Alternatives to Honda Type 2 Coolant?

[mva]

I just purchased a 2002 Civic and the nearest Honda dealer is 120 km away. I would like to flush and change out the coolant.

What is your recommendation for alternatives to the stock Honda type 2 coolant?

What is your recommendation for a coolant flush that I can do at home?

From what I have searched most people recommend sticking with the stock Honda fluid. I am not sure what is in there now - it looks green.

 

[Kool1]

I have used the Toyota pink longlife coolant in my 03 CRV for about 60,000 miles and recently changed the water pump. The water pump had no problems but with 140,000 total miles on the water pump, I figured it was time to replace the water pump. There were no obvious ill effects from the Toyota coolant so I installed Toyota pink coolant again. The Honda coolant is blue and the Toyota coolant is pink.

 

[229]

Can it be delivered to you? It should be blue.

 

[Sayjac]

Very difficult to do a complete flush including block without multiple distilled water radiator drain and fills. Then returning it to a 50% AF concentration with a premix like Type 2 is also difficult without being wasteful of new AF. Note I said difficult and wasteful, not impossible.

That said, easiest way is a simple radiator drain and refill with Type 2. Lacking Type 2 or perhaps price big price difference, Zerex Asian Formula premix would be similar/same chemistry AF as Type 2.

If Peak Global Lifetime full strength is available in Canada, that would be a good alternative to either premix and make a complete distilled flush and 50% AF concentration refill relatively easy.

 

[mva]

Does the Honda fluid stay blue over time? I know that with my BMW that the stock blue fluid turns green after a while.

The car has a classic civic headgasket issue that causes the fluid to overflow and would have resulted in the previous owner needing to add fluid on a regular basis. I want to give it a good flush before I start to take the engine apart.

The fluid in there now is definitely green and probably not Honda therefore I am going to have difficulty returning it back to 100% Honda Type 2.

 

[shell_user]

Personally I would think you would want to flush the cooling system, and clean out the overflow bottle AFTER this repair, correct? Thats what I do at my work place.

 

[mva]

Originally Posted By: shell_user
Personally I would think you would want to flush the cooling system, and clean out the overflow bottle AFTER this repair, correct? Thats what I do at my work place.


Good point - I would like to flush and drain the system including the block before and then drain and replace again after I run for a while with the new gasket. It is likely some oil and other debris will get into the coolant during the repair.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: mva
Does the Honda fluid stay blue over time? I know that with my BMW that the stock blue fluid turns green after a while.

The car has a classic civic headgasket issue that causes the fluid to overflow and would have resulted in the previous owner needing to add fluid on a regular basis. I want to give it a good flush before I start to take the engine apart.

The fluid in there now is definitely green and probably not Honda therefore I am going to have difficulty returning it back to 100% Honda Type 2.

Yes, that is the classic sign of a bad HG, went through it two summers ago. In my experience T2 does turn more to a greenish, turquoise hue over time, but not true green. Agree, likely some kind of original/conventional green in there now.

If, you're wanting to get most of what's in there now out, using multiple distilled rad d&f's is a way to do that. There is a block drain right above to side of oil filter, a pita to mess with, I wouldn't. Even then you won't get all of old out.

After the hg is done, filling with either T2 or ZAF in block and then radiator won't be as wasteful. After you do it, check concentration with an AF tester, 5 ball worked fine for me. Do another d&f until you get to ~50% concentration if need be. Shouldn't take more than one more. A fluid extractor might get most out of block with head off too.

I know about doing several radiator d&f's with Type2 because stupid Honda stealer used conventional green rather than Type 2 with HG job. They gave me a jug of Type 2 and I bought another to get to 50% concentration re-doing it myself.

 

[LeakySeals]

Peak Global Lifetime at Napa or Walgreens. http://www.peakauto.com/antifreeze-peak-global_lifetime.shtml

Edit: wherever you can find it up there

 

[mechanicx]

Any of the Japanese makes type 2 coolant would be similar, Toyota SLLC, Nissan, Mazda etc. Probably the best bet would be Ford speciality Green concentrate. It would give you a concentrate to mix with the residual flush water and at about the price per of the other premixes.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: mva
Does the Honda fluid stay blue over time? I know that with my BMW that the stock blue fluid turns green after a while.


It hasn't turned from blue in either of our cars. Our Acura had the original coolant when I exchanged it last winter. At the time, it had about 80,000 miles on it. Our Honda still has the original coolant (70,000 miles), and I plan to exchange it at some point this year.

 

[fpracha]

+1

 

[Sayjac]

As to the exact color of Type 2 when viewed in the radiator and overflow tank, according to thread below (with pic) opinions vary on it's 'exact' color. Some say it's a bluish green when in the system and in my experience, it doesn't look the same bright blue as poured fresh from the new Type 2 container. However it's really irrelevant since the coolant in now appears more green than blue, and the HG needs to be replaced, best to get as much of the old as possible.

I had forgotten about Motorcraft Specialty Green, which does come in full strength. Not cheap at ~$26 a gallon here some time back, but at that price it would still be less expensive than Type 2/ZAF premix, and easier to do a system flush to correct concentration.

Good luck with your endeavour.

Honda Type 2 coolant color.

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Zerex Asian

 

[fourbrrl]

Originally Posted By: mva
I just purchased a 2002 Civic and the nearest Honda dealer is 120 km away. I would like to flush and change out the coolant.

What is your recommendation for alternatives to the stock Honda type 2 coolant?

What is your recommendation for a coolant flush that I can do at home?

From what I have searched most people recommend sticking with the stock Honda fluid. I am not sure what is in there now - it looks green.


If you're gonna replace the HG, use a shop vac on the block while apart. I would get the honda coolant then mix, fill and forget about it for 100,000 miles...thats the beauty of the hoat coolants