Coolant - Green Turning Red?

NCII40 · 20-12-2015, 10:31 PM

Does anyone know what the difference is between Red and Green Coolants ??

Do AU 5L specify Red or Green?

I am using green atm but it has turned red?

Not going to use Water Wetter as previous thread

Cheers

barrys123 · 21-12-2015, 01:42 AM

What do you mean it turned red, you sure it's coolant?

Peter B - CV8 · 21-12-2015, 10:05 AM

Red = long life coolant (generally good for about 5 years)
Green = normal life (about 3 years)

I've never heard of coolant changing colour. Might be an idea to check your overflow tank for evidence of contamination - hopefully not a transmission milkshake...

4vxc · 21-12-2015, 10:58 AM

had to do a training coarse years ago about red vs green it has nothing to do with the life of the coolant. Nulon has 5 year green
theres info on the net if you want to research it

Tassie f100 · 21-12-2015, 11:45 AM

Never heard of rad coolant changing colour.If it's red I would suggest that it has a trans cooler leak and because the trans oil is lighter it always floats to the top of the water.As a side note I believe that the properties of coolant change from being a corrosion inhibitor to a corroder after 3-4 years

SirHenry · 21-12-2015, 01:35 PM

Both can be long life coolants. Difference according to the Nulon coolants is the Red is designed for Aluminium Radiator. I used Nulon Red in my AU S1 Classic with Al radiator and never had a problem with it. I actually preferred it to the green but I think it's down to personal preference.

Coolant shouldn't be changing colour though. I would get it checked.

NCII40 · 21-12-2015, 07:50 PM

Thanks everyone
Can't be Auto Trans Oil, I bypassed that 2.5 years ago
Last coolant change i done was only 1 year ago? Gonna have to flush it out
I will get some pics up

NCII40 · 21-12-2015, 08:03 PM

JMO · 21-12-2015, 08:22 PM

What brand coolant did you use?

zdenko · 21-12-2015, 09:17 PM

I have had Coolant that looks like that out of the bottle for my track car.
It was a Total Branded one. Can't remember the exact type.
Changed from pink to green depending on the angle you looked at it.

Davehoos · 21-12-2015, 09:28 PM

most coolants change colour over time.
Normally about 2 years and it stinks. Ive mostly always used a long life product and these don't tend to breakdown by appearance.

most of the normal off the shelf coolants coat metal contents like a barrier and its the barrier that has a shelf life.

I would not have expected it to go red except for the original red coolant stain inside the engine starting to flush out.

Had a coolant sample result returned today for a Cat 12M grader. 4000 hours. Requires additives or flushing. About 1/3 of its expected life-and look green.

NCII40 · 22-12-2015, 07:16 AM

The coolant i used was this one,
I poured the whole 5L as per book 30% to 50% Glycol / water mix
Had different labeling a year ago? The bottle was white not transparent

I have flushed the system twice since ownership 2.5 years. Can't remember for sure if there was red or green in when i bought it

Drecian · 22-12-2015, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCII40

The coolant i used was this one,
I poured the whole 5L as per book 30% to 50% Glycol / water mix
Had different labeling a year ago? The bottle was white not transparent

I have flushed the system twice since ownership 2.5 years. Can't remember for sure if there was red or green in when i bought it

Did you pour in 5L of concentrate (and topped up with water) or premix?
I know these Ford motors hold a silly amount of coolant; something like 15L for the 6cyl, so there might be some ond coolant leftover deep inside somewhere.

IMO if it's been in there a while, I'd do a big flush with just water; drain via bottom hose, fill up with water, empty via bottom hose, repeat until it's clear water etc. (Took me doing this 8-10 times before there were no traces of coolant left) The to a clean fill with coolant of your choice and keep and eye on it.

4vxc · 22-12-2015, 06:09 PM

must of had red coolant at some stage?

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drecian

Did you pour in 5L of concentrate (and topped up with water) or premix?
I know these Ford motors hold a silly amount of coolant; something like 15L for the 6cyl, so there might be some ond coolant leftover deep inside somewhere.

