Why not use prestone universal in everything?

[ryland]

Is there some reason why I shouldent use prestone universal in my 05 honda element? I have been using for a year with great results.

 

[Bill in Utah]

I think if you replace the coolant with reasonable changes (like every 3 years) I think you'll be fine. Use distilled water or the overpriced 50/50 stuff and you'll be fine. Take care, Bill

 

[ryland]

here is more info about my situation from another thread Why can you not use preston universal????? In fact why even have this descussion? If they say any car, any engine, any color isent it ok with ANY car???? Why even worry if someone elses fluid is compatible that dosent claim to be, that you have to go to a dealership to buy when you can buy prestone at ANY gas station, grocery store, or auto parts store? I guess I just dont get it. Maybe I just dont know what I'm talking about but if someone claimes that and its widely availible and has been for a long time and you dont see hundreds of cars on the side of the road with coolant issues why not just use it? Even if you dont trust it and are crazy you could just change it once a year or every 2 years. I'll just make my own thread and ask this question. I should add that last year I had problems with my 05 honda element. It sounded like a coffee percolator when I would turn. Come to find out thats a common problem in 05 elements. The coolant they used clogs passageways and creates air pockets that flow between the radiator and the heater core that make it make coffee pot noises. When I looked at my reservoir there was nothing in there, just like the person who posted before me. I dont know if it was never filled at the factory or it was using antifreeze? All I know is I wasent going to use honda antifreeze when it had already let me down so I put prestone universal in and a year later It hasent used any and when you start the car and let it idle till the water pump clicks on it dosent bogg the engine down when it does it.

 

[hate2work]

I say more power to ya, brotha

 

[getnpsi]

Dealers may try to use any make and model antifreeze as an easy way to void a warranty, if cooling system components just happen to need a replacement. Otherwise changing the actual fluid is much more important than the fluid used. Extra aluminum pitting over time, how much time? I went to green coolant in my dodge when i changed the turbo w/o thinking about it. Now after 4 trouble free years and several refills later I don't want to go back to the expensive dealer only stuff, not to mention the internet rumors of mixing formulas. (I didn't use all makes stuff, just the cheapest w/ distilled.)

 

[bepperb]

I'd be worried about your water pump not getting proper lubrication. On a timing chain motor, replacement of the WP isn't normal maintenance. Why would you change out the Honda antifreeze after only three years?

 

[ryland]

 Originally Posted By: bepperb

I'd be worried about your water pump not getting proper lubrication. On a timing chain motor, replacement of the WP isn't normal maintenance. Why would you change out the Honda antifreeze after only three years?

Ummmm....because of the reasons I listed above. I had no antifreeze in the reserve and my heater core was making noise because of air bubbles and clogged passages from the factory fill.

 

[01rangerxl]

 Originally Posted By: ryland

here is more info about my situation from another thread Why can you not use preston universal????? In fact why even have this descussion? If they say any car, any engine, any color isent it ok with ANY car???? Why even worry if someone elses fluid is compatible that dosent claim to be, that you have to go to a dealership to buy when you can buy prestone at ANY gas station, grocery store, or auto parts store? I guess I just dont get it. Maybe I just dont know what I'm talking about but if someone claimes that and its widely availible and has been for a long time and you dont see hundreds of cars on the side of the road with coolant issues why not just use it? Even if you dont trust it and are crazy you could just change it once a year or every 2 years. I'll just make my own thread and ask this question. I should add that last year I had problems with my 05 honda element. It sounded like a coffee percolator when I would turn. Come to find out thats a common problem in 05 elements. The coolant they used clogs passageways and creates air pockets that flow between the radiator and the heater core that make it make coffee pot noises. When I looked at my reservoir there was nothing in there, just like the person who posted before me. I dont know if it was never filled at the factory or it was using antifreeze? All I know is I wasent going to use honda antifreeze when it had already let me down so I put prestone universal in and a year later It hasent used any and when you start the car and let it idle till the water pump clicks on it dosent bogg the engine down when it does it.

If it works in your application, keep using it. I considered using an all makes all models coolant in mine, but then I came across this: http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchau...e/detail/329982 In my case, the manufacturer says that the all makes all models coolant doesn't meet the specifications for my application. I went with Zerex G-05, which does.

