Correct AF 2003 Honda

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I know I can drop in Zerex Asian Red or Blue and be good, but I am trying to figure out what is in there.

This was recently acquired as first car for step-son. Working through all little niggly details to get it 100%. Last few details were fluids and I found the radiator to have a very pale green coolant in it. Does not look like the old-school IAT green. Picture below does not show it well.

I found a reference on a Honda tech forum that in "the early days" Honda OAT was actually green, then the same formula was dyed blue and has stayed that way. Is anyone familiar with that, or exactly what color the (presumably) OAT was as a factory fill in 2003 Hondas?

I'd hope and guess this is not just IAT green and I could do a drain fill now, another later and be comfortable instead of doing a full flush with multiple fills/rinses with dH20.



coolant 12-19.jpg
 
Could also be some universal AM/AM. I'd flush it several times with distilled water and refill with a full strength Asian coolant from Rechocem or Pentofrost to assure the mixture is correct.
 
On my mom's 2004 Element and my 2007 CR-V we flushed with water and refilled it with the universal yellow stuff from SuperTech. Two years later and no issues with either car.
 
Why gamble on something you only have to do once every 100,000 miles? Thoroughly flush the system (drain, fill, drive, repeat) 5-6 times, the last 3 with distilled water. Then use the Honda blue AF. This isn't the time to try and save $10 or $20 on universal or aftermarket coolant.
 
If this were my car, I'd do a complete drain (block and radiator) and refill with distilled water. Run it 15 minutes and do another complete drain. Do one more distilled 15 minute run and drain. Then fill it with Honda OEM coolant. Type 2 I think.

Then run it for a few days. Drain the Honda OEM coolant and do the last and final fill with fresh Honda OEM coolant.

My reasoning for running the Honda Coolant twice is to help clean out any left over distilled water. Remember, Honda Coolant is already mixed 50:50 and their may be a quart or so of leftover distilled water in the block.

Oh, and make sure you have the thermostat set the MAX heat while you are doing all of this draining and filling.

Most people are not OCD and would not do the 2nd Honda Coolant change.
 
Just being frank here, on an 03 with unknown cooling system service history, trying to identify the "green" AF shown, a crap shoot. Having owned a 2001 Civic since new and still in the extended family service, I don't recall it ever looking like that. Honda Type II is blue, though it has been described as toward the green-ish shade looking down radiator. That looks too green for Type II to me, and even if an "early days" Honda AF which I doubt, it should be out of the system

Seeing as the Asian AFs are a premix, you'll either have to be comfortable with a simple radiator d&f. Or if you do a "distilled flush series" till clear or close, then you are going to have to do several Asian PHoat AF d&fs till you get to you get to ~50% AF concentration. 'Contrary to information provided earlier in this thread', doing two d&fs 'will not guarantee' a 50% concentration and the protection required. In fact from personal experience at least three required for me. I had to do it after dopey Honda dealer used original green AF with a head gasket job on Civic. It also means you will also need an inexpensive AF tester to confirm the concentration, I used the Chaslyn 5 ball AF tester, ~$2 at WM. The other method is trying to locate the block drain(s) and using. Good luck with that if choice. On the Civic it is directly above the oil filter on back side of engine, a pita, thus I chose d&fs.

As for AF to use, my personal choice currently is WM Valvoline/Zerex Asian blue tint PHoat AF $12.50/gal. Cost will also make it much less painful if you decide to go the distilled flush series prep route.
 
Sayjac, you crack me up. I never said doing a drain and fill with Honda coolant 2 times after a flush would give a 50:50 mix. I said that is what I would do. Heck, if you wanna get technical, I doubt 5 drain and fills using engine petcocks (if Honda has them) would get an exact 50:50 mix. Maybe a 50.6:49.4
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For the love of Pete...
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Originally Posted by greenfordtruck
Gebo is correct. I have owned and maintained a 2003 Accord since new. It came with and has always had Asian blue antifreeze.



This for sure. Blue was in my 2003. Was in my wifes dealer serviced 2000 when we bought it at 200k miles. If you want to do a distilled flush, you can buy a non-premixed version of the Type2 coolant from Honda and there is an aftermarket one that is not pre-mixed, I just can't remember which one it is at the moment. (Looks to be the 'OEM' brand at Pep-boys)

Did some digging because I'm bored.

