Universal coolant for my personal fleet?

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Hello, looking for coolant suggestions to try and minimize options lol

What's a good choice for a coolant that could work with my vehicles below:

- 2009 Toyota Matrix (currently Valvoline Maxlife coolant)
- 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokeee (I think SuperTech, it's green)
- 2002 Infiniti G20 (currently distilled water with a little bit of Valvoline Maxlife, until I get the car back on the road)
- 1990 Nissan 300ZX (I also believe is currently SuperTech green)

From what I've read, the Valvoline Maxlife coolant is good stuff, but kind of hard to find. I had to order a gallon of Amazon. Is Peak Life Long good stuff to use in all the vehicles? Should I stick to Asian variant coolants for the Japanese cars and whatever is green in the 98 Jeep?

Appreciate any insight! Thanks
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
I would not go for one coolant. Zerex Asian for Asian vehicles and Zerex G-05 for Jeep.


I'm curious.....what changed?

Metallurgically speaking, of course... I don't see what the iron & aluminum in domestic engines is different than the same materials in asian engines?

Or is it a rubber/seals issues? Viton, Nitrile, Buna-N, etc. etc. etc...?

Why would there need to be different coolant specs?

What material is affected the most?
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: Donald
I would not go for one coolant. Zerex Asian for Asian vehicles and Zerex G-05 for Jeep.


I'm curious.....what changed?

Metallurgically speaking, of course... I don't see what the iron & aluminum in domestic engines is different than the same materials in asian engines?

Or is it a rubber/seals issues? Viton, Nitrile, Buna-N, etc. etc. etc...?

Why would there need to be different coolant specs?

What material is affected the most?


My thoughts are similar, which is why I prefer to just use the same coolant in everything.

Figured I would get more insight on the topic here versus any other forum.
 
The simple history is:

Old school green used silicates and phsophates to control corrosion. Silicates work but tend to fall out of suspension after some time and cause issues. (so short life..change every 3 years) Also, phsophates don't mix too well with environmental concerns.

Then some guys said no more silicates and developed organic acids that serve the same function. (Dex cool and similar)

And then some guys said let's mix acids with silicates to get the best of both worlds (Zerex G05)

The Japanese coolant specs have generally preferred phosphates so that's most likely what the Zerex Asian Formula contains.
 
The G05 is a HOAT. All I sell is HOAT, to lots of dealers and people with cars from dozens of countries and heavy equipment. Considering there is normally some residue from other products, or someone might add something different, to me a HOAT is the most compatible.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
If you try to get to a single coolant you will probably need to flush the existing coolant.

Peak Global is an option also.


AFAIK, I should be good to add or change to whatever, as they all currently have green coolant or distilled water. The MaxLife coolant says it can be mixed with anything, so it seems to be universal.

Figure it's as good a time as any to try and uniform all my liquids, haha.
 
Originally Posted By: barkingspider
I would use the Asian variant coolants for your application

Yes!

Reason I don't use Universal/AMAM: 2-EHA.
Reason I don't use G-05 anymore: Silicates

I've converted a Ford SOHC and GM V6 to Asian phosphated coolants from G-05 and Dex-Cool repsectively. They're 'clean', offer very effective protection for the metals used and they're factory fill in the most reliable (least trouble prone) cooling systems on the market. It's bbeen about a good 5 years. Too bad the coolant bottle in the GM with Dexcool is forever stained and ruined, despite removing it and trying to clean it out. Dexcool is a timebomb in the truest sense (and not all time bombs go off, for you Dexcool success stories). I need coolant, not a timebomb.
 
My first choice would be Peak Global Lifetime. It's a Long Life OAT AF with no 2eha. So has a long/extended service interval but no 2eha used in DexCool or Universal Dexclones like Super Tech and Peak Long Life AF mentioned. I've been running it in an 01 Tacoma specing Toy red for over three years, original radiator. The concentrate is available from many Napa stores, the premix from places like Walgreens. The concentrate is preferable for flushes and not paying for half water.

Second choice, Peak Global Final Charge. Similar to Peak Global, but I've only seen it at O'R available in the premix and more expensive than PGL concentrate or premix.

Some like G05, low silicate HOAT as opposed to first two which have no silicates. I'd favor first two over it.

As for Valvoline Max Life, been discussed here before. From available information, it's basically an original/conventional IAT Green AF with silicates and their proprietary inhibitor 'AluGard'. Mostly intended for older vehicles specing original green, and has shorter ~2year service interval.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
If you try to get to a single coolant you will probably need to flush the existing coolant.

Peak Global is an option also.


Considering the different vehicles this would be for, and the different coolants in each, definitely this...

... however, this is generally a good rule of thumb any time you do a coolant drain&fill, regardless of what is going in.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Peak Final charge coolant will work for anything on the road.


This. Anything meeting a CAT EC-1 spec should work in nearly anything and will provide the best corrosion protection - But the cooling systems should be thoroughly flushed before switching.

To perform a complete flush prior to switching to EC-1, the cooling system should be drained and refilled with its total capacity 3 times - that's gonna take a lot of time and water, but if you're willing, my hat goes off to you!
 
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If you are wanting to use one of the Penrite AF options listed, the G30 blue option looks the best to me. If it has DexCool in there now as stated, Dex is a silicate free OAT AF, so is the G30 according to it's specs.

What's interesting about the Penrite choices is all seem to imply they contain no 2eha used in Dex. They say compatible with all plastics rubbers and seals. Those are the areas which 2eha in Dex may have issues with if not compatible. Also why I like and recommend Peak Global Lifetime here for topic. Long Life OAT AF with no silicates and no 2eha. Judging from reading comments over time, many others do too.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Not wanting to hijack, but really out of my depth on this subject.

Penrite have a range of coolants on the shelves down here, here's the flier.

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/assets/POS/Coolant_POS.pdf

Captiva obviously has DexCool, and the test strips give it the OK, but wanting to work our where to take it next.


The hyundais and kias with that engine have G48 in it, and my jtd has G30 (older jtd had G48 aswell). So I'd suggest symplifying stock of coolant as you can convert to a single product.
 
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