2006 Coolant is RED!!

crackher · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:41 am

OK So I have spent a while lurking around here, I finaly bought my '06 CRD last night bring her home, and start my plan to maintain items i.e. oil, coolant, air filter, etc, etc this way I can write everything down so I have proper intervals. Never trust PO. In my travels on LOST I found that CRD's use MB Coolant
(Zerex G-05 for example) This stuff is yellow in colour....same as the 'Benz. But to my horor the stuff in my CRD is Red kinda like DEXCool. Can someone lend a direct answer on this question;

1) is it possible that some smuck put DEXcool in the system after a flush?
2) I thought DEXcool cannot be safely used since it is NOT HOAT but rather OAT
3) how hard is it to get at the block drain plug for me to do a complete coolant fluch and use the proper coolant this time

jdorris · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:00 am

The factory coolant is pretty orange. It looks a lot like dexcool. It gets even more orange with dirt, rust etc.

To answer your questions,

Yes someone could have put it in confusing the orange for dex, i.e. the low man at the quick change place, or a p.o. who couldn't read a manual.

Yes it is not a good idea to mix it, the results can be catastrophic...see google

It is not hard to do a flush, there is a write up on the radiator drain, I would flush it, not knowing the history

$ .02

jdorris · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:04 am

link for drain plug

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=98&t=56398

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 12:28 pm

See my post at the bottom of viewtopic.php?f=5&t=60301&p=669186&hilit=+flush#p669186 As noted I "think" the Prestone flush kit will work but still have not tried it, the multiple flush/fill with clean water does work it just takes a number of cycles for the drain water to be essentially clear.

Only additional comment I'd make is that bit of a 10mm allen wrench is wonderful but if there is too much in the way from underneath then pull the air cleaner box and come in from the top. You will have to undo the airbox to turbo hose (while at it see it the hose has rotted from oil at the turbo end; if so replace it's like $55 from a Jeep dealer; also be careful when reinstalling to get the hose and the clamp FULLY on the airbox port before tightening the clamp lest you crush the plastic port, been there done that); pop the 2 electrical connectors (both have fairly obvious locking tabs that need releasing; take the top off the airbox and remove the air filter; pull the bottom of the airbox straight up (it's attached much like the plastic engine cover) but if it doesn't come loose try reaching under the left (from the front) rear and pulling up to release the 1st friction fastener. Reinstal is the reverse but like with the plastic engine cover you may have to put the rubber pieces that hold the airbox clips back in their proper locations before the intall. Install involves lining the airbox up with those clips you cannot see and pressing down firmly; a bit of a wiggle but not hard.

Albert · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:53 pm

NAPA has the Prestone G-5 HOAT stuff at around $14 a gallon and it is 100% coolant and not a 50%/50% mix with water. That's where I got mine anyway.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:56 pm

Albert wrote:

NAPA has the Prestone G-5 HOAT stuff at around $14 a gallon and it is 100% coolant and not a 50%/50% mix with water. That's where I got mine anyway.

Prestone does not make HOAT coolant.

Now Zerex(Valvoline) makes the HOAT GO5 coolant bought at Napa.

Albert · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:02 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

Albert wrote:

NAPA has the Prestone G-5 HOAT stuff at around $14 a gallon and it is 100% coolant and not a 50%/50% mix with water. That's where I got mine anyway.

Prestone does not make HOAT coolant.

Now Zerex(Valvoline) makes the HOAT GO5 coolant bought at Napa.

Sorry.....my mistake.....meant Zerex. Gold colored jugs.

:JEEPIN:

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:03 pm

Albert wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

Albert wrote:

NAPA has the Prestone G-5 HOAT stuff at around $14 a gallon and it is 100% coolant and not a 50%/50% mix with water. That's where I got mine anyway.

Prestone does not make HOAT coolant.

Now Zerex(Valvoline) makes the HOAT GO5 coolant bought at Napa.

Sorry.....my mistake.....meant Zerex. Gold colored jugs.

:JEEPIN:

Was just making sure.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:57 am

CarQuest also carries Zerex G05. Otherwise, nobody other than NAPA seems to have it.

DOC

crackher · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:35 am

I found the 50/50 Zerex G05 at Walmart lastnight $16.95. I also found that the Mercedes coolant is HOAT meeting the same standards. I want to use the straight coolant not 50/50 so I can be sure that I get the proper ratio I have always blended to 60/40 or a tad lighter to be sure (last year we got several really cold days) below -37.

So basically I drain the block first, then open the rad drain valve, open the cap and bottle and fill the truck with water, run it, let it cool, drain it, repeat as necessary?? that could take a long while

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:29 am

I have never seen Zerex G-05 at Wal-mart or in 50/50 pre mix. I got mine at NAPA after looking at AutoZone Advance Auto Parts and PEP boys. I had 2 counter people tell me that I should use Preatone's yellow universal coolant which is OAT chemistry...... I told them thanks but no thanks that is not proper for the vehicle and I would look else where.. Sounds like you are going to find the proper stuff, but don't anyone listen to a parts monkey that says universal is good enough.

