Lambchop

iTrader: (1)

I just went along the rd to the motor factors to get antifreeze for the focus to top up.

Guy asks me what colour and i was like

Phoned a friend who says i need the pink

So if i'd used the blue stuff i had at home and it mixed with red would it cause a problem with different inhibitors etc etc?

Kverna

iTrader: (1)

Yes. If you mixed alot you will need too flush your system. Soon you will get some kind of foam in your headertank, and it may turn into jello

BM08

My dads escort uses pink, my BMW on the other hand cant use that, ive got to use BMW spec stuff which is pale green

paul16v

Mixing it can be bad, drinking it can be alot worse

Slevin Kelevra

AFAIK anti freeze is anit freeze is it not??

never had any problem with mixing different colours or makes.

Lambchop

iTrader: (1)

looks liek thats not the case at the mo! surely they dont do blue green or pink so folk can choose their preference

euan say the maxo is away?

Slevin Kelevra

he didint say mate, hopefully it did a job for you!

im only talking from experience mate. never paid any attention to what anti freeze i put in my car whether it be from halfords or the local garage or out euans shed!!

best bet would be to walk into halfords and compare what it says on the back of two different bottles.

AlexF

red/pink etc - Organic Acid Technology

blue/green etc - Glycol Ethelene


The two do not mix - they attach each other and turn into a brown sludge that blocks the system - then you overhead and damage the engine.

Alex

pete mcrash

iTrader: (1)

.....good answer.........

Lambchop

iTrader: (1)

aha great answer thanks! i wouldn't have known that

BM08

Heres another for you, why do cars with the same/similar engine need one or the other? why cant we all run petrol engines on the same?

AlexF

The red stuff literally eats into the metal work and forms a protective layer. So the engine needs to be designed to work with it. The advantage is that the life is about 5 years compared to the older green stuff that lasts 2-3 years at best.

Alex

dojj

iTrader: (3)

you learn something new everyday

i've got pink stuff in the mondeo, should it still be changed every few years then or CAN it last upto 5 years?

pete mcrash

iTrader: (1)

..........service ur car every year....regardless

Csm

Yep ive seen exspansion tanks full of jelly due to folk mixing anti-freeze etc

Even seen windscreen washer bottles with jelly with just mixing the wash additive

Make sure system is properly flushed through with water before putting fresh coolant in

ECOS95

I'm sure the Ford stuff now lasts 10yrs providing its not been watered down. I'd go with what ever the hand book says to use & just replace the whole lot unless your able to check the antifreeze is still up to scratch.

AlexF

Coolant every 3 years

Brake fuild every 2 years

Oil every year (more if you do more miles obviously)

job done!

orion_crazy_carl

iTrader: (3)

wow,never knew tht,

BM08

How many other people "dont know that" and fck up there coolant system

dojj

iTrader: (3)

i used to get everything done for free from around the corner

now they'v gone i've got to start forking out my own money

still, kwik fit for oil, brake fluids and tryes, another guy for next to nothing cheap service work

ttaylora

Okay...But, what if we've drained the green, the flushed the system with plain water, and then put the red stuff in? Will it still gel?

ttaylora

Also, is there any way to clean out an installed heater core? We think the people that owned this car before us didn't know a thing about maintenance and may have mixed red and green before we got to it. Is it too late to do anything about it. Or should we go ahead and get a pro to flush it the right way?

**caz**

i didn't know this either :s the water in my header tank looks a bit brown to me but have a feeling its due to rust .... will need to flush that all out when i get a chance

x

zetec-Sam

iTrader: (2)

Just don't do what the stupid fool did when I was at work and stick washer fluid in the coolant, in a big merc thing. She came up to me and went 'I did a bo bo'

SteveB

iTrader: (3)

Blue - 2 years
Green - 3 years
Red - 5 years

Change intervals on the bottles in front of me.

Steve