 

[rumple]

The reason I would never use Prestone universal coolant in a non-Dexcool factory coolant application is the anti-rust additive 2-EHA. This additive has been shown to damage certain gaskets and is a known plasticizer - that is it softens various materials. Current GM vehicles have presumably been fitted with gaskets and other internals that are compatible with 2-EHA, while non-Dexcool manufacturers have not explicitly tested for compatibility and may fail. Even some GM vehicles weren't Dexcool compatible, the famous leaking gaskets in certain GM models (see here). Since G05 and other long life coolants without 2-EHA are readily available, I would never use Prestone in any non-Dexcool factory fill vehicle. Rumple

 

[oldmaninsc]

 Originally Posted By: rumple

The reason I would never use Prestone universal coolant in a non-Dexcool factory coolant application is the anti-rust additive 2-EHA. This additive has been shown to damage certain gaskets and is a known plasticizer - that is it softens various materials. Current GM vehicles have presumably been fitted with gaskets and other internals that are compatible with 2-EHA, while non-Dexcool manufacturers have not explicitly tested for compatibility and may fail. Even some GM vehicles weren't Dexcool compatible, the famous leaking gaskets in certain GM models (see here). Since G05 and other long life coolants without 2-EHA are readily available, I would never use Prestone in any non-Dexcool factory fill vehicle. Rumple

Okay, I have a question. I have used the search and didn't really find an answer. One of my vehicles is a 95 Ford with the 4.0 engine. According to the Ford documents it is suppose to have the green stuff. Would I be okay using G05 in this vehicle? I used G05 in my 04 Mercury Grand Marquis and it would be nice to have one coolant for both vehicles. The vehicle has over 200K miles and had a new radiator about two years ago. Right now it has some old green stuff in it. My next project is replacing the original water pump.

 

[01rangerxl]

Ford recommends G-05 in most gas engines back to 1999. In engines before that they usually recommend green coolant. Ford used the OHV 4.0 up to 2000, so you would probably be okay to use it, but Ford has only approved it back to 1999.

 

[onion]

 Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc

 Originally Posted By: rumple

The reason I would never use Prestone universal coolant in a non-Dexcool factory coolant application is the anti-rust additive 2-EHA. This additive has been shown to damage certain gaskets and is a known plasticizer - that is it softens various materials. Current GM vehicles have presumably been fitted with gaskets and other internals that are compatible with 2-EHA, while non-Dexcool manufacturers have not explicitly tested for compatibility and may fail. Even some GM vehicles weren't Dexcool compatible, the famous leaking gaskets in certain GM models (see here). Since G05 and other long life coolants without 2-EHA are readily available, I would never use Prestone in any non-Dexcool factory fill vehicle. Rumple

Okay, I have a question. I have used the search and didn't really find an answer. One of my vehicles is a 95 Ford with the 4.0 engine. According to the Ford documents it is suppose to have the green stuff. Would I be okay using G05 in this vehicle? I used G05 in my 04 Mercury Grand Marquis and it would be nice to have one coolant for both vehicles. The vehicle has over 200K miles and had a new radiator about two years ago. Right now it has some old green stuff in it. My next project is replacing the original water pump.

Yes, G05 will work fine. "The green stuff" is quite difficult to find these days- the vast majority of people are using "all-makes" garbage in place of it... and (for now) getting away with it. IMO, GO5 would be your best readily available option.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Thanks. That's what I was thinking.

 

[Donald]

 Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc

 Originally Posted By: rumple

The reason I would never use Prestone universal coolant in a non-Dexcool factory coolant application is the anti-rust additive 2-EHA. This additive has been shown to damage certain gaskets and is a known plasticizer - that is it softens various materials. Current GM vehicles have presumably been fitted with gaskets and other internals that are compatible with 2-EHA, while non-Dexcool manufacturers have not explicitly tested for compatibility and may fail. Even some GM vehicles weren't Dexcool compatible, the famous leaking gaskets in certain GM models (see here). Since G05 and other long life coolants without 2-EHA are readily available, I would never use Prestone in any non-Dexcool factory fill vehicle. Rumple

Okay, I have a question. I have used the search and didn't really find an answer. One of my vehicles is a 95 Ford with the 4.0 engine. According to the Ford documents it is suppose to have the green stuff. Would I be okay using G05 in this vehicle? I used G05 in my 04 Mercury Grand Marquis and it would be nice to have one coolant for both vehicles. The vehicle has over 200K miles and had a new radiator about two years ago. Right now it has some old green stuff in it. My next project is replacing the original water pump.

