I have a 2002 Jeep Wrangler 4.0 that I purchased early last year. The guy I purchased it from was an auto tech for a Chevy dealership and said he just replaced the radiator in it before I bought it because it failed on him. He mentioned he changed it in a fast food parking lot and used coolant from advance but never mentioned what kind. It has been an extremely reliable and fun toy for my wife and I! I was going over fluids the other day and realized the coolant reservoir was a little below the add line. From what I can tell by shining a light through the top of the reservoir the fluid looks orangish-red. I’d like to top off the reservoir but unsure of what to use. Here’s what the coolant in the radiator looks like. I believe these call for Zerex G05 which has a yellow tint to it so I don’t believe it’s that but not 100% sure. I’m beginning to wonder if I should just flush the system and add new. These pictures were taken on level ground with the Jeep sitting overnight so it was nice and cool.
Coolant question
- Thread starter JeepTJ02
- Start date
Not to hijack your thread, but maybe somebody here will say that what I did was fine or maybe somebody here will flame me.
My newly purchased vehicle (2005, same engine) needed coolant. I was not sure what was in there and it looked - from what I could tell - like green/yellow coolant. I just dumped in Prestone Universal. Lable said it was good for all vehicles.
I probably should flush the system and put the right stuff in.
You really can't go by color, but it appears the Chevy guy put Dex Cool in it.
I'd flush completely and put in G05.
I'd flush completely and put in G05.
Is the engine running hot? If not running hot, why would you do a flush because of the color? Peak ,Prestone and others are all different colors. I have seen green, orange, yellow etc.. I would buy a tester at parts store and be more concerned with the mixture. 50/50? 100% glycol? and what temperature it will keep the engine from freezing. Wal-Mart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Prestone...=sem&msclkid=5eab65310693126aece00d7ce483d575
It does not run hot whatsoever. Like I said I was just wanting to top off the reservoir but unsure of what coolant is in it.
Because he has no idea what the guy put in there and mixing coolants leads to trouble. Especially Dex Cool which is what a Chevy guy would get at work.
Ahh, Ok. No telling what he put in. Probably some universal as I doubt he flushed it in the parking lot.
I was just dealing with a Ram that had cherry red coolant in it, that should have had G05. No idea what it actually was, but, I did find references to some MOPAR G05 being red...
I was just dealing with a Ram that had cherry red coolant in it, that should have had G05. No idea what it actually was, but, I did find references to some MOPAR G05 being red...
I use the Prestone All makes and models green coolant in all of my Jeeps, regardless of the year. I use a good chemical flush first.
KennethS
TJ Addict
Top off with distilled water. You won’t dilute the antifreeze concentration by enough to matter.
Because adding green/yellow to a system full of dexcool (which is very likely what is in his system, it doesn't look rusty. It looks red-orange like the newer Dex-Cool) does bad things. My truck had the antifreeze flushed at a Sears Auto Center in 2009, and replaced the green factory coolant with Dex-Cool. They clearly didn't do a good job flushing, and I suspect they simply drained the radiator and block and called it a day, leaving a good amount of the original green behind to mix with the Dex-Cool.
There are now permanent "pudding skin" orange deposits inside of my hoses and inside the coolant jackets. I believe this was after Dex-Cool's formula was changed so it was less likely to turn acidic and eat gaskets. I replaced the water pump, rad hoses, radiator, etc. but the coolant still turns brown-ish after about 3 flushes (and $100 in concentrate) at this point.
You NEED to know what coolant is in your vehicle, in case you ever have to top off. If you have any sort of mixing of two different types of coolants, misery arrives. If there is any uncertainty, take it from me. Drop the coolant drains, flush it out, and fill it back up with distilled water and the proper coolant for the system. It really is a nightmare when coolants are mixed.
I also used Prestone's green universal. Worked fine in mine, but I made sure that the Prestone was ALL it had in it.
Distilled water for top off. Drain, flush, and refill in the next few weeks to just end the stress of worrying about it.
ETA: all of my cars I more or less never have to top off. If I have to top off, I look for a leak somewhere and usually find one.
ETA: all of my cars I more or less never have to top off. If I have to top off, I look for a leak somewhere and usually find one.
KennethS
TJ Addict
Or wait until the end of summer since 100% water dissipates heat better than any water/antifreeze mixture. Before winter, drain, flush, and refill with the mixture needed to prevent winter freezing. I mean, why do this in the heat of summer when you can do it in the fall when it’s a lot cooler?
Do it soon, especially if summertime, because: water, while it does have higher heat capacity than a glycol alcohol, has a MUCH LOWER BOILING POINT. Too much water, and it's easy to get a sudden steam flash if the temp goes too high, in a pressurized system, about 245 degrees or so. Flash boil over is very very bad. So a little bit of distilled water added is fine, for a little while, but 50/50 glycol/water is the very best balance between flash boilover protection, and freeze protection.
Yeah, mixing the wrong coolants can destroy a motor pretty quick. If I could pick only one coolant for all vehicles, VAG pink stuff is the best there is. $$$$$$$$
KennethS
TJ Addict
50/50 mix raises the boiling point around 15 degrees above plain water. Topping off the overflow reservoir with water will not dilute the concentration in the system enough to notice.
I’m a huge fan of Peak 1 Final Charge. I debated using it in the Jeep but ended up following forum advice and used GO5. Staying nice and clean and almost clear. Slight yellow tint.
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