IMO if it's been in there a while, I'd do a big flush with just water; drain via bottom hose, fill up with water, empty via bottom hose, repeat until it's clear water etc. (Took me doing this 8-10 times before there were no traces of coolant left) The to a clean fill with coolant of your choice and keep and eye on it.

Yes, after the flush i poured in the 5L concentrate, then topped up with distilled water
Gonna start the flush today

So it doesn't matter if i put in red or green?

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4vxc

must of had red coolant at some stage?

It's strange though it has taken a whole year to mix up then
I only noticed it was starting to red the other week

Drecian · 24-12-2015, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCII40

It's strange though it has taken a whole year to mix up then
I only noticed it was starting to red the other week

How long had the car been sitting when you noticed it? I've had coolant fade to clear (ish) over time, but never change color completely.

I've*heard* that some typed of coolant don't mix, with the worst case forming a gel? Maybe it's getting mixed together by the engine, but separates after sitting a while?

Just throwing ideas around...

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 04:01 PM

Started the flushing process today
Here is what it looks like
Double Checked and the radiator trans cooler is 100% bypassed

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drecian

How long had the car been sitting when you noticed it? I've had coolant fade to clear (ish) over time, but never change color completely.

I've*heard* that some typed of coolant don't mix, with the worst case forming a gel? Maybe it's getting mixed together by the engine, but separates after sitting a while?

Just throwing ideas around...

Thanks for the reply,

Car can sit for up to 5 days at a time, but only recently turned this color

Drecian · 24-12-2015, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCII40

Started the flushing process today
Here is what it looks like
Double Checked and the radiator trans cooler is 100% bypassed

image

image

Are those suspended bubbles in the 'red'? (coolant shouldn't be thick enough for bubbles to suspend)

If you chuck the lot in a bottle and shake it up, does it mix together or form globs/layers?

The 'green' on top looks reeaally intense, almost like straight concentrate? (as if it's not mixed/diluted)

Do you know if the car has had a milkshake in the past? (If so, could be a pocket of ATF somewhere?)

Like you said, since the OEM cooler is bypassed, there's no way of any *more* ATF getting into the coolant, just finding out what it is and where it's come from.

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drecian

Are those suspended bubbles in the 'red'? (coolant shouldn't be thick enough for bubbles to suspend)

If you chuck the lot in a bottle and shake it up, does it mix together or form globs/layers?

The 'green' on top looks reeaally intense, almost like straight concentrate? (as if it's not mixed/diluted)

Do you know if the car has had a milkshake in the past? (If so, could be a pocket of ATF somewhere?)

Like you said, since the OEM cooler is bypassed, there's no way of any *more* ATF getting into the coolant, just finding what it is and where it's come from.

I'll do the shake test and take some pics
No milkshake that i know of
Flushed for the second time now, Just taking off the bottom hose at the water pump, it's letting out about 7 to 8 litres.
Then just refilling with demineralised water and going for drive and back with the heater set on 32 to ensure heater tap is open and flushing out heater core

The remaining water is still a bit redish, so i will need to do it a few more times. looks foamy, hope that's just air bleeding out

Drecian · 24-12-2015, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCII40

I'll do the shake test and take some pics
Flushed for the second time now, Just taking off the bottom hose at the water pump, it's letting out about 7 to 8 litres.

If you're just filling it up with water then pulling the hose off, you'll need to do it a heap of times to get all the old coolant out. Last I did it on an EL, I counted about 7-8 times of filling and pulling the bottom hose before the water came out clear with no signs of green. I never did up the hose clamp, just pushed the hose on to hold the water in the engine.

I figured if pulling the hose only drained half the cooling system (8L out of 16L total) out, then doing it once only removes half the coolant (leaving half), doing that again (twice) still leaving a quarter diluted through. Third time leaves an 1/8th etc etc.

barrys123 · 24-12-2015, 07:13 PM

It doesn't matter if you use two different coloured coolant they should mix together and be all an orange colour and the only way to flush it is to run the engine until the thermostat opens with the heater turned on drain it. It's not a milkshake as it would be a creamy sludge.

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 07:39 PM

Going for red for the next fill
Nulon red and Penrite red checks out, haven't checked any other brands

Pic from my book in glovebox

Nulon website

This is for green,
Say's ok for AU but doesn't meet the exact spec.

