Couldn't find G05. Used Peak Long Life instead.

[brianl703]

I couldn't find Zerex G05 at Pep Boys (in fact, they had no Zerex products at all) so I ended up using Peak Long Life in my 1988 Mustang GT.

That is the coolant detailed here:
http://www.peakantifreeze.com/peak_longlife.html

I'm uncertain as to whether Peak Long Life is considered a Dexcool clone or not. It claims to have no silicates or phosphates, so if I am not mistaken that means it is an OAT coolant.

Peak recommends Peak Long Life for Ford vehicles prior to 2001 as shown here:
http://www.peakantifreeze.com/referencechart.html

Are there any likely problems I could encounter by using this coolant in my 1988 Ford Mustang GT?

 

[Tosh]

In Peak's FAQ, it says it's an OAT.

 

[Ray H]

OAT with no phosphates or silicates definitely qualifies Peak Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant as one of the unlicensed DEX-COOL clones. Ford claims (not sure I believe them) that DEX-COOL is problematic with certain seal materials and equally problematic with water pump impeller erosion damage due to cavitation effects*. Make sure the radiator is kept FULL at all times. DEX-COOL does not tolerate aeration well. Keep us posted.

*G-05 and the Japanese forumulae use reduced silicate levels and phosphates, respectively, to immediately "repair" the micro-bubble pockmarks caused by explosive cavitation. OAT, alone, takes several thousand miles to fully establish (or re-establish after cavitation damage) a protective anticorrosion layer on bare metal.

 

[ChrisW]

I believe that Peak longlife (blue bottle) and Peak Global (gold bottle) both use sodium borate/tetraborate/sebecate as the anti-corrosion inhibitor. Same to G 05 except with no silicates.

 

[brianl703]

Well, it's been just under a year and the coolant overflow bottle is down about a cup and a half.

No leaks, I think that maybe just due to evaporation (it's an overflow tank, not one of these sealed tanks like on newer cars).

 

[Ray H]

I'm not convinced which method is subject to faster evaporation - a sealed, pressure charged expansion tank that's always subject to coolant heat or a non-pressurized overflow bottle that isn't. My better half's '00 Cavalier has the former. It hasn't been problematic at all, but I do wonder at what point that endlessly cycled and stressed pressurized plastic tank will silently tell me to KMA as it throws its own retirement party...

 

[brianl703]

The oldest pressurized tank I'm familiar with is on my brother's old car (which used to be my car), a 1995 Contour LX with 172K on it and about 12 years old (born Jan 1995). The same car has all of the original hoses on it, too...

 

[George7941]

Surge tank cracking just has not been a problem at all. The fact that the pressure builds up very gradually over a period of about fifteen minutes and dissipates over an even longer period and that the pressure cycle only happens once per trip helps.

 

[Dave Hess]

I had a 1990 LX 5.0 and I also used Peak Antifreeze/Coolant without any problems.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

Quote:

---

It hasn't been problematic at all, but I do wonder at what point that endlessly cycled and stressed pressurized plastic tank will silently tell me to KMA as it throws its own retirement party...

---

THAT sounds ominous...

 

[MNgopher]

Ask an owner of a Jeep Cherokee from 87-90 about cracking pressurized tanks! Having one, I make a point of changing the tank every four years to prevent the eventual failure of the tank.

Of course my F150 also has the pressurized system, but no cracks in the tank after 7 years and 150,000 miles. Better pressure vessel design perhaps?

 

[JHZR2]

Quote:

---

The oldest pressurized tank I'm familiar with is on my brother's old car (which used to be my car), a 1995 Contour LX with 172K on it and about 12 years old (born Jan 1995). The same car has all of the original hoses on it, too...

---

My 1983 MB 300D has the original presure tank and radiator! 228k miles of use...

Lots of coolant changes and citric acid flushes have helped the radiator, I suppose... and the pressure tank is a beefy thing...

JMH