coolant?

[anonymous-user]

[redacted]

[PeteGriff]

Hi Cossers, this is a big subject and everyone will have their own opinion. Personally I use hi-spec Volvo Penta coolant. This is made for hi temperature running and is specific for aluminium engines (important with the RV8). We use this on our large generator vehicles which get very hot and have lots of aluminium components. It is also rated for marine use also. Found it to be great, and by the way it is green! Advice is go for a good quality coolant that is stable over a wide temperature range and has all the additives for aluminium engines. Don't worry about the colour it is almost always a colorant that is added no other use at all and the base chemical in quality coolant is colourless. Hope this helps, Pete

[carsy]

Comma blue stuff from local motor factors for me.

[paul2000]

Hi pink is good but you can,t mix it with any other colour coolant ie blue/ green

[spend]

VAG G12+ is my favourite.

[ruaricoles]

As previously mentioned, colour is no real indication, although traditional old fashioned stuff tends to be blue and more modern organic acid stuff can be pink. Just make sure it's compatible with aluminium, and avoid the organic acid technology stuff (OAT) as while it's good in modern engines designed for it it can eat away plastics which aren't. If I recall correctly around a 40% glycol mix will give better heat transfer but 50% usually recommended for corrosion and low temp protection of course.

[ruaricoles]

The glycol is the antifreeze bit, and the OAT additives provide corrosion protection. It might be fine, but the OAT stuff certainly isn't always compatible with some plastics.

Some wikipedia info here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifreeze#Corrosion_...

This suggests nylon 6.6 and silicon rubber (coolant hoses?). Personally I wouldn't use it in an engine not designed for it; stick with the old fashioned basic stuff!