Our HOAT coolant should be a yellow golden color that may be sort of orange if its older factory fill. Not red like DEX cool.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 2:07 pm

Xerex G05 NAPA usually has it in stock; it's also available from Amazon with free shipping; any "decent" parts store should be able to get it even if it's not on the shelf; any Mopar dealer; I suspect any Ford dealer as the Xerex site says it's standard coolant for newer Ford's also: Mercedes maybe but I don't know. Bottom line is the CRD requires HOAT coolant no matter what any parts "expert" says.

The method I linked too in my post above works to remove most all antifreeze from the system. When stoutdog used this method he saved fluid from each drain and stopped the repetative drain/fill cycle when the color of that fluid pretty much quit getting lighter as that's the point diminishing returns. There is a full flush method but it's complicated and involves equipment or you can try sqeeto's method (see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=56486&hilit=citric)

However, as far as I know no one really knows the full coolant system fluid capacity for the CRD. The FSM and Owner's Manuals give english and metric amounts that don't match and as squeeto notes you cannot drain all the fluid from the system due to low spots like the lower radiator hose. IMHO I think the correct numbers are 11.8L and 12.5qts but I cannot be sure. If that's correct my practice of adding 6qts straight Xerex G-05 gets me close to 50/50 but I've never pulled coolant to measure the degrees of protection to be sure, doesn't much matter in North Florida. If you live where you need 70/30 to protect will into minus temps you could try the math based on these capacities but I'd STRONGLY recommend checking the protection level in the system with a good meter after filling up stiring the fluid by driving a bit.

crackher · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 2:33 pm

OK the dealer has no idea what HOAT Coolant is, so I am not sure they have anyidea what the hell I am talking about. he said that it comes from factory with Chrysler Long Liife Coolant (5yr) it is a orange/red colour. it is $20/gallon straight (not premixed). is this the stuff I want? I though Zerex G-05 was Yellow

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 3:36 pm

Dealers

. Such a help. They have it and it's "Mopar Antifreeze/Coolant 5 Year/100,000 Mile Formula HOAT (Hybrid Organic Additive Technology) (MS-9769 spec) according to the FSM and Owner's manuals all they have to do is open a :furious:

book. It's the only coolant Mopar makes for vehicles built after 2001 or so. Color used to mean something way back when but now days it doesn't mean all that much. FYI the Zerex G-05 undiluted is a pale yellow. I have no clue what color the Mopar stuff is but as long as it meets specs for current products it doesn't matter.

dirtmover · **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:22 am

crackher wrote:

But to my horor the stuff in my CRD is Red kinda like DEXCool. Can someone lend a direct answer on this question;

1) is it possible that some smuck put DEXcool in the system after a flush?
2) I thought DEXcool cannot be safely used since it is NOT HOAT but rather OAT
3) how hard is it to get at the block drain plug for me to do a complete coolant fluch and use the proper coolant this time

I wouldn't worry, mine is red out of the factory. I suspect that yours still has it's original coolant. OTOH maybe someone goofed and put the wrong stuff in all Canadian 2006's :roll:

.

crackher wrote:

I found the 50/50 Zerex G05 at Walmart lastnight $16.95.

Check some other stores. Here in Ottawa some of them carry both 100% and pre-mix while other stores are just carrying the pre-mix.

crackher · **Posted:** Thu Aug 25, 2011 10:11 am

OK went to the dealer and checked the psecs it turns out that it is HOAT...after I learnt the smuck behind the counter a little, this older guy comer around the corner and say ..."you must drive a diesel" I asked why...he said that on diesel junkies actually pay attention to these sort of things...

SLS · **Posted:** Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:42 pm

Well, this is probably more than you wanted to know. But I had some concerns about this a while back. So I put this together.

The new long life orange and yellow OAT-based antifreeze formulas can typically go 5 years or 150,000 miles between changes.

Aluminum is more vulnerable to electrolytic corrosion than either copper/brass or cast iron because aluminum is a highly reactive metal. When the corrosion inhibitors in the coolant are depleted and the pH of the coolant drops to 7 or below, aluminum becomes a sacrificial anode and is eaten away.

Checking the pH of the coolant with chemically-treated test strips can help you determine if the coolant is overdue for a change. The alkalinity of a typical antifreeze/water mixture will vary depending on the additives in the antifreeze and the ratio of ingredients, but is usually somewhere between 8 and 11. The average for most antifreezes is around 10.5, but when diluted 50/50 with water and added to the cooling system the pH drops to the 8.5 to 9 range. Higher is not necessarily better, though, because some of the new long-life coolants have a pH of only 8.3.

ELECTROLYTIC CORROSION

A different type of corrosion can also occur in the cooling system even if the coolant is in good condition. Electrolytic corrosion can occur if the engine does not have a good electrical ground connection. Voltage from the charging system and ignition system will flow through the coolant to ground, creating electrolysis corrosion that eats away at the metal components