Antifreeze Which Is Right?

[Vanbursta]

Hi all

 

Got a small problem with some new antifreeze I bought from the local Fraud dealer this morning, so any advice from the sages on here would be most welcome. Heres the story:- ;)

 

When I first got my '97 2.8 v6 she only had plain water in the cooling system, so I flushed and replaced with the orange stuff that Ford were selling at the time (G11), the car was in a non Ford garage last week and they changed the orange stuff for some ordinary cheap nasty blue stuff (the car went in for an exhaust but they decided to replace the anti freeze - no idea why - they didn't even charge me for the privelege! but there was also an indentical Galaxy in at the same time so maybe they got mixed up), anyway I moaned and they paid for 6 litres of new antifreeze and 10 litres of dizzy water from the local Ford dealer, I picked up the antifreeze this morning and it's purple, I asked about it at the service reception and was told this is now the correct antifreeze and they use it in all vehicles. IE it superseeds all others.

 

The guy at Fords reception reckons the makeup of the 3 different anti freezes is different and that the new stuff is an O.A.T. antifreeze which Ford have replaced all others with (what is an OAT antifreeze anyway - sounds like something to stop your horses feed from freezing!).

 

I was going to reflush and fill the system (there are no problems with it, I just don't want to cause myself any grief later 'cause I used the wrong stuff and then get told it doesn't stop the internal corrosion etc), but to be quite honest I really don't know what to do now, should I flush and refill with the "proper" (purple)antifreeze Ford supplied me with this morning, should I try and source some more orange stuff, or should I just leave it with the blue cheapo motor factor stuff in!

 

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated, as I haven't managed to knacker the car yet and don't want to start today! I have attached a picture of the bottle and the cap, the cap has some antifreeze in it so you can see the purple colour (looks like Meths!).

[Steveenduro]

Yes, that's the good stuff. I looked into this when I changed mine.

It's the "Superplus premium".

[seatkid]

All VAG engines (i.e. all the diesels, the petrol V6 ones as well as all VW/SEAT variants) require to be filled with antifreeze to VW spec G12 plus. (G12+). Earlier models - 98 were filled with G11 which is green, G12+ is a pale pinkish colour when diluted. DO NOT FILL WITH THE OLD SPEC G12 (i.e. look for the plus) or any other brand of antifreeze as the combination will chemically form a gel that blocks radiators etc. and is almost impossible to remove.

 

AFAIK G12+ is only available from dealers. If buying from Fords, make sure the antifreeze is suitable for your model of galaxy as Fords probably use an entirely different antifreeze for their range of engines. (2, 2.3L)

 

The V6 petrol engine is made by VW (VAG).

[Vanbursta]

Yes, that's the good stuff. I looked into this when I changed mine.

It's the "Superplus premium".

OK thanks for your help

 

All VAG engines (i.e. all the diesels, the petrol V6 ones as well as all VW/SEAT variants) require to be filled with antifreeze to VW spec G12 plus. (G12+). Earlier models - 98 were filled with G11 which is green, G12+ is a pale pinkish colour. DO NOT FILL WITH THE OLD SPEC G12 (i.e. look for the plus) or any other brand of antifreeze as the combination will chemically form a gel that blocks radiators etc. and is almost impossible to remove.

 

AFAIK G12+ is only available from dealers. If buying from Fords, make sure the antifreeze is suitable for your model of galaxy as Fords probably use an entirely different antifreeze for their range of engines. (2, 2.3L)

 

The V6 petrol engine is made by VW (VAG).

Arrgghh so there are more different colours!!

 

The question remains should I flush / refill and is this purple stuff any better than the cheapo blue stuff?

 

Thanks for the tip about the CD-V6 (VW VR-6), I did already know as our local VW garage is MUCH cheaper than our local Ford garage, but thanks anyway.

[mumof4]

The only thing i know about the coloured stuff,is that you must not mix colours..i.e..ours is orange...and if i wanted to top it up it would have to be an orange one that i would need..i couldnt just top it up with another colour....Hmmm....i am assuming that the orange coloured one is ok????

[Steveenduro]

The premium plus was the only "quality" coolant that Ford stocked when I changed mine.

I would flush your system to be on the safe side, but it seems that you have the right stuff.