G-05 is fully compatible with the old green stuff which means you do not need to flush 100% of the old green stuff out before you switch to G-05.

 

[440Magnum]

 Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc

Okay, I have a question. I have used the search and didn't really find an answer. One of my vehicles is a 95 Ford with the 4.0 engine. According to the Ford documents it is suppose to have the green stuff. Would I be okay using G05 in this vehicle? I used G05 in my 04 Mercury Grand Marquis and it would be nice to have one coolant for both vehicles.

G-05 should be fine, just don't try to run it for extended intervals. Its much closer to a truly "universal" coolant than anything like Prestone or DexCool that contains 2-EHA. I have been running G-05 for several years in one of my old Chrysler 440s. I had to replace a leaky thermostat gasket (my fault on the original gasket installation) after about a year, and everything looked great down in there. G-05 will form a dark coating on all the iron parts- this is normal and part of the way it works. The coating is very thin, won't wipe off with a finger, and isn't at all like a "sludge" or rusty deposit.

 

[rumple]

While G05 has shown itself to be a very good long life HOAT coolant, I have not switched over my 2002 V6 4.0L Ford Explorer to it from the factory green. Ford started using G05 in the Explorer line sometime during the 2002 model year, mine must have been built before that switch over. The reason is that if one changes the coolant every 30,000 miles or 2 years, standard green IAT coolant does a fine job. The local Ford dealers sell the concentrated (i.e. must dilute with water) Ford coolant for ~$15/gallon which is not too bad, and one can pick up various private label green coolants at many auto stores, although I do not trust them as much as Ford or Zerex. Rumple

 

[440Magnum]

 Originally Posted By: rumple

While G05 has shown itself to be a very good long life HOAT coolant, I have not switched over my 2002 V6 4.0L Ford Explorer to it from the factory green. Ford started using G05 in the Explorer line sometime during the 2002 model year, mine must have been built before that switch over. The reason is that if one changes the coolant every 30,000 miles or 2 years, standard green IAT coolant does a fine job. The local Ford dealers sell the concentrated (i.e. must dilute with water) Ford coolant for ~$15/gallon which is not too bad, and one can pick up various private label green coolants at many auto stores, although I do not trust them as much as Ford or Zerex. Rumple

For me its also becoming an issue of convenience. Conventional silicate antifreeze (I refuse to refer to it by color because color really doesn't mean a thing) is disappearing. Maybe you can find house-brand antifreeze that is likely conventional (and is probably made by Old World Industries, meaning that its basically the old Peak formula). But that's too many "maybes" and "probablys" and "basicallys" strung together for me. The last thing I'd want to do is get something that's more like Prestone's godawful "all makes all models" mess slipped in without enough clarification of the fact on the label (antifreeze bottle labels aren't very informative for the most part). I would trust Zerex Max Life conventional, but its just not to be found on *most* parts store shelves. G-05, on the other hand, is everywhere now.

 

[doitmyself]

 Originally Posted By: Donald

G-05 is fully compatible with the old green stuff which means you do not need to flush 100% of the old green stuff out before you switch to G-05.

Ford has an opinion about your opinion, at the page bottom: http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/dealer/quickref/scuc.pdf

 

[Sayjac]

 Quote:

G-05, on the other hand, is everywhere now.

Huh? Not to be argumentative, but rather informational, Wally World does not carry it, nor Advance, nor Autozone, at least not in my part of country. Those are three of the major retail sources of coolant around here. Didn't see it in O'Reilly, though I just did a cursory check last time. Like to see it so I could compare prices and look for value pricing. Much harder to find than the universal all makes extended life coolants.

 

[onion]

I'm a big fan of G05- but it's definitely not 'everywhere'. It's easier to find than conventional silicate antifreeze- but you'll likely have to go either to a dealer or to a 'real' parts place (i.e. not autozone/advance/etc.) to get it.