Antifreeze/coolant questions

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BlueOvalFitter

BlueOvalFitter

Joined
Feb 28, 2003
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Location
Cajun Country, La.
2007 F150,4.2 V6,81K miles
My truck is coming up on 5 years old in March and i'll be doing a coolant flush.Ford wants $16.95 a gallon for their gold coolant.Who makes the same coolant as Ford,and is it a G-05? Any opinions on going back with Prestone all makes brand?
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NO Prestone All Nakes All Models. Its basically a DexCool clone. Get Zerex G-05 at NAPA and maybe CarQuest. It might not be the same color, but it says G-05 on the label.
 
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You might be able to get G05 at advance auto cheaper with an online coupon.
 
Zerex G-05. Many NAPA outlets carry it. Check your local Dodge dealer as well if you think they'd be cheaper (although it will be the wrong color, but the same stuff).

Don't be surprised when the price isn't that much better. G-05 (concentrate) was about 15-16 bucks a gallon when I bought it a month ago at my local Napa.
 
HOAT coolants (G-05) aren't cheap. I paid almost 16 a gallon for my Zerex G-05 at NAPA. I would not run the all makes all models green in your truck.
 
Get the Stuff from Ford. You probably only need 2 gallons and will have some leftover. Use distilled water. I would not try to save 3 or 4 $ spread out over 5 years. This is a very small part of the cost of ownership/maintenence.
 
Originally Posted By: Milkman
Get the Stuff from Ford. You probably only need 2 gallons and will have some leftover. Use distilled water. I would not try to save 3 or 4 $ spread out over 5 years. This is a very small part of the cost of ownership/maintenence.



I agree. If the OE coolant cost the same (or less) than the others, why even consider using anything else.
 
LET THE FIREWORKS BEGIN!
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I have been talking to a friend of mine,who is an ex Ford tech.He worked as a tech for 17 years then shop foreman for 5 years before he retired last year.Anyway,he said as long as I do a very good flush,garden hose then distilled water,I can use ANY coolant I want!He said he uses Wal-Mart (Super Tech)all makes/all models in his vehicles and has never had any problems.So,let the flaming begin!
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Originally Posted By: BlueOvalFitter
LET THE FIREWORKS BEGIN!
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I have been talking to a friend of mine,who is an ex Ford tech.He worked as a tech for 17 years then shop foreman for 5 years before he retired last year.Anyway,he said as long as I do a very good flush,garden hose then distilled water,I can use ANY coolant I want!He said he uses Wal-Mart (Super Tech)all makes/all models in his vehicles and has never had any problems.So,let the flaming begin!
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So far so good in my Mustang GT and in several GMs and Dodges belonging to family and friends.
 
No fireworks here, it's your vehicle use what you want. However, if it's under warranty you do so at your own risk.

G-05 concentrate is not that difficult to get, and afaik still under $20 a gallon. If I owned a Ford calling for G-05, that's what I'd use.

While your friend is entitled to his opinion, it's not the Ford spec though as of this time.

Just like the Honda stealer that used original green with a head gasket job, saved money, and said they saw no difference. I said bullshine and flushed it to Type2.

After warranty, if you're willing to roll the dice with gasket compatibilty, have at it.
 
I don't understand why people trying to save $4-5 every 4-5 years(saving a whopping $1 a year or 2 pennies a week) and take the risk of coolant system failing with wrong antifreeze and hundreds of dollars to repair.
 
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Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
I don't understand why people trying to save $4-5 every 4-5 years(saving a whopping $1 a year or 2 pennies a week) and take the risk of coolant system failing with wrong antifreeze and hundreds of dollars to repair.


Maybe you will understand that if a person is unemployed,like I am,$4-$5 to me right now is like $40-$50! But,you probably can't understand that!
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This is solely my humble opinion. It is not meant to cause any hatred or fights.

It seems to me that some people believe that coolants such as Prestone AMAM and Super Tech are somehow inferior.

I am using Super Tech mixed with distilled water in several different brands of cars and trucks including a motorcycle. I have had no problems with Super Tech coolant whatsoever.

I freely admit I use to not like Super Tech. I had the mentality of it being inferior without any real proof and I used John Deere Cool-Gard in everything. I was wrong. Super Tech is working just fine.

I started a thread earlier today about Polar coolant and their global formula. The current usage of different coolants is stupid. Back until about 1990, everyone used a universal coolant; old green silicate/phosphate. Then aluminum started to be widely used causing the mess we are in now. The Europeans have a lot of hard water so they want silicates instead of phosphates and the Asians have the opposite belief. A safe global coolant is needed.

I think all the auto manufacturers need to sit in a room and decide already what they are all going to use.

Personally, I would like to see a global OAT coolant 100% proven to not cause any issues in any car or light-duty truck and the same coolant with maybe some sort of pour-in additive used in heavy-duty applications if needed. Pretty much what they all use to do running old green in cars and light-duty trucks and adding SCA to it for heavy-duty diesels and such.
 
As confused as this Anti-Freeze/Coolant subject has made me over the last decade or so, I have recently started thinking about my personal >40 years of shade tree experience and the years that I worked with my dad, who owned his own garage('55-'79).

I have never had any particular head gasket, intake manifold gasket, T-Stat, water pump or heater core/radiator problems with any vehicle that I have ever owned due to using the wrong coolant with the exception of vehicles that were *"known"* for having these particular issues...GM V6's(2.8, 3.1, 3.4) and Mopar 4 cyl(2.2/2.5) and the proper coolant was coincitently was being used at that time.

I have used any coolant in every vehicle that I have ever owned, miltipal times and many hundred K's of miles with vehicle into their teens. Engines with all cast iron, cast iron/aluminum mix and all aluminum.

I know that we as consumers want the best for our vehicles and too, there will always be that(isolated case(s) cooling system failures from any MFG that will blow a gasket or have a particular cooling system issue, even a system not known for having problems.

But, in over 40 years of my own experience with(WITH) KEY WORDS...Properly Maintained Cooling Systems, I have had no real issues!...Again, except with vehicles that are/were known in the industry for having these problems. And also, YES! I have replaced items that have outlived their life expectancy such as water pump, T-stats or ratiators(that were rusty from winter salt exposure).

So, with all of the concerns of todays Anti-Freeze/Coolants and todays cooling systems, there may certainly be the need for specific coolants for specific systems but, I beleive a properly maintained system will give the owner a long service life without issues...Properly Maintained!
 
Blueoval, sorry to hear you were laid off from your job. I too was laid off 3 weeks ago after almost 17 years. But it's ok because we WILL land on our feet and something else will come along and we'll be fine! Yesterday I bought a gallon of wm supertech and drained and refilled my John Deere garden tractor and payed 9.87 for a gallon. I'm planning on doing the same to my truck today. I think regular maintenance is the key anyway. I have more important things to think about other than obsessing over what type of coolant to use! Good luck,G
 
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Ok flamers,let me have it,i'm ready!
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I have been reading Coolant Mans posts and did like he did;research.I have called at least 12 local and non local radiator shops and asked them,if I were to bring my truck into their shop,what coolant would they use? Ok you brain washed followers grab hold of something,they ALL,yes I typed ALL,said they would use AMAMs type coolant! OMG,are some of you still standing?
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Here's one you are really going to like;one owner of an indy car care shop said he uses the "old green" coolant in most of his customers cars! Holy Coolant BatMan,the old green stuff?
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His car care center/radiator shop has been family owned for over 52 years.
All of the shops I called did say they would use Ford Gold if I wanted it,but would charge anywhere from $25-$50 extra.
So,those of you that have not passed out yet after reading this,hit me with your best shot!
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