Subaru Super Coolant (blue) = Mazda FL22 ?

[SubLGT]

In late 2008/ early 2009 Subaru switched over to a very long life coolant, good for 11 years/137,500 miles on the factory fill, and 6 years/75,000 miles on the second fill. They call it "Long Life Super Coolant". Their conventional green coolant (with sodium benzoate and phosphate) is "Long Life Coolant" and good for 30 months/30,000 miles.

The ingredients listed on the jug of Super Coolant are:
water
ethylene glycol
diethylene glycol
KOH
Proprietary Inhibitors.

Anyone have an educated guess about what the proprietary inhibitors are? I am wondering if this coolant is similar (or identical) to Mazda's FL22, and sourced from the same company, CCI.

 

[mechanicx]

I believe the propreitary ingredient is essentially sebacic acid and phosphate. Sebacic is the organic acid that gives it the extended life. I also believe FL22, Subaru Super, Honda tpe II, Toyota SLLC and all the Japanese extended life coolant formulas are essentially the same.

 

[SubLGT]

I came across this at a Mazda forum:

"........The primary problem with Japanese coolant technology (in comparison with North American and European technologies) is that Japanese coolants are only marketed as OEM products. Essentially all Japanese automotive coolant is manufactured by the Japanese company CCI which has a North American subsidiary called Intac. But CCI/Intac does not produce any "aftermarket" coolant for North America. Although the Japanese manufacturers suggest that only coolants with their specific OEM labels are properly formulated for their vehicles, all Japanese automotive coolants appear to fall into two simple categories: "long life" (the original Japanese HOAT coolant) and "extra long life" (the revised Japanese HOAT coolant incorporating OAT without 2-EH acid). Within each category, the various brands of coolant appear to be nearly identical based on the limited information they have released (press releases and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs). In fact, the MSDSs for some of the OEM branded coolants refer to the same CCI code numbers. Hence, if a cheap source of Honda/Toyota/Nissan/Mazda coolant in the proper category is available, it should work well as a substitute for any other brand of Japanese coolant in that category. In addition, according the Japanese manufacturers, "extra long life" coolant can generally be used to replace "long life" coolant, but the old coolant must be drained for "extra long life" service intervals to apply.................."

 

[mechanicx]

I agree, I almost mentioned that in my post but didn't. The various Japanese OEM proprietary brands of antifreeze are the same, and they should be given one product name like Dexcool has and be licensed for the aftermarket. Instead they have a monopoly on the specified coolant. I sort of think it violates the spirit of Magnuson Moss. It's the same story with Japanese ATFs.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
...............I sort of think it violates the spirit of Magnuson Moss. .............


I would agree with that. Subaru allows the use of an "equivalent" coolant, but they give you an inadequate amount of information as to what constitutes an "equivalent" coolant from the aftermarket. This is a clever way to increase sales of Subaru branded coolant.
For an equivalent to their Long Life Coolant, they mention nothing usefull in my 2005 owner's manual, and in tech documents, they only specify that the coolant be of a non-amine phosphate- containing type. No mention of silicates or 2-EHA. They do say not to use a "domestic" OAT coolant.

 

[JDD]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
It's the same story with Japanese ATFs.


??---A lot of Japanese Trannies are made by A-W and they use 3309 Mobil spec or AW-1 for the new stuff. Not that proprietary IMO.

 

[mechanicx]

Not all of them do and regardless they still don't license their fluid recommendation per se, T-IV, WS, Z1 etc. It's not anything similar to Dexron, Mercon etc availability.

 

[deeter16317]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Not all of them do and regardless they still don't license their fluid recommendation per se, T-IV, WS, Z1 etc. It's not anything similar to Dexron, Mercon etc availability.



Including Subaru's ATF-HP...

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
.............I also believe FL22, Subaru Super, Honda tpe II, Toyota SLLC and all the Japanese extended life coolant formulas are essentially the same.


I am inclined to believe the same, and that they all come from CCI, and differ only in their dye color. I have no proof, but it does seem plausible and reasonable.