Favorite Coolant?

[wetminkey]

Wow! Some CRAZY stuff here, in this thread!
Orange antifreeze is RECOMMENDED for engines that are a combination of steel (block) and aluminum (head) - to protect both metals,...that includes our Spider engines. "Old wives tales" that you've heard about Chevys and antifreeze are misinformation B.S.,...(Dexcool - read about it!)
Green antifreeze is RECOMMENDED for engines with steel blocks and heads. It was originally recommended for the Spider, but no other formulations were available at the time,...
Multiple other formulations have been produced - like Toyota's red (but it's just orange with coloring) - but you can see the marketing value in that,...! And there are also some specialty formulas that you will not be using in an old 2 liter.
I use orange in my '79 Spider,...and our '03 Chevy Trailblazer that has 250,842 miles on it!

[Topless]

Wow! Some CRAZY stuff here, in this thread!
Orange antifreeze is RECOMMENDED for engines that are a combination of steel (block) and aluminum (head) - to protect both metals,...that includes our Spider engines. "Old wives tales" that you've heard about Chevys and antifreeze are misinformation B.S.,...(Dexcool - read about it!)
Green antifreeze is RECOMMENDED for engines with steel blocks and heads. It was originally recommended for the Spider, but no other formulations were available at the time,...
Multiple other formulations have been produced - like Toyota's red (but it's just orange with coloring) - but you can see the marketing value in that,...! And there are also some specialty formulas that you will not be using in an old 2 liter.
I use orange in my '79 Spider,...and our '03 Chevy Trailblazer that has 250,842 miles on it!

Is that orange OAT or HOAT that you use? What brand? Just reading up on Dex-cool...it's an OAT that contains 2-EH which damages plastics/nylons, might not be an issue for old Spiders. There's also Zerex G30 or G05 OAT, Peak Global OAT. OP mentioned HOATs as preferable but did not state why. These can also be orange. I'm new and as confused as possible.

One issue that seems to determine IAT vs OAT vs HOAT is the presence of silicates. Does anyone know if Spiders do better with or without silicates? My Auto tech textbook states silicates can erode water pump impellers, and OAT's do not contain silicates. "Universal coolants" work in many vehicles, are often HOAT, low-silicate, and phosphate free but cannot be used in vehicles requiring a silicate-free formula.

[Topless]

Asked a master mechanic I know who prefers old cars and owns a non-running Spider, "What would be a good coolant to use in a '79 Spider? Cast iron block aluminum head." He replies, "Just a good brand name ethylene glycol coolant unless you want to step up to supercool." Me: "So basically anything is ok and I'm overthinking it?" Him: "Yep."

[18Fiatsandcounting]

That's kinda how I look at things. Sometimes we expect these 40-50 year old Fiats to behave like newer cars in terms of oils, coolant, steering effort, brakes, ride, squeaks and rattles, wind noise, body tolerances, etc. Unfortunately, they don't, although they give it a good try.

-Bryan

[wetminkey]

Crazy. I understood that the OAT orange (I use NAPA) was best for the aluminum/steel combination, due to two different types of metals in contact with the coolant fluid,...BUT now I find info stating that it is detrimental to the lead solder in a copper radiator,...OK with an aluminum one.
SO! I guess my new advice is,...STICK WITH THE GOOD OL' ETHYLENE GLYCOL - green - if ya got a copper radiator. I guess I'm changing back.
Otherwise, I'd stay with the OAT orange. No plastics/nylon for it to bother in this kind of cooling system,...
You have good reason to be confused. Me too,...

[wetminkey]

A further note, and something QUITE interesting,...!
NAPA Extended Life Antifreeze & Coolant is COMPATIBLE WITH ALL AUTOMOTIVE COOLING SYSTEMS, and CAN BE ADDED TO ANY COLOR COOLANT - stated right on the container! I'm not even sure what color it is, yet - haven't opened it. But I guess that it does not matter!
Ethylene glycol based (of course), it contains hexanoic acid, sodium salt, and neodecanoic acid - perhaps it's an inorganic acid antifreeze,...?
None the less, "compatible for use in all automobiles and light duty trucks, regardless of make, model, year, or original antifreeze color", stated right on the container, makes me want to use it!
So, I'll be changing my coolant, but I will replace it with NAPA's Extended Life. I'm glad that I found it, right about now!
I sure hope that helps others with this same dilemma,...
Todd.

[wetminkey]

The stuff is yellow,...kinda like beer with no foam!
Drained the orange. Flushed the entire system and drained it - including the coolant reservoir. Filled with the "Extended Life", mixed 50/50.
I'll run it for several fan cycles tomorrow with "Heat" selected,...
It should protect my radiator and the entire engine, too! They claim for 150,000/5yrs,...

[KirillZip]

Hi, Comredes!

That color have to be a coolant.

Find good looking coolant (OAT) for my twincam - but it made in green or red. What to prefer?