davejam

On the vibe its not really clear to me what came in it from the factory, whether it was Toyota/GM coolant. But I think if you do a complete flush with water and Asian coolant will suffice. Pentosin, OEM Recochem have concentrates available.

According to an article I read back then it said GM used DEX-COOL in the engines and that was contrary to the coolant chemistry Toyota wanted to be used.

 

[Jake_J]

Originally Posted by Davejam

Hmm what is Prestone up to? It doesn't say on their label if they are silicate, borate, nitrate, amine free like would be required for Honda (Asian). On the vibe its not really clear to me what came in it from the factory, whether it was Toyota/GM coolant. But I think if you do a complete flush with water and Asian coolant will suffice. Pentosin, OEM Recochem have concentrates available.

Prestone simply added phosphate to the OAT formula making it a P-OAT like all the Japanese car companies use. It is 100% silicate, borate, nitrate, and amine free as required by Honda, and Toyota. The Pontiac Vibe is a lightly restyled Toyota Matrix which was made at the Toyota-GM joint venture NUMMI plant in California (which was sold to Tesla in 2010). Though the Matrix/Vibe twins was a joint venture in reality the Vibe is 90% Toyota and 10% GM with the chassis, drive train, and cooling system being all Toyota. At the factory both cars were built side by side and both were filled with Toyota SLLC (pink), however the manual for the Vibe states to use Dex-cool while the Matrix manual states to use Toyota SLLC. While some may scoff at mixing Toyota pink coolant and Dex-cool it really isn't an issue as thousand of Vibe owner could tell you, both coolants are essentially the same thing (an OAT coolant) with Toyota SLLC adding phosphate and using somewhat different corrosion inhibitors.

 

[Lubener]

Originally Posted by TrustyAutos

As so many of the available coolants come only as a 50-50 premix, is there any way to change the ratio upwards? (coolant-water) I have 2 scenarios in mind: (a) want to flush system with distilled water ... then use 50-50 premix to fill ... but that might leave me at something like 40-60 (b) getting a very cold climate vehicle to 55-45 or 60-40 (Canadian winter) If there's no way to do the above, is there an undiluted, non-universal brand that would would work optimally for both a: (a) 2006 Pontiac Vibe (b) and 2006 Honda CR-V [I know I could use something like Peak Global Lifetime Concentrate, but am searching for something more optimal (like Zerex Asian Blue/Red).] Thank you!

I know I am going to get flamed for this . But I have run 100% coolant , no water , or 20 - 30 years . No problems / over heating . No water / no rust . Now , do as you wish .

I run 50/50, no problems, no overheating, no rust. I run coolant for atleast five years. So I accomplished the same as you at half the cost.