Used original Zerex in '03 Altima...

[badbrad358]

I used original green Zerex in my mother-in-law's '03 Altima 3.5L. After a great deal of research here and other places I am still slightly confused. It seems there should be no real issues this coolant would cause in this car, but it seems most people say the OEM or G-05 would be a better choice. I also use reverse osmosis water when doing my cooling system services. My question is really regarding the original Zerex. It must have a better anti-corrosion package than the old traditional ethylene glycol coolants as it is rated for 5 year/100,000 miles. It also actually has less silicate than G-05 and the Japanese makers call for silicate free. Check out the data sheets:

http://www.valvoline.com/products/zerexoriginal.pdf
http://www.valvoline.com/products/zerexg05.pdf

So does anyone see any real issues with using this coolant in Nissan's?

I've used it in my wife's '99 Altima 2.4L for several years now with about 30,000 mile changes without any issue. Everything (including 90's model Fords) I've used this green Zerex modern formulation in has held up well with sparkling clean cooling system metals and no water pump failures. (I probably just jinxed myself, but oh well) I'm certainly not sold on the "one fits all" mentality of Prestone and the like.

 

[Ray H]

Even the Zerex's current "Original Recipe" has reduced silicate content by the standards of a decade ago. (The "real" original silicated antifreezes available a decade ago were butting heads with 450-500 PPM silicate levels.) Mercedes-Benz has used G-05 for over two decades in all their vehicles. Ford and DaimlerChrysler are firmly on board, too. The Japanese predilection against silicates is based on silicates falling out of solution and tearing up waterpump bearing seals. While that was a concern with previous silicate levels, it's a non-starter, now. Don't discount that the advice freely given by Japanese automakers is partly due to the Japanese "Big Three"'s wanting you buy their proprietary brews at stealership gouging levels. (The Japanese antifreeze formulas are dosed with hefty amounts of phosphate for hybrid protection - which can also precipitate out over time. There's also phosphate in "traditional green" antifreeze formulations.

) Did you do harm to the cars you service? If you did a full flush with distilled or de-ionized water until it ran colorless during draining, I doubt it. But G-05 would've been good, too. (That 58 parts-per-million difference in maximum silicate level between G-05 and Zerex Original is inconsequential. That's like a stray mutt only having 58 fleas per million hairs.)

 

[badbrad358]

Thanks for advice Ray. I feel the same way you do overall and I did use purified water from my reverse osmosis system which is very close to distilled purity. I feel fine with the coolant I used and don't feel any harm was done. However, what is the consensus on G05 vs. the original green Zerex? Because as I've mentioned before the original green Zerex seems to be a higher quality "regular" antifreeze than other plain green ethylene glycols with about the same silicate level as G05.