Confused by G05

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Ursae_Majoris

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So my 2002 Isuzu Axiom with 54K miles is due for coolant change. According to dealer any green coolant will work (has green in it now, dealer did flush and change 2.5 years and 20K miles ago). I know that color is not something to go by. Axiom has aluminum V6 engine block and aluminum radiator (same engine as Isuzu Trooper).
I am concerned about high silicates and sulfate in regular 2-year green coolant interacting with aluminum and also wearing my water pump sooner.

Prestone and Peak All-makes/All models non-silicate extended coolants have 2-EHA in them, so I do not want to touch them.

I just picked 2 gals of Zerex G05 at NAPA for $9.88 ea. Back of the bottle says to use DexCool for 1996+ Asian vehicles. Why?????

Bottom line, if I do a complete flush with distilled water, can I use G05 in my Isuzu? I can not find Peak Global anywhere up here, so it is not an option.

Thank you!
 
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I don't think that G05 would cause you any problems. But it is a 'low silicate' coolant, and Asian manufacturers generally use silicate-free coolants.

Zerex has just come out with a new non-2eha Phosphate-OAT coolant that would be a better fit for your application.

I didn't want to call it a POAT coolant. Sounds dirty.
 
Silicates are what concern me. Regular green is not low silicate, so I do not see how dealer can recommend it for Isuzu??? Prestone and Peak are not silicate free either.
 
Originally Posted By: onion

Zerex has just come out with a new non-2eha Phosphate-OAT coolant that would be a better fit for your application.

I didn't want to call it a POAT coolant. Sounds dirty.


For us novices......What is EHA-2?
And what is meant by a Phosphate coolant?
 
The reason Zerex calls for dexcool for Japanese cars 96 and up is because Japanese coolants use phosphorates instead of silicates for quick protection against cavitation. Germans use the opposite for the same reason, I read it has something to do with hard water and that silicates or phosphorates (can't remember which) do not react well with hard water. But dexcool doesnt have neither silicates nor phosphorates, so protection against cavitation may be compromized.

Low silicate formula will be fine with distilled water.
 
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According to everything (technical, not hearsay) that I've been able to find, G-05 is probably actually the closest thing to a universally safe and effective coolant out there. Too bad that Prestone has a better marketing machine for their [censored] "all makes all models" spooge. I'm running G-05 with good success in an all-iron 1960s engine, and its factory fill in modern all-aluminum engines and iron block/aluminum head engines too. A concern for older cars is sufficient protection for copper-containing parts like older type heater cores and radiators- G-05 protects those fine too.

Just be aware, all of the newer chemistries work best with distilled water. Most (not all) tap water is basic and immediately starts to react with the organic acids. Treated tap water also has chlorides that will react with metals over time. Tap water also doesn't always get along well with the cavitation inhibitors.
 
Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris
Silicates are what concern me. Regular green is not low silicate, so I do not see how dealer can recommend it for Isuzu??? Prestone and Peak are not silicate free either.


Why the fear of silicates? The ONLY reason for moving away from high-silicate coolants was because silicates can begin to precipitate out of the coolant when its left in the cooling system too long, and the manufacturers really wanted to be able to claim "5 year 50k miles" or more. Changing conventional high-silicate coolant regularly has always prevented that problem, and the low-silicate coolants have proven they can go as long as silicate-free coolants without precipitation issues. Yes, P-OAT coolants are available without any silicates or 2-EHA so that would also be a good choice, but IMO the fear of silicates is greatly overblown.
 
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Just be aware, all of the newer chemistries work best with distilled water. Most (not all) tap water is basic and immediately starts to react with the organic acids. Treated tap water also has chlorides that will react with metals over time. Tap water also doesn't always get along well with the cavitation inhibitors.

I always use distilled water, for flushing and for final mix. If I can taste chlorine in my drinking water, I do not want it anywhere my engine.

My concern with silicates is water pump seal life. When I hear silicates, I think of sandpaper. Am I confused about it?
 
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Originally Posted By: fins
For us novices......What is EHA-2?
And what is meant by a Phosphate coolant?

2-EHA is organic acid found in Dexcool and many after market extended life coolants. It is a plasticizer, and can make many plastics soft. It can damage head gaskets in the engines that were not designed for it.

