1997 Nissan Maxima - Correct coolant

[Zack1978]

Hi everyone,
I recently purchased a very low mileage 1997 Maxima (65,000 miles) and I replaced the thermostat and radiator. I used a conventional green coolant and I have not had any issues.......but.
I used the conventional green because that's what I used in my 1996 Maxima that I had for fourteen years without issue.
With that being said what is the absolutely correct coolant to use in my car? The 1996 was a rotted mess of a good running car so I did think much about coolant, but the 1997 is actually nice.
The late 1990's are a weird time for coolant in Japanese cars since there was no Nissan blue or Toyota SLL pink, etc.

Any ideas?
Thank you

 

[Hall]

Nissan used "green" up until around the late 2000s, then switched to "blue". Green is fine and since it's already done....

 

[Nukeman7]

Hi everyone,
I recently purchased a very low mileage 1997 Maxima (65,000 miles) and I replaced the thermostat and radiator. I used a conventional green coolant and I have not had any issues.......but.
I used the conventional green because that's what I used in my 1996 Maxima that I had for fourteen years without issue.
With that being said what is the absolutely correct coolant to use in my car? The 1996 was a rotted mess of a good running car so I did think much about coolant, but the 1997 is actually nice.
The late 1990's are a weird time for coolant in Japanese cars since there was no Nissan blue or Toyota SLL pink, etc.

Any ideas?
Thank you

We need to be careful when using the term "conventional green" coolant. Technically, "conventional green" is the old school ethanol glycol antifreeze without any type of organic acid component. This was used prior to ~1990 since typical radiators were primarily of brass & copper construction. Newer organic acid based coolants were developed for radiators made of aluminum with plastic tanks, but O.A. can compromise lead/tin solder joints in older brass radiators. As such, the color of the dye in a coolant has very little bearing on it's composition. The only convention for dye is that orange coolant is always a Dex-Cool formula.

According to most sources, your Maxima should be fine with an "all makes/all models" universal coolant or a Asian makes specific coolant (which comes in green, red, & blue). Nissan OEM has the green dye for that vintage vehicles coolant, although the current color is blue as Hall indicated. If you go with a universal coolant, I'd suggest the Peak 10X version which is yellow and does not contains 2-EHA which is purported to degrade plastics and rubber.

 

[atikovi]

I recently purchased a very low mileage 1997 Maxima (65,000 miles) and I replaced the thermostat and radiator. I used a conventional green coolant and I have not had any issues.......but.

There are two kinds of green coolant widely used today. Old style conventional green that's been around since probably the 50s or 60s, and a modern POAT extended life green coolant that gives superior protection and change intervals. You probably should use the latter if the car is a keeper.

 

[John105]

I ran mine on Dex Cool for 9 years, because it was what I had in the garage.

I then read online never use Dex Cool in a non GM car.

This made me wonder if it really matters.

Mine was a stick so I didn't have lines into the radiator, still made a complete mess replacing it though.

 

[John105]

Nissan used "green" up until around the late 2000s, then switched to "blue". Green is fine and since it's already done....

I did a change at the dealer in 2003 or so, and it was blue, not green.

 

[Hall]

I did a change at the dealer in 2003 or so, and it was blue, not green.

Interesting.... I have a 2008 G35 and I remember seeing a reference to using "green" coolant originally but around 2010, Nissan changed to "blue" (from the factory).

 

[Nukeman7]

Interesting.... I have a 2008 G35 and I remember seeing a reference to using "green" coolant originally but around 2010, Nissan changed to "blue" (from the factory).

You are correct...Nissan/Infiniti came out with their blue long life OEM coolant in 2009. In 2003, all Nissan OEM coolant was green; however, John105's dealer may have used something akin to Honda's OEM coolant which is chemically identical, but always dyed blue.

 

[atikovi]

So is it backward compatible?

 

[Nukeman7]

So is it backward compatible?

Yes...see page 2 of the NISSAN service bulletin below:

 

[John105]

You are correct...Nissan/Infiniti came out with their blue long life OEM coolant in 2009. In 2003, all Nissan OEM coolant was green; however, John105's dealer may have used something akin to Honda's OEM coolant which is chemically identical, but always dyed blue.
View attachment 169255

I may have my years wrong, as far as getting blue coolant, as I had the car 1998-2023

This supports that it was originally green

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