bought the wrong antifreeze

[2stroke]

I see no need to ever use anything but green coolant in a road vehicle. I don't really care about brand at all, its all the same stuff. I just mix it 50/50 with water and never have a problem. If you get into racing, dirt bikes for example, then there are better alternatives. Even then regular green coolant works fine 90% of the time. I just use "engine ice" in my YZ 250 because I like the slow technical trails, and don't get as much flow over the radiators.

 

[Anime]

Most of the "green" coolant these days (like Prestone and most generic store-brands) is NOT the same "green" coolant from years ago. It's almost all Dex-cool type coolants - NOT what most vehicles require.

There are now a WIDE variety of antifreeze/coolant types and variations, and you should NOT mix them together. When you mix different types of antifreeze/coolant, especially IN an engine - you not only compromise its chemical properties in terms of a lower freezing point and a higher boiling point - you reduce its ability to protect the metals in the engine. You also get SLUDGE that slowly builds up in the system and eventually causes flow problems, if not a completely stuck thermostat and overheating.

The BEST coolant for most vehicles is the type it came with from the factory. The coolant the manufactuer specs is for a reason - because that's usually what works the best to protect the various metals used throughout the system. Some systems have iron, others aluminum, others have some copper, and there are plenty with other metals in varying amounts. If you put coolant designed to protect an aluminum system in a system with all iron components, it isn't going to do anything to protect the iron.

The G-05 coolant is the exception to this since it will protect the iron block/heads in the system, along with the aluminum in the water pump, radiator, and lines, since it is pretty much the same system in the later models that also came with the 4.0L OHV and had G-05 from the factory.

I would ONLY use Ford or Zerex G-05 or Zerex Green, or another type of known "green" coolant in a 4.0L OHV. If you use other "brand name" coolants that are "green" in color but have the chemistry of a Dex-cool antifreeze/coolant, it's the wrong product for the Explorer and will eat the gaskets, cause leaks, and give a host of other problems, especially if you're mixing it with some other type of antifreeze/coolant.

If nothing else, at least drain and flush the system before using some other type of coolant other than what's already in there. It may not be as optimal as using G-05 or the original green coolant, but having only ONE type of coolant in a sytem, even if it's not the right stuff, will at least help prevent the buildup of sludge from two different antifreeze/coolant types.

 

[RangerX]

Most of the "green" coolant these days (like Prestone and most generic store-brands) is NOT the same "green" coolant from years ago. It's almost all Dex-cool type coolants - NOT what most vehicles require.

I would ONLY use Ford or Zerex G-05 or Zerex Green, or another type of known "green" coolant in a 4.0L OHV. If you use other "brand name" coolants that are "green" in color but have the chemistry of a Dex-cool antifreeze/coolant, it's the wrong product for the Explorer and will eat the gaskets, cause leaks, and give a host of other problems...

Anime, you caused me to get up and go out to look at what I'm using!
It's the Walmart Supertech brand. Ingredients are ethylene glycol, di ethylene glycol, and water. Would that be the good green? I don't see the words dexcool anywhere on the label.

 

[Anime]

Anime, you caused me to get up and go out to look at what I'm using!
It's the Walmart Supertech brand. Ingredients are ethylene glycol, di ethylene glycol, and water. Would that be the good green? I don't see the words dexcool anywhere on the label.

Coolant/antifreeze that ONLY has ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and water is the "good" green stuff.

Those are the exact same ingredients in Zerex Green:

Ingredients from MSDS/Label
Chemical / Percentage
Ethylene glycol / 95.75%
Diethylene glycol / 1.5-5.0%
Water

So, the Supertech stuff looks good.

If any coolant says "Dex-cool approved", you definitely DON'T want to use it in a Ford engine. Or any engine, really. Even GM cars with Dex-cool have had cooling system issues.

 

[2stroke]

It must be a regional thing. I've never seen a green dex-cool here.

 

[Wolfie_85]

Read and compare ingredients. You could be surprised. I just don't trust a label saying "it's safe in everything!" anymore.

Anyway, Supertech, eh? Good to know. Cheap to buy. I'm happy with that!

 

[2stroke]

I am the king of reading labels. I go through a whole rack of jackets just to find the one made in USA (or anywhere that doesn't make garbage products). I don't trust amsoil anymore for the "works great in everything" reason. Great product, terrible marketing.

As for coolant I mostly see prestone, peak, polar, and supertech here. I can find peak and polar in almost every gas station, and its just regular green glycol. You can certainly find other kinds in auto parts stores, or even walmart, but its mostly yellow or orange. It doesn't really matter, you are right, you should always read the bottle.

 

[Anime]

The "ALL makes, ALL models - add to ANY color antifreeze" wording, particularly on jugs of Prestone that is everywhere, has a lot to do with the incorrect belief that it's ok to mix coolant types and/or just use whatever. It says it on the bottle so it MUST be true.

Well, technically it IS true, you CAN add it to all makes, all models, and any other color antifreeze, but you sHOULDN'T because chemically, it's not a good idea, and eventually causes issues.


I'm pretty particular about the stuff that goes into my Explorer, and didn't even realize they had changed "regular" Prestone from a "green" ethylene glycol coolant to a "green-yellow" Dex-cool type until I was investigating the possible causes of a perpetually leaking water pump gasket.

Until someone sues Prestone or the other brands for causing them to mix coolants and causing engine damage or sludge by leading them to believe it's OK, reading the ingredients or MSDS and not believing whatever claims they make seems prudent.