What coolant should I use?

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JamesLond

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The manual says to use dexcool so that's what I got. However, when I drained my radiator, green coolant came out.

I think maybe something universal was added by the last owner. I don't know if it's OK to refill with the dexcool at this point.
 

swathdiver

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The manual says to use dexcool so that's what I got. However, when I drained my radiator, green coolant came out.

I think maybe something universal was added by the last owner. I don't know if it's OK to refill with the dexcool at this point.
Green stuff is wrong and causes parts to corrode. However, you cannot mix the two and must completely flush the old stuff out with distilled water.
 
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Since you don't know what was in there, it'd be best to flush it out before adding.

I picked up some "Universal" coolant the other day, the kind that says works with both orange and green coolant types, and it's light green in color.

I did this because I have a couple vehicles that take green and a couple that take orange, so figured I'd get something that would (should) work in both.

When added to the orange coolant it keeps the coolant orange though, so it must be more of a translucent color that doesn't change the color of the fluid you're adding it to.
 
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13UpInSmoke

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Definitely flush a few times along with running the heat to clear the heater core if your changing the coolant back to dexcool. Dont mix them
 

SnowDrifter

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darker forest-green, or a slightly fluorescent mountain-dew color?

Mountain-dew is *generally* universal

green is *generally* an older IAT formulation that has been superseded many times over


Honestly you can run universal if that's what's in there. It's fine. It's OAT, just like dex-cool. Where things get funny is when you start mixing phosphated / organic / inorganic / silicated formulas, neither of which apply against dexcool+universal. I'll put it this way: A LOT of independent auto shops just stock universal coolant for all their needs and you don't hear of any issues with it. Remember how we all heard about coolant sludging and mixing chemistries? That's when we were transitioning from IAT (old green) to OAT (pretty much anything from 2000 on). Mixing those two typically presents as a gel / crystalline buildup. Sound familiar?


If, however, you want to put anything specific in there: I'd drain and fill it a couple times with distilled water. Pop the lower rad hose off as well as the heater core lines at the water pump. That'll get quite a bit out. FWIW, you don't need to run the heat as these vehicles have full flow through the heater cores at all times.

if you do the DiH2O cleanup: buy *concentrate* and keep track of how much you add relative to the system capacity. If you add premix to a system that's half full of only water, you're gonna be real sad real soon.


I would also advise against using tap water, even for the flushing step. Dissolved ions in the tap water can do some funky thinks depending on what additive pack your coolant has.



fwiw... I run gen II honda coolant in my rig. Newer PHOAT formulation. Still rocking the original radiator, reservoir, heater core fittings. Meh.
 
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JamesLond

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OK, I'll get it flushed. Does anyone know where the engine drain plugs are?
 

SnowDrifter

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OK, I'll get it flushed. Does anyone know where the engine drain plugs are?
Just under the exhaust, on each side, in the front, iirc. I think there might be a pair in the rear as well.

Torque spec is 37ftlbs

I would recommend against doing so. Nonzero chance of buggering something up or having them not seal when you put them back.

Could accomplish the same by doing an additional drain/fill or 2 with the distilled water. It's 99 cents a gallon so it's not exactly a great cost. When I converted mine, I did 5 drain/fill operations before finally introducing coolant for the final fill. was 12 or 14 gallons of water iirc.




OH AND VERY IMPORTANT THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION

You MUST fill the thing through the upper radiator hose. Take it off, lift it up, and pour in. If you don't do this, the water pump will be air locked and you will overheat in short order
 
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JamesLond

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OH AND VERY IMPORTANT THAT I FORGOT TO MENTION

You MUST fill the thing through the upper radiator hose. Take it off, lift it up, and pour in. If you don't do this, the water pump will be air locked and you will overheat in short order

Thanks for pointing that out. I will go ahead and flush and fill the way you recommend.

If I flush it till I see the lower rad hose drain clear, how will I be able to get the correct 50/50 ratio in the end? My plan was to flush it good and then mix concentrate Dex cool with water but if I mix it to 50/50, I don't get how I'm going to account for the distilled water that doesn't come out after the final flush.
 

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