best antifreeze for old cars

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str12-340

str12-340

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Ahh for the days when you just bought Prestone, it was green, and there were no choices. Now that we have a rainbow of antifreeze types, and those colors don't even seem to be standard anymore. What is the best type and brand of antifreeze? I'm putting in a new Cold Case aluminum Radiator in a dry freshly rebuilt motor, so the past is irrelevant. Cold Case says "use the green stuff" but as I read the descriptions on line it is clear that all green anti freeze is not the same. I'm leaning toward Zerex Original Green?
 
str12-340 said:
Ahh for the days when you just bought Prestone, it was green, and there were no choices. Now that we have a rainbow of antifreeze types, and those colors don't even seem to be standard anymore. What is the best type and brand of antifreeze? I'm putting in a new Cold Case aluminum Radiator in a dry freshly rebuilt motor, so the past is irrelevant. Cold Case says "use the green stuff" but as I read the descriptions on line it is clear that all green anti freeze is not the same. I'm leaning toward Zerex Original Green?
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Which ones are different, and how "different" are we talking? I run green Prestone in my Duster (or generic store-brand green in a pinch) with a bottle of Water Wetter or equivalent. I also make sure to drain and refill the coolant every 2-3 years since that's just what you gotta do with the "conventional" stuff.
 
“Green Gold” (as my senior H.S. Auto Shop teacher called it) I use nothing but this US made 50/50 All Temp brand. $3.99/gallon. Looks, smells, and yes tastes like coolant/anti-freeze! :lol:

The label gives the exact same specs etc as found on any brand name “Green Gold”

33E5E8CA-E790-45B9-9AA9-414377769632.jpeg


5B7712F9-D04A-4C75-8125-B9441BFC2906.jpeg
 
And your insides look like this:eek:

Screenshot_20220930-115730.png


Buy 1 gallon of streight green antifreeze.

Buy 1 gallon of distilled water



Mix.



Not you have 2 gallons of antifreeze 50/50 mix for 1/2 the cost of the 50/50 gallons from the store.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Buy 1 gallon of streight green antifreeze.

Buy 1 gallon of distilled water


Mix.


Not you have 2 gallons of antifreeze 50/50 mix for 1/2 the cost of the 50/50 gallons from the store.
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what a marketing genius. Selling 50/50 antifreeze for 90% of the cost of 100%. And is sells like hotcakes!

Do the math folks. Can you pour liquid into a container? It’s not that hard to do yourself.

I use concentrated Prestone. The cheap stuff around here smells like alcohol.
 
Dana67Dart said:
And your insides look like this:eek:

View attachment 1715992336

Buy 1 gallon of streight green antifreeze.

Buy 1 gallon of distilled water



Mix.



Not you have 2 gallons of antifreeze 50/50 mix for 1/2 the cost of the 50/50 gallons from the store.
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When you pull the engine out as much as I do it doesn’t get that bad. Whenever my car is “done” I might actually use some of the forbidden Mountain Dew
 
Craig Burriss said:
When you pull the engine out as much as I do it doesn’t get that bad. Whenever my car is “done” I might actually use some of the forbidden Mountain Dew
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In your climate you don't need 50/50 either. 25/75?

Probably could get away with water wetter type and a water pump lube/anti-rust if you don't see anything lower than very high 20's. The additive lowers the freezing point depression some.

Water is better than Anti-Freeze for removing heat from an engine.
 
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Depends... if it is a basically stock rebuild, i.e. iron heads, intake, brass radiator- then the old reliable green ethylene glycol (IAT- inorganic acid technology) is still probably the best and most cost-effective way to go.
But the more aluminum you add to the system- aftermarket intake, aluminum heads, aluminum radiator; the more I would consider using a HOAT (hybrid organic acid technology) type anti-freeze (usually orange or yellow); they have silicate additives to help fight corrosion in the aluminum components. It has about a 5 year working life.
With just an aluminum radiator, you should be able to get by with green- as long as you change it out regularly.
 
No antifreeze, fill the block make it solid.
 
My preference is HOAT type antifreeze because it is much easier on the aluminum parts and is readily available at any parts store or even Walmart
 
Anything with Aluminum, heads, block, intake HOAT and 50% distilled water,
Cast iron stocker. Ethylene/glycol and 50 % distilled water.
Straight water has no lubricants, additives for corrosion resistance. And has minerals that build up inside.
Be sure to get all air pockets out of the system or it will overheat.
 
What ever you do, don't let anyone put Dexcool in your car.... A car I recently got back apparently that had a coolant leak in the past... Someone mixed Dexcool in with the green stuff that was in there.... This is what I had to deal with....

IMG_7415.jpg


IMG_7416.jpg
 
MoparLeo said:
You should never mix different types of coolant. Ok if it is same formula but no cross mixing.
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Well thats great accept you've just told everyone that has any aluminum parts in their engines they should running HOAT when chances are they've been running OAT & unless you pull the block drains which virtually no one does there will still be about a gallon of coolant in most engines....

All these wonderful new technologies that don't mix with the real world stuff is BS
 
1WildRT said:
Well thats great accept you've just told everyone that has any aluminum parts in their engines they should running HOAT when chances are they've been running OAT & unless you pull the block drains which virtually no one does there will still be about a gallon of coolant in most engines....

All these wonderful new technologies that don't mix with the real world stuff is BS
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He's dead right though. That's what happened up there in post #19. It can slam make a MESS.
 
In a non freeze climate I’ve run reverse osmosis water with radiator cooler and radiator treatment. No anti-freeze.

The radiator cooler has a surfactant and some emulsified oil (lubricant).

The radiator treatment has silicant and additive package to reduce electrolysis too.

Brand new motor in 2011. Done a couple of drain and refills in past 11 years. Should do more, my bad.

But all is good here. I could also run 25/75 anti-freeze with reverse osmosis water to avoid the mineral build up.

Just went in garage and took this picture

37ADF25F-390E-4F65-82D9-3EF7DCBDD5F8.jpeg
 
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1WildRT said:
What ever you do, don't let anyone put Dexcool in your car.... A car I recently got back apparently that had a coolant leak in the past... Someone mixed Dexcool in with the green stuff that was in there.... This is what I had to deal with....

View attachment 1715992550

View attachment 1715992551
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My friends dad mixed Mercedes Benz green stuff with Prestone and it created jello! He spent hours flushing it out. In non freezing climates, Mopar recommended Distilled water and the rust inhibitor supplement.
 
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