Coolant Advice

[chrispitman]

Now the cars running need to do a coolant change. Whats the best hose to take off to drain it.

Next - what coolant see people on here using 2y blue. My current is orangey/pink pretty sure it was from halfords but cant find paperwork or bottle so not 100% sure. Seems some dont recommend with bright metals pulled the block temp sensor looks fine. No leaks so far.

Is there a coolant thats bright metal safe other than blue 2yr. If I switch to this assume I will have to flush a few times with clean water should this then be ok.

[phillpot]

Ah, the old Anti_freeze Chestnut!

there is a popular thinking that modern OAT anti-freezes (often pink) are not friendly to old school copper and brass radiators? Hence the preference for IAT , often blue or green, anti-freeze.

Bit of Googling will find you enough info to completely confuse you, one for starters....



Bottom hoses off rad and swirl pot should get most out but the more hoses you pull off the better and to clear the heater matrix you'll need to blow through the heater hoses or hold the garden hose onto one of them.

[Belle427]

I stuck to blue, it’s easy enough to change every 2 years.

[phillpot]

Belle427 said:

I stuck to blue, it’s easy enough to change every 2 years.

It will have leaked out of somewhere or other long before two years

[chrispitman]

Yes been reading on google its a total mine field, seems Oat based dose not attack bright metals but gives no real protection
(but brass seems unaffected looking at my system) only bit I can't find answer to is solder as rad is std copper/brass soldered together, but again no leaks.

Has anyone used a 'Hoat' based coolant as these were developed before oat, and looking at some versions they list cover for Ali,copper,brass,solder. But you get the better protection of Oat vs blue IAT and lastst longer like 5 year of Oat vs 2 IAT. Also Oat/Hoat dosen't leave as many deposits as IAT in the cooling system.