I would be interested to see if you fill up with the right amount. Mine was a few litres short - I must have got water/coolant trapped. Despite taking off the hose for the aux heater.

[elize]

Please help? I also have antifreeze dilema. Car had light blue tinted antifreeze. All I could buy was pink. Needed new radiator so asked ford to also flush system and fill with super plus premium. I have a bottle of this and it is pink. When got home and checked antifreeze in my car is still light blue. The invoice states the antifreeze as being the same part number as is on the super plus permium. Phoned ford to ask why it is still blue but they did not seem to have clue about what I was talking about. I think they are under impression I have a hang up about colours. As it states in the hand book colours or specs should never be mixed can anyone give me any advise as having spent over

[tiny]

Green or Blue antifreeze are G11(Mono)ethlene glycol base and can not be mixed with other colours. Pink is G12 which can not be mixed with G11. Purple is G12+ which is fine to mix with G12 (VW are phasing out standard pink G12) but can NOT be mixed with G11(blue/Green).

 

IIRC (dont quote me!!) orange is Monoethylene glycol based with "organic acid inhibitors" in place of the silicone based inhibitors in standard monoethylene glycol antifreeze and should not be mixed with either type, however as I have no experience of orange coolants i can not be certain.

 

Mixing the types does not(contrary to popular opinion) cause gelling, but can cause a frothy header tank deposit, what it does do however is destroy the corrosion inhibitors that are all the more important now that engines have a large amount of aluminium in them. Also to be notes is the fact that now the majority of radiators are being made from aluminium(or at least have a lot more al' components) corrosion inhibitors are all the more important.

 

Blue/Green antifreeze maintains its antifreeze properties for life but does lose its corrosion inhibiting properties over time, however the pink/purple varieties lose their antifreeze and corrosion inhibiting properties much quicker. hence the fact that for newer cars it is recommended that antifreeze is changed between 3-5 years dependant on manufacturer.

 

 

 

ELIZE, please post your exact model of car so that we know which type coolant you should have, adding it to your signature is best.

As a rule of thumb <99 cars have G12/G12+.

Edited April 1, 2007 by tiny

[buford_t_justice]

I would get rid of the blue stuff the garage put in and replace with the purple stuff Ford gave you.

 

I use the Super Plus Premium in mine as shown in your photo.

[big_kev]

Antifreeze for beginners..........

 

MIx half antifreeze ( any cheap kind they all reduce freezing and have corrosion inhibitor ) and half water from tap into suitable container.

 

Pour mixture into correct hole under bonnet until it reaches the Full or Max mark.

 

Thats it ........all will now be ok.

 

 

 

 

Honestly has anyone ever had a problem with the "wrong" kind of antifreeze.

 

 

Why make things so complicated.....its a lumpy old engine it really wont matter

[tiny]

Antifreeze for beginners..........

 

MIx half antifreeze ( any cheap kind they all reduce freezing and have corrosion inhibitor ) and half water from tap into suitable container.

 

Pour mixture into correct hole under bonnet until it reaches the Full or Max mark.

 

Thats it ........all will now be ok.

 

 

 

 

Honestly has anyone ever had a problem with the "wrong" kind of antifreeze.

 

 

Why make things so complicated.....its a lumpy old engine it really wont matter

 

To be honest, the only problems i heard of are with the VR6 motor(and this was from doing a google on the subject), could this be related to the dodgy thermostat housing?

I believe the problem is that the corrosion inhibitors in Monoethylene glycol dont work too well with aluminium. And also noteworthy, until a few years ago most radiators were made from copper, now aluminium is the most common type, providing a problem more with radiators than engines.

[elize]

Thanks tiny. At last someone who knows there is a difference in different antifreeze colours. My car is a 99 Vreg TDi Ghia X. I can only presume that when ford changed the rad they have not flushed the whole of the system and have refilled using the super +. Presuming the original blue has already been partly diluted by the pink would it be enough to just drain and flush the rad side of the system and refill with super+ premium as it seems to be quite a mega job to flush the engine side as well, as it appears the power stearing pump etc has to come off to access the thermostat. Has anyone else had this prob with fords as I am surprised fords have so lilttle knowledge of my car.

[gregers]

thats because iirc its a vw