Honda Coolant Concentrate is #OL999-9020
 
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….I never said doing a drain and fill with Honda coolant 2 times after a flush would give a 50:50 mix. I said that is what I would do.... if you wanna get technical..
Of course I want to get "technical". Why else offer the OP advice on how to properly maintain his cooling system including reaching the Honda recommended 50% AF concentration, as seen with the oem premix. So pointing out that simply doing two AF d&f as mentioned may not produce the desired Honda 50% concentration as it didn't for me, is accurate. Further that using an AF tester to confirm the concentration after the d&fs is the way to go. If that's technical I'm more than happy to accept that. Also noting to the OP that my advice based on some personal knowledge of Honda cooling system service over a significant period of time.

It is good though for readers to now know that your advice here is strictly based on what you would do, and that it wasn't intended as advice what the OP should do. As I personally wouldn't do that without making it very clear, possible I misinterpreted. Also that the advice apparently based on no personal experience with Honda cooling system service.

So technical, absolutely. Reading this forum for a long period of time, I've been under the impression "technical" is what bitog is all about. As for the similies used but not quoted, seems a tad overly dramatic to me. But I suppose when one has difficultly making a point on technical or scientific terms, smilies will have to do.

Since topic of AF to use broached again, Honda does make a concentrate as part # noted. However, it only available in "quarts" and is very pricey from a dealer. It's actual intent is for northern climes like Canada. It's intended use is to be added to a radiator after some AF is removed, designed to increase AF% some and lower the freezing point a little. That's why it's only available in quarts and would be special order for many. If not cost prohibitive depending on system capacity, it 'might' be an option.

Though it's been posted here often in the past, didn't mention OEM brand by Recochem because it's become increasingly scarce to point of gone from most b&m PB stores. Certainly if the OP can happen upon it would be an option. However as availability a question now, I rarely if ever mention it as an option.
 
Since it is an older, out-of-warranty car, why not just leave the universal coolant in the system?

Supposedly the current formula of Prestone has phosphates in it, which makes the additive system a bit closer to the Honda blue coolant.
 
Originally Posted by The Critic
Since it is an older, out-of-warranty car, why not just leave the universal coolant in the system?

Supposedly the current formula of Prestone has phosphates in it, which makes the additive system a bit closer to the Honda blue coolant.
I am curious, if the topic vehicle yours, is that what you would do? I ask because, if the vehicle mine and as described I would not do that. Here's the reasons why.

While it's possible, the "green" shown could be the newer Prestone universal or other universal, it could well be an IAT green as alluded to by the OP. Or could be another "green"AF not mentioned here. So, it's an unknown at this point.

Even if Prestone, with apparently some P, as compared to an Asian Phoat AF, P level unknown afaik. More important to me Prestone still uses 2eha as inhibitor found in DexCool and other universal Dexclones. No 'true' Asian PHoat AF use 2eha as inhibitor, that includes all the oem AFs and the aftermarket AFs. And with all the readily available, reasonably priced Asian PHoat AFs on the market now, beyond looking for a concentrated AF, no reason to look universal.

Lacking that, if one did want to go universal AF concentrate, my choice would be one the current Peak AF options. The new Peak 10x OAT AF, has similar attributes of Asian AF, no 2eha found in the dexclones, and extended service interval. Napa currently has the concentrate for $13/gal, couple months ago O'R had it for $14. The other is Peak Global Lifetime, similar AF, served me well in an older Tacoma specing red LL. However it's significantly more expensive and much less readily available now than 10X. So if I was considering a universal concentrate for an out warranty vehicle Honda with complete system flush, 10X concentrate an option. Otoh for me Prestone would not be, same for their faux Asian AF with 2eha offering. All that being said, other are welcome to them of course.

Beyond that, with an unknown cooling system service history as noted in the OP, I'd want to clean the system out and start fresh.
 
Originally Posted by greenfordtruck
Gebo is correct. I have owned and maintained a 2003 Accord since new. It came with and has always had Asian blue antifreeze.



That's most helpful. If there's zero chance it was a Honda fluid, I'll flush it out and put in an Asian OAT. Most likely, it's a Prestone universal. I will probably not worry about Red vs. Blue as they are compatible; his mom drives a Lexus so I'll just get some additional Red concentrate. A local NAPA has Pentofrost A1 conc. affordably.
 
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