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With previous discussion of the use of new red (pink?) antifreeze or the older blue stuff, I was interested in this e-mail from Vauxhall Trade Club received today: "Trade Club launches bulk fluids campaign: A new product initiative from Vauxhall Trade Club sees the launch of long life red antifreeze - available in one, five, 20 and 205 litre sizes. Primarily designed for post-2001 models, red antifreeze has a higher super-additive content than traditional blue antifreeze and will potentially last up to five years. Blue antifreeze, which has a two year service life, will still be available to Trade Club members in the same range of sizes. Customers will pre-2001 vehicles can also take advantage of the longer service life afforded by the new red product, provided the old antifreeze is completely drained and the cooling system flushed before refilling." Funny that they now say the old blue stuff is only good for two years as they didn't specify a service change interval as far as I'm aware for this type of antifreeze. Of course most sensible people asked for it to be changed every two years. Also I note they say the new red stuff can be used in older vehicles once the system has been flushed.
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The last time I bought *Vauxhall* antifreeze, it was green coloured. Approx 3 yrs ago.
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Same here - it seems to have gone from a pretty green to a boring blue. When my Cavalier was serviced from new at a Vauxhall dealer for about the first 4 years, they always gave the advice that the antifreeze was "filled for life" and just needed testing & topping up as necessary - never to be completely drained and refilled. Now Vauxhall are saying the opposite it would seem.
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Wrote an article on the differences between the two recently:
For many years, since the demise of Methanol based antifreeze that was traditionally only added just before winter, blue/green or yellow Monoethylene Glycol (MEG) has been the mainstay of the coolant market. However Ford vehicles since 08/98 have been filled with coolant combining Monoethylene glycol with Organic Additive Technology (OAT) corrosion inhibitors.
There are important differences between standard MEG and MEG with OAT. It does not contain silicates, nitrates, nitrites, borates, phosphates or amines so that:
· Without silicates, silicate gel or "green goo" does not form.
· By eliminating phosphates, hard water scale is reduced.
· Without silicates, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites and borates, abrasive dissolved acids are greatly reduced thereby diminishing water pump seal failures.
· Without amines and nitrites, there is no potential formation of nitrosamines.
All of this results in a considerably longer life span, whilst providing improved protection of all cooling system metals, including aluminium. Benefits over conventional silicate based coolants are:
· Improved water pump life due to reduced water pump seal wear.
· Fewer abrasive dissolved solids.
· Reduced hard water scale.
· Virtually no deterioration of heat transfer capacity during service life.
· Excellent protection against high temperature and pitting corrosion.
· No silicate gel formation during storage or use.
· Effective long-term corrosion protection for aluminium, brass, cast iron, steel, solder and copper alloys.
· Long effective service life of up to 10 years or 150,000 miles.
The two types of coolant should not be mixed. Vehicles filled with MEG will have coolant coloured blue, green or yellow. MEG with OAT additives will have coolant coloured Orange (Ford) or red.
HTH
Charles
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Hi Charles,
Interesting stuff.
My Rover has green antifreeze, and after reading what you wrote I understand I should have topped it up with blue (the choice available in Halfords being blue or orange). The chaps in Halfords told me to use orange, which was (they said) the same as the green already in there. Do I understand correctly that what they told me is wrong?
If so, I'd better drain it out and refill using one or the other... bit of a pain!
Any possible problems (given proper flushing) with putting new orange/red into older cars?
Thanks,
Mark
By the way - just in case you're intersted, and I don't mean to criticise (just help) and I know I'm not your editor :-), this bit's not clear (and doesn't become clear without really digging into the rest of the article and going back):
There are important differences between standard MEG and MEG
with OAT. It does not contain silicates, nitrates, [...]
The "it" is unclear. =MEG or MEG+OAT?
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ok nice and easy that one
if your rover was made before about april 2000 when theywas BMW group its standard stuff, if it was produced after then it will almost certainly be OAT product (their OE fill is orange as far as I am aware)
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Mark
>The "it" is unclear. =MEG or MEG+OAT?
Just to clarify 'it' = MEG+OAT
Charles
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My Rover has green antifreeze, and after reading what you wrote I understand I should have topped it up with blue (the choice available in Halfords being blue or orange). The chaps in Halfords told me to use orange, which was (they said) the same as the green already in there. Do I understand correctly that what they told me is wrong?
I drained and flushed my old Sierra the other year only to find that Halfords had only the "new super stuff" in stock.
I used that and have had no problems. I have a slight leak so when I came to get another bottle of the same stuff they had changed its colour to pink.
I know it is the same stuff as I have the original bottle and it is much more expensive.
So bottom line is do not trust the colour.
Only sure way is drain and flush and start again
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