Phosphate coolant--uses phosphates as anti-cavitation agent.
 
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I think that the "silcates = sandpaper" is a hold over from the old days when water pumps had more easily damaged seals AND people use to leave HIGH silicate coolants in way too long.

AND.....I repeat, AND....I am not sure that you can even buy a HIGH silicate coolant anymore. Read the label on any of today's "conventional" green coolant and they state that they are low silicate. The ZEREX product even says it can be used in Diesal engines if you add the appropriate SCA. High silicate coolants in diesels was taboo with the old formulations.

Check this out: 5yr./100 K life

http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/zerex/antifreeze/40

If you open the PDF tech sheet, it shows 250ppm silicates for the conventional vs. 250 - 300ppm silicates for G05!!!

You can also check out the new Zerex Asian formula here:

http://www.valvoline.com/products/consumer-products/antifreeze-radiator-products/antifreeze/
 
Asian Zerex is available only in 50/50 premix, so I can not use it. I think I will take Gold-bottled Zerex back and just go back to the regular Green low-Silicate. Thanks for all the help.
 
The last jugs of "old green" Texaco antifreeze I bought says its low silicate.
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Alex.
 
Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris
Prestone and Peak are not silicate free either.
Actually Peak Long Life advertises(see link) that it is both silicate and phosphate free. I just did a complete distilled flush series using it on an 03 Altima. It replaced Prestone AMM LL which had been in ~ 3years. I don't know if Prestone AMM LL is silicate and phosphate free, no info on website.

Nissan calls for coolant service 30k/2yrs so I'm not concerned. My system was/is clean and I've had no issues using it. And, am not concerned about 2eha since I regularly service my cooling system. The Peak LL just happened to have a $5 rebate so I chose it this time. But, if the 2eha really bothers you, you should get Peak Global Life, if you can find it.

The Xerex chart is a decent guide, except for the Asian cars, IMO. Nissan Altima actually calls for "green" coolant which I assume means conventional green, so the chart is wrong there for sure.

http://www.peakantifreeze.com/peak_longlife.html
 
I have not had any issues with Dex-Cool or G05 in anything Toyota makes but that is just on Toyota's. I prefer G05 becasue Ihave seen Dexcool do some real damage to aluminum blocks when ran for the 5 years 100,000 miles the OEM claims. In fact many Aluminum blocks are not rebuildable because of all the damage Dexcool does when ran for it's proclaimed life expectency. Their is also an issues with air in the lines affecting it and if too much water should boil off it is negatively effected.

I have seen first hand the damage Dex-Cool can do to plastics and would never use it any place where collant has to pass through plastic parts!G-05 does not have any of the problems that Dex-Cool has had. I too use distilled water but I believe G-05 can actualy be mixed with most tap water. The water in Germany is very hard and G-05 works fine with it but they do not add Chlorine to their water in Germany either.
 
Wow. Panda Bear has disappeared. John Browning has returned. I'm sure it's a coincidence. No really! ;-)
 
I have an 07' Saturn Vue with the Honda V-6. I want to lose the Dexcool, and was considering the G05, but then I saw a chart in one of the threads here that shows G05 not being recommended for Asian vehicles, so now I'm really confused. Suggestions anyone? I don't want to tick off Saturn should I have a warranty claim, but I would rather do what Honda wants, not what GM wants.
 
Originally Posted By: Ursae_Majoris

My concern with silicates is water pump seal life. When I hear silicates, I think of sandpaper. Am I confused about it?


You're partially confused. When you think "silicates," why don't you think "silicone grease?"

Silicates can be either a lubricant or an abrasive. The ones used in coolants only become abrasive when they age/deteriorate to the point that they begin to precipitate out of solution. High percentage silicate coolants have a life of about 2 years before precip becomes a risk. Low-silicate formulas like G-05 can easily last as long as zero-silicate formulas like DexCool, plus they have the benefit of rapid protection and better cavitation protection. Nitrate and phosphates additives are also good cavitation protectors, and P-OAT coolants may indeed be the way ahead in the long run. But there's nothing fundamentally wrong with silicates.
 
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