Choosing a universal coolant (OAT ELC vs hybrids)

[Antimatter]

Hello all,

I'm a long-time lurker, first time poster. I have been thinking about switching all my vehicles from a mix of manufacturers to one coolant, and leaning toward Peak Final Charge Global, since it claims to be free of most things that some manufacturer finds objectionable. Its product description says it is an OAT coolant that uses non-2-EH inhibitors, and it contains no nitrite, silicate, phosphate, or borate.

All that sounds good, but what has me second-guessing is that most of the newer vehicle manufacturer formulas seem to be not pure OAT coolants but some kind of hybrid (P-OAT, Si-OAT, PSi-OAT, etc.) Is that because the manufacturers have found those hybrid formulas to be superior? Or maybe just cheaper to make? My main concern is the best possible protection since I generally try to keep vehicles running as long as possible.

I'm curious about others' opinions on what would be the best choice for a mixed small personal/family fleet (with a few extended family vehicles starting to creep into the maintenance pool as well). Is Final Charge Global the best choice? A different ELC or "universal" formula? Or would one of the specific manufacturer-compatible formulas that all the major coolant brands sell in a rainbow of colors be a better choice to use as a universal?

 

[Coolant Kid]

Do not waste your money buying Final Charge Global, there is really no need.

Simply use the cheapest house-brand universal extended life (Dexclone) coolant you can find. Walmart Supertech, Autozone's Shop Pro or Napa 1EXT when it's on sale (like right now) are all fine choices. I know it's hard to believe - the right choice is the easy one, with a coolant that is literally available everywhere starting with your local Walmart.

You may be wondering, do I even use this stuff myself? I sure do, and have since 2007. My daily driver is a 2006 Honda Civic that has had nothing but cheap Dexclone coolant since 2008, with no problems whatsoever. My radiator, water pump and heater core are all original. When I changed my thermostat in 2021 for preventative maintenance purposes, the thermostat itself and cooling system passages looked pristine. I put this in every vehicle I service and have never had one single issue.

 

[SC Maintenance]

OAT is the original Dexcool. It provides very long life corrosion protection after it lays down a protective layer. It lacks the early protective layer inherently in traditional coolants.

Hence HOAT or PHOAT provide that up front protection along with the long life. Best of all worlds.

The cheap coolants go OAT because it blends with everything and its cheap to make. I would use OAT in something that already has had an OAT from new, but I wouldn't change an older car out to it. HOAT has none of the downsides except maybe a couple more bucks up front.

2EHA is a good corrosion protection only after its been in the car for a while, and can cause significant issues with certain gaskets or plastics. Its also been banned as auto coolant in most countries because its very toxic. I would never use 2EHA myself - you just never know if its going to cause an issue until its too late.

 

[nthach]

I’m using Peak Final Charge Pro-Series pHOAT in a Lexus that saw hard Uber use - no 2-EHA was the selling point and so far, so good. I might use it in the family Toyota fleet… if it wasn’t for 2 cars that use Prestone Cor-Guard(2-EHA pHOAT) or Peak 10X(pHOAT). Those I might switch over during maintenance to have one coolant for all. However, the car with Prestone also is known to leak from a valley plate that doubles as the thermostat housing. That was sealed with Toyota’s expensive($80/tube) ThreeBond 1282B RTV that supposedly resists coolant better than their standard FIPG 103(ThreeBond 1207B). This repair was done around 2021, and it’s been almost 5 years to the date - no coolant loss besides top-offs for evaporation or coolant stains on the ground/engine bay.

OWI said Final Charge wasn’t recommended as inverter coolant - but there’s transit buses using similar setups as a Toyota hybrid that also see heavy-duty OATs being used.

 

[nthach]

2EHA is a good corrosion protection only after its been in the car for a while, and can cause significant issues with certain gaskets or plastics. Its also been banned as auto coolant in most countries because its very toxic. I would never use 2EHA myself - you just never know if its going to cause an issue until its too late.

The concern besides it being a plasticizer is it attacking silicone. GM found out the hard way. I’m not convinced Toyota’s factory non-2EH coolant is also benign to gaskets - the valley plates on the MZ-family V6s and the UR-family V8s are known to leak. Toyota’s factory coolant uses sebacic acid, also a plasticizer as all carboxylic acids are. Dex-Cool is 2-EHA and neodecanoic acid in either Na/K salt(sodium neodeconate or potassium neodeconate). Sebacic acid and neodecanoic acid seem to be chemical relatives to each other.

 

[johnmyster]

I wouldn't choose Global if for no other reason than Pro is more available. Take a look at your local walmart, auto parts stores, etc. Walmarts are everywhere and have 50/50 on the shelf. My local AZ, AAP, and OR also have Pro in stock, concentrate or 50/50. Also at truck stops...

I think I caught Pro concentrate on sale at NAPA for $18 a gallon before planned water pump PM on my truck. There's really no reason not to use the stuff. I have zero concern for heater core clogging on a 5 year interval.

https://www.owi.com/binaries/conten...-documents/hdaw-2023/peak-hd-afc-brochure.pdf

My hesitance for using AMAMs (Motorcraft Yellow, Prestone AMAM Coreguard) is that depending on brand, they depend on 2EHA and I was trying to get away from it...honestly for no reason. Dexcool has treated me well.

HOAT G-05 loyalists will cling to the stuff until death, but I have no use for any coolant that is becoming more difficult to find and has bad effects if cross mixed.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The concern besides it being a plasticizer is it attacking silicone. GM found out the hard way. I’m not convinced Toyota’s factory non-2EH coolant is also benign to gaskets - the valley plates on the MZ-family V6s and the UR-family V8s are known to leak. Toyota’s factory coolant uses sebacic acid, also a plasticizer as all carboxylic acids are. Dex-Cool is 2-EHA and neodecanoic acid in either Na/K salt(sodium neodeconate or potassium neodeconate). Sebacic acid and neodecanoic acid seem to be chemical relatives to each other.