Davehoos · 24-12-2015, 08:09 PM

For years I had used a powerflush machine in dealer ship. these are good But not very environmental. connect up a system of hoses that flush with mains water or air after running the engine with some nasty cleaning products. into the sewers.

Home on tank water.

warm up isn't needed-if you remove the thermostat or fit one with small holes. I remove the top hose and run the engine to check the thermostat flow and check the radiator before I start flushing. you should extend the hose away from the belt and pulley as it can stuff them or give you the noises.

most of the time I run the garden hose into the surge tank to keep the tank or the radiator full this is to save me getting under the car and removing the heater tap.

you have to watch the pressure as its much more than the system will take. falcon has drain in bottom of AU radiator but not very big, you don't need to disturb the bottom hose. Not a good idea to drain very hot water out and let cold air or water in the head.

on a falcon you remove the heater tap-its a service item [throw away]. run the hose garden hose into the pipe from the engine [from thermostat housing]-this will back flush the heater through the water pump when the thermostat is closed-a test.

Then swap the direction and flush the block through the heater. I use a pair of tongs to clamp hoses but any thing will do. flushing the heater into the engine you can run the engine and see if the thermostat is working.

Davehoos · 24-12-2015, 08:44 PM

If you read the service manual for AU it shows that the factory coolant is not an antifreeze anti boil and it must be flushed and cannot be mixed with other coolants. It also must be replaced and the engine flushed if the ratio fell bellow 33% or 3 years.

I found a recommendation for EL/EF to replace the factory red with green to stop cyl head faults. I was aware of this doing used car tow ins.

It claimed the original ford green turns pink when overheated--I think this might be a dealer out for they didn't flush the engine properly.

I was offered a ford labelled green coolant from the local ford dealer spares that had to be used at 50% after the thermostat gasket was replaced. My AU have copper radiator and worked well.

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davehoos

Not a good idea to drain very hot water out and let cold air or water in the head.

I been waiting 2 hours before opening the system after the drive / refill

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davehoos

If you read the service manual for AU it shows that the factory coolant is not an antifreeze anti boil and it must be flushed and cannot be mixed with other coolants. It also must be replaced and the engine flushed if the ratio fell bellow 33% or 3 years.

I was offered a ford labelled green coolant from the local ford dealer spares that had to be used at 50% after the thermostat gasket was replaced. My AU have copper radiator and worked well.

Dealer Coolants are Ford ESD-M99B 166-C, (Private Label MOTORCRAFT) is a anti freeze anti boil coolant. not sure the colour

I just reading my book now,

It says the initial factory fill is 33% Glycol based anti freeze anti boil meeting ford spec WSS-M97-B44C

Replace initial factory fill at 3 years/100k

Use Ford R1-32/33 ( WSS-M97-B44C or D )33% anti corrosion / Anti Freeze and water

galaxy xr8 · 24-12-2015, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCII40

Dealer Coolants are Ford ESD-M99B 166-C, (Private Label MOTORCRAFT) is a anti freeze anti boil coolant. not sure the colour

I just reading my book now,

It says the initial factory fill is 33% Glycol based anti freeze anti boil meeting ford spec WSS-M97-B44C

Replace initial factory fill at 3 years/100k

Use Ford R1-32/33 ( WSS-M97-B44C or D )33% anti corrosion / Anti Freeze and water

So when it say’s 33% of Glycol based anti freeze, does that mean that you should use 33% of a product and then the rest water ?, which means if the system is a 15L capacity, you need 4.95L’s of product and the rest water ?.

NCII40 · 24-12-2015, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galaxy xr8

So when it say’s 33% of Glycol based anti freeze, does that mean that you should use 33% of a product and then the rest water ?, which means if the system is a 15L capacity, you need 4.95L’s of product and the rest water ?.

yep, that's it

Important to ensure the whole system is clean running with water first
Other wise you gonna get some mixing as what i assume has happened to me

Using Drecian's fill / drain repeat method is working well
What i like is it allows the system to bleed out, stabilize mixing and flowing real well ensuring all pockets are getting flushed out
Good if your not in a rush anyway. Prob wont be finished for another few days