Coolant fitting for Subaru Legacy

[JBZ]

Hey, I already have a post here asking for some oil advice so I was thinking to ask for some coolant advice too. I have a Subaru Legacy IV and no coolant history so I am thinking of changing it out. Since the car has 125000 miles on it I was looking at the Valvoline MaxLife coolant which seems to be a good fit and should last 5 years.

Now researching I came across Peak Global Lifetime which seems to be highly recommended and also would be a lifetime fill if I change out all the old fluid (which I plan on doing). I know it's recommended to change the coolant just for the peace of mind, but the idea of being able to almost not have to think about the coolant ever again is very tempting.

How good is the MaxLife coolant in my application? How good is the Peak coolant in my application? Should I chose one over the other? And is the Peak coolant really a lifetime fill?

 

[Rand]

in those engines the coolant is always in contact with the head gaskets due to the horizontal layout.
You really don't want to skimp on maintenance for a variety of reasons someone could write a book about or at least copy/paste one.

I would probably go OEM coolant and conditioner if recommended.

 

[gathermewool]

OEM coolant and a small bottle of coolant conditioner.

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
OEM coolant and a small bottle of coolant conditioner.


That would be my choice also. Subaru Long Life Super Coolant and a bottle of conditioner.

Except for saving a few bucks, there really is no advantage to using an after market coolant in your Legacy.

 

[JBZ]

Thanks for the feedback, I know now not to skimp on maintenance and will be replacing my coolant at the recommended interval. Though the Subaru Long Life Super Coolant and conditioner will be less available (if it turns out I need to have an unexpected refill) and quite a bit more expensive then what I can get Valvoline, Mobil, Castrol or Peak for so I rather go with one of these.

I kept researching and came across the fact that Subaru does not recommend coolants with silicates for their engines, which unfortunately the MaxLife coolant has. The Peak Global Lifetime does not so I am currently leaning for it. Is the difference between Subaru Long Life Super Coolant and Peak Global Lifetime large? Will I be almost just as well served with the Peak if I change it at the recommended interval? Is there another coolant choice except for OEM and Peak Global Lifetime that would be a better fit for my car?

Edit: I also found out a lot of Subaru drivers have been using the VW G12+ (G30?) coolant for years in older Subarus without problems, would this be a better choice?

 

[BHopkins]

If you are set on using an aftermarket coolant, the only one I would recommend is Zerex/Valvoline Asian Vehicle. From all the research I have done, it's formulation most closely resembles the Subaru requirements for your car.

http://content.valvoline.com/pdf/Zerex_Asian_Vehicle_AFC_Technical_Bulletin.pdf

But there are still a couple items that are very important. First, be very thorough in your flush and fill. You don't want to mix coolants. Contrary to what the manufacturers claim, mixing coolants can reduce the life of the coolant and lead to corrosion. Second, you still need to get a bottle of Subaru coolant conditioner to add to the fresh fill.