I have usually stuck with Nissan OEM for my Nissan's. This is all they say about it:

However last time I was in a rush and found Xerex concentrate at the local parts store. I honestly have considered it, and using it in my Toyota as well. Thoughts?

 

[pbm]

Peak Global Lifetime and Peak Titanium use Denatonium Benzoate instead of 2-EHA. Is this also a plasticizer?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

OAT is 2-EHA Dexcool/Deathcool

If you have a Euro or Asian vehicle, use Zerex Asian or Euro as applicable. Some American and German cars use G05.
If you have a car that uses Dexcool/Deathcool, use Peak Global Lifetime or Tiatnium.

Peak Global Lifetime and Peak Titanium use Denatonium Benzoate instead of 2-EHA. Is this also a plasticizer?

Denatonium benzoate is a bittering agent to prevent people from drinking it.

 

[Seppie10]

We went to this at work for all my heavy equipment and gm and ford pick up. No ill side effects

 

[SC Maintenance]

We went to this at work for all my heavy equipment and gm and ford pick up. No ill side effects
View attachment 320411

THis is interesting. I assume a Canadian brand?

I presume its using silicates? If so you wouldn't want it in an Asian vehicle - they generally spec Silicate, Borate and Amine free.

 

[Sumboodie]

I run Delo ELC in everything. I get it for around $45 a case (6 gallons)

 

[pbm]

Denatonium benzoate is a bittering agent to prevent people from drinking it.

I now see that 'Denatonium benzoate' is also listed on the back of PEAK Universal coolant which also contains Potassium 2-EHA and Sodium 2-EHA. Strangely, PEAK Titanium doesn't show what it uses which is why I mistakenly thought the Denatonium benzoate was the corrosion inhibitor package.

THis is interesting. I assume a Canadian brand?

Up in the left hand corner of the label is an 'R' which is 'ReoChem' who is a Canadian coolant manufacturer. They made the old 'OEM' brand coolants that were sold at Pepboys in the past. Some 'OEM" brand coolants (by ReoChem) are still available on Amazon.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I run Delo ELC in everything. I get it for around $45 a case (6 gallons)

Also 2-EHA.

Much better price than Prestone however, so if your going that way anyway likely a good choice.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Also 2-EHA.

Much better price than Prestone however, so if your going that way anyway likely a good choice.

Prestone is $6 a gallon at Dollar Tree. Nothing is cheaper than that!

 

[pbm]

Prestone is $6 a gallon at Dollar Tree. Nothing is cheaper than that!

I wonder if that Prestone at DT (I think they call it 'Prime') is the exact same as their AMAM in the yellow jug? $6 is a good deal.

 

[Sumboodie]

Also 2-EHA.

Much better price than Prestone however, so if your going that way anyway likely a good choice.

PDS says "free of borate, silicate, phosphate, amine and 2EHA"

It's use on million dollar engines, so figure it's fine for my fleet of "junk" Also got tired of "this is the best", no "this is the best", "NOOO this is the best, that "best" is trash" and I'm not keeping 5 or 6 different flavors on hand. No fleet I handle does do that.. they stick with one.
Haven't heard a single complaint and some of these engines in the fleets have 40-50,000hrs. Chevron Delo stands by their stuff.

 

[SC Maintenance]

PDS says "free of borate, silicate, phosphate, amine and 2EHA"

It's use on million dollar engines, so figure it's fine for my fleet of "junk" Also got tired of "this is the best", no "this is the best", "NOOO this is the best, that "best" is trash" and I'm not keeping 5 or 6 different flavors on hand. No fleet I handle does do that.. they stick with one.
Haven't heard a single complaint and some of these engines in the fleets have 40-50,000hrs. Chevron Delo stands by their stuff.

Strange. The SDS I pulled showed Sodium 2-ethylhexanoate

https://cglapps.chevron.com/sdspds/SDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=425849&docFormat=PDF

 

[Sumboodie]

Strange. The SDS I pulled showed Sodium 2-ethylhexanoate

https://cglapps.chevron.com/sdspds/SDSDetailPage.aspx?docDataId=425849&docFormat=PDF

That's the old version, was sunsetted a year ago, though probably still old stock hanging around being sold. It's called ELC Advanced now. My understanding is that the main reason was so it's compatible with the newer CAB aluminum heat exchangers.

But dunno, I just deliver the stuff and know what the smart enginerds tell us.

Maybe if I owned anything new I'd look into whatever flavor antifreeze it's "supposed" to have, but my newest stuff is pre DEF still. Oldest is 1960s.

 

[SC Maintenance]

That's the old version, was sunsetted a year ago, though probably still old stock hanging around being sold. It's called ELC Advanced now. My understanding is that the main reason was so it's compatible with the newer CAB aluminum heat exchangers.

But dunno, I just deliver the stuff and know what the smart enginerds tell us.

Maybe if I owned anything new I'd look into whatever flavor antifreeze it's "supposed" to have, but my newest stuff is pre DEF still. Oldest is 1960s.

Don't get me wrong - I really like Chevron products. But it being good for a commercial diesel may or may not mean its good for a passenger vehicle. It really comes down to the spec and components. For example years ago silicates were used in commercial diesel applications, but the silicates would take the water pump seal out of lots of passenger vehicles.

I would like to know more about the Chevron stuff. I will need to do some digging.