Confused about coolant

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Jan 3, 2020
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Brittany
My old E250 with 500k km on the clock has been filled with the universal green coolant at some point. I'd like to flush it and use the proper blue coolant i always use, G48, the one that replaced G05 at some point. (MB 325.0, 326.0 if pre mixed)

I've been told to use some pink coolant that also carries a MB spec (325.3 if i'm not mistaken). What do you think? At some part stores they didn't even know about the existence of MB/BMW specific blue coolant, telling me that "blue is windshield washer fluid". Even getting coolant is difficult nowadays. Is it me or everything is getting more and more complicated, even the most basic things?

Anyway, pink coolant seems to be either G12 (or +, ++, evo), G13 or G40, but i dont understand coolants very well. Can i use one of them after flushing my cooling system? I'm thinking about doing a citric acid flush before filling the system up again.
 
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Are you sure G05 was the original specification for your 1995 MB? Valvoline says 1998-2011 for G05.

I would call Peak & see which coolant does meet the MB spec.
 
Are you sure G05 was the original specification for your 1995 MB? Valvoline says 1998-2011 for G05.

I would call Peak & see which coolant does meet the MB spec.
I've done some research last night and yellow G05 and blue G48 both are what MB calls 325.0 (pure) or 326.0 (pre mixed) and are compatible with each other. MB switched to another spec starting in April of 2014, 325.6 (pure) or 326.6 (pre mixed). The newer coolant appears to be pink and is nothing other than G12++/G13. According to MB it is backward compatible with older cars as long as a complete flush is performed.
 
I've done some research last night and yellow G05 and blue G48 both are what MB calls 325.0 (pure) or 326.0 (pre mixed) and are compatible with each other. MB switched to another spec starting in April of 2014, 325.6 (pure) or 326.6 (pre mixed). The newer coolant appears to be pink and is nothing other than G12++/G13. According to MB it is backward compatible with older cars as long as a complete flush is performed.
Then I would assume the pink stuff will work just fine then. I would still do a complete flush regardless and just go with the mix 50.
 
Well, the coolant headache continues. The closest MB dealer is an hour drive away and only carries the pink stuff which is in fact G40 and the spec is MB 326.6.

The price is prohibitive compared to what i can buy at local stores. I grabbed 10L of G13 coolant thinking it would be similar as G40 but it appears it is not.

Would you use it? If you think this coolant can't be used in my car, i'll use it when i service a VW.

To sum up, my choices are OAT, some labelled as universal or G12/G12+ that sometimes carry other specs like MB specs for trucks or Si-OAT G12++ or G13.

Chemists and coolant experts please chime in.
 
Well, the coolant headache continues. The closest MB dealer is an hour drive away and only carries the pink stuff which is in fact G40 and the spec is MB 326.6.

The price is prohibitive compared to what i can buy at local stores. I grabbed 10L of G13 coolant thinking it would be similar as G40 but it appears it is not.

Would you use it? If you think this coolant can't be used in my car, i'll use it when i service a VW.

To sum up, my choices are OAT, some labelled as universal or G12/G12+ that sometimes carry other specs like MB specs for trucks or Si-OAT G12++ or G13.

Chemists and coolant experts please chime in.
bmw and volvo are all getting rid of g48 and moving to stock psi-oat or ht-12 si-oat in the case of bmw
 

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If i understand things correctly, G11 is what is also called G05 or G48, the stuff i usually use. So, if using G13 in an old VW car made for G11 is ok, can we safely assume it will work just as fine in an MB of the same vintage? I don't see metallurgy being much different between the two...
 
The confusion starts when people try to find another coolant to use than what the OEM calls for. I'd use G-05
 
As i said, i can't get either G05 or G48 anywhere for some reason i don't understand. I think i'll just use the G13 coolant.
 
I think you should be fine with G13. It looks like that's what is replacing the older coolants anyways.
 
I would assume your original spec called for G05 - is this correct?

I don't know much about the Euro coolant specs, but if you read the zerex G05 Spec its a HOAT - "its original long-life chemistry is specially formulated with the highest quality virgin ethylene glycol and Hybrid Organic Acid"

It goes on to say its a lower silicate, lower PH - phosphate free formula. https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...2d889bd3/8469eb8c-e29c-e711-9c10-ac162d889bd3

Most "mixes with everything" formula's tend to be OAT's. They often have 2-EHA - which my limited understanding on is they can soften silicon and some plastics - but its apparently a pretty good anti corrosion additive - so it would depend on the gaskets and hoses in your vehicles.

G48 I don't know much about - but it seems to be sort of its very own formulation?

So the question is what options do you actually have available, and what are the specs? It wouldn't be too hard in the USA to find a HOAT phosphate and silicate free coolant, using the valvoline or other G05 SDS to compare to, but I have no idea on your side of the pond.
 
Isn’t the Prestone Platinum good for everything?
Again, my very, very limited knowledge of chemistry is Prestone's primary anti corrosion additive is 2-EHA. So yes, it will mix with everything, and it won't freeze. Its applicability beyond that is open for debate.
 
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I would assume your original spec called for G05 - is this correct?

I don't know much about the Euro coolant specs, but if you read the zerex G05 Spec its a HOAT - "its original long-life chemistry is specially formulated with the highest quality virgin ethylene glycol and Hybrid Organic Acid"

It goes on to say its a lower silicate, lower PH - phosphate free formula. https://sharena21.springcm.com/Publ...2d889bd3/8469eb8c-e29c-e711-9c10-ac162d889bd3

Most "mixes with everything" formula's tend to be OAT's. They often have 2-EHA - which my limited understanding on is they can soften silicon and some plastics - but its apparently a pretty good anti corrosion additive - so it would depend on the gaskets and hoses in your vehicles.

G48 I don't know much about - but it seems to be sort of its very own formulation?

So the question is what options do you actually have available, and what are the specs? It wouldn't be too hard in the USA to find a HOAT phosphate and silicate free coolant, using the valvoline or other G05 SDS to compare to, but I have no idea on your side of the pond
He can't get G-05 or G-48 because it's Out of stock . Read Post #7
 
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