Sorry for seeming like I posted and bailed, been really busy lately. I did read every single response and really appreciate all the input. Before reading, I initially decided to opt for Zerex Asian blue which only comes in 50/50, and I decided is okay for my area if it mixes with a little extra flush water. I bought it on sale at O'Reilly for $14.99/gal x2. Then I saw it at my larger local Wal-Mart for $12.97/gal. Sold! But now it raises a question, the silver bottle (Wal-Mart) and black bottle (O'Reilly) are the same, right? Both are Zerex, both Asian blue, both list Hyundai, and both are 50/50. Just different retailer packaging? Old/new stock? The O'Reilly part number is 861398. I can't find anything at all about the Wal-Mart version. I bought something that doesn't seem to exist. After doing some research I think it's brand new. The Valvoline part number on the back is 883865, UPC: 0 74130 06592 5. Labeled as "Valvoline with Zerex technology 50/50 prediluted antifreeze/coolant, for Honda, Acura, Nissan, Hyundai, KIA, & others."
Get pentofrost made for Asian vehicles. You can buy it in full strength. I refuse to buy zerez Asian due to 50/50 only.
I'm a fan of Pentofrost A2 in my Hyundai and Kia products. It is widely available - some auto parts stores stock it and most can get it in a day or two. It matches the OE P-HOAT formulation and color so it is good to go for a drain and fill without turning your coolant an ugly color that makes it look like it has been neglected (especially if you go in for warranty work). Also, I like that it is available full strength which lets you get the concentration right if you're doing a flush with distilled water. The price is a bit high compared to conventional IAT green and OAT all makes/all models dexclone, but it is not ridiculously expensive by any means.
That being said, the owner's manual is very non-specific and there are very few reports of cooling issues with Hyundai or Kia products. They don't even have any TSBs warning about coolant that I have heard of... and this is the company that has much of the Internet scared of running aftermarket filters via a widely misinterpreted TSB. So as long as you're doing a full flush to avoid any chemistry compatibility issues, I think you'd be fine with anything.
But then I read these replies. I always knew about Pentosin, but always chalked it up to essentially the Amsoil of coolant (imo great, but overpriced and unnecessary for my needs, no offense toward Amsoil) and never paid much attention. Now that I've done some research, I like the idea of Pentofrost A2. It's green like the current coolant, fully compatible, and full strength. I can get it for $24.99 at AAP and get anywhere from 25-40% off of that with promo codes. So the most I'd pay is $18.74/gal, if not less. That's cheaper than $25.94 for Asian blue ($12.97x2) and I can truly get a 50/50 mix. Sounds perfect, but after looking for hours online, I can't find any information on how long that coolant's recommended service interval is. I know the Zerex Asian blue is 5 years/150k, but no info for A2, not even from Pentosin's website. Regardless, I like A2 because even if it's a shorter interval, that's good because then if my water pump fails later on, I won't be mad that I have to dump a 150k mile coolant at say 60k into it's lifespan. Plus, this stood out to me:
You have the right thought process in that you know the current coolant is mixed too strong and should be replaced. But you're over-thinking the coolant choice. Taking it to a radiator shop is a good idea because the questions I have is "why is the coolant mixed so strong? Are there other problems or did someone accidently use full strength coolant and not mix it with water?"
Unless there are contaminates in the overflow tank, I don't think you need a high pressure flush on a 2 year old vehicle. Full replacement of the coolant? Yes. Explain the situation to the radiator shop and let them do their thing. It looks like you can use any "ethylene-glycol-based coolant". Let the shop use whatever coolant they typically use. They have experience and trust in certain products.
Good luck.
I forget that I actually bought a car that isn't 7-10 years old already. Never done that before and that sort of maintenance stuff is automatic to me. Huge thanks for pointing that out
. Seems obvious, but I forget the obvious sometimes. I guess a power flush isn't necessary. All the more reason to not use Asian blue.
Thanks everyone for all your help!
