Good cheap alternative to Honda coolant?

[Sayjac]

Quote
Honda sells quarts of concentrated coolant.
They do. It's called Type2 Extreme Cold Weather Concentrate. Real purpose is to be added to radiator after some of the current system AF removed, and lower freezing point some. Bernardi Parts list price, $9.51 per qt, which what many dealers would ask.

Bernardi will sell it for $7.42 qt but that doesn't include shipping cost. So find system capacity, take half of that to determine how many qts needed. In this case pricey would be a mild term.

As for Type 2, generally speaking~$20/gal from dealer. I suppose if having the Honda name on the jug worth ~$8 price premium to previously noted WM Val/Zerex Asian phoat, to each their own. Wouldn't be and isn't for me. Not to mention, half of that is water.

As for premix, if one desires a complete distilled flush first, not ideal for sure. Mostly designed for simple radiator d&f.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by RyanY
My only complaint about Honda coolant I that you can only buy it 50/50. When I drain, refill with dH2O, repeat 2 more times, I am left with mostly water. I cannot drain all the remaining water, so I just fill with half the total volume of full strength coolant and then top off with dH2O. The final concentration is 50/50. Can't do this with pre-diluted coolant,


Do you remove block drain plug? In SC it won't get cold enough to matter but tossing in a quart of the Extreme Cold Weather Concentrate would be helpful.

 

[RyanY]

Originally Posted by atikovi

Do you remove block drain plug? In SC it won't get cold enough to matter but tossing in a quart of the Extreme Cold Weather Concentrate would be helpful.


Yes. Still leaves some coolant in the heater core etc and not completely clear after 3x.

I haven't heard of the Honda concentrate but will check next time. Do any of the other (zerex, pentosin, etc) Honda/Asian knockoffs offer concentrate? I haven't seen any of them.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote
…. Do any of the other (zerex, pentosin, etc) Honda/Asian knockoffs offer concentrate? I haven't seen any of them.
OEM brand by Recochem which has been available from PepBoys comes/came as a concentrate. However, it's become difficult to find in store. If you can find it though, a good deal, currently showing $14.90. I'll leave a link, but no guarantee it will show as available in your area. Amazon has it, but it's about twice the price.

https://www.pepboys.com/oem-antifre...-subaru-with-blue-coolant/product/879925

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by RyanY
Originally Posted by atikovi

Do you remove block drain plug? In SC it won't get cold enough to matter but tossing in a quart of the Extreme Cold Weather Concentrate would be helpful.


Yes. Still leaves some coolant in the heater core etc and not completely clear after 3x.


I sometimes do 5x and then it's clear.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Zerex Asian Vehicle from Walmart. Pink or Blue. Doesn't matter.

 

[RyanY]

Originally Posted by atikovi
Originally Posted by RyanY
Originally Posted by atikovi

Do you remove block drain plug? In SC it won't get cold enough to matter but tossing in a quart of the Extreme Cold Weather Concentrate would be helpful.


Yes. Still leaves some coolant in the heater core etc and not completely clear after 3x.


I sometimes do 5x and then it's clear.

Doh! Apparently I quit too soon!

 

[dubber09]

AFAIK SuperTech sold at WM is same as many other coolants or very very close in formula and is POAT and claims it can be used in any car, domestic, asian, euro.
Just bought 3 gal along with distilled water to do coolant change in Sportage next weekend. Under $8 a gal at WM in USA.

 

[Sayjac]

Quote
AFAIK SuperTech sold at WM is same as many other coolants or very very close in formula and is POAT and claims it can be used in any car, domestic, asian, euro....
If the same ST labeled AF as in the States, it's a Dexclone ie., an OAT AF containing 2eha found in DexCool. DexClones are the most common AFs found as auto parts and store brands. Also with the seeming exception of the newer Prestone, unlike the Asian PHOATs they contain no phosphate(P).

It is true that they claim use appropriate for all makes and models, thus they are generally referred to as universal AFs.

 

[cwilliamsws6]

I had to do a coolant flush when I became the owner of my CR-V, the reservoir was already low when I got it and what was in there looked like Coca-Cola.

I ran flushing fluid and water through it like 3 times and just filled it with the yellow "universal" stuff at like $7 a jug. Have had zero problems with it and it's been 5 months shy of 2 years now.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by Warstud
This is what you want.....about $12.00 at Walmart

At least my Napa has it on sale for $10.99 - can't beat that when it's like $18 for the Honda stuff at the dealer.

Zerex calls this G-69. Wonder if it's truly the same additive chemistry as the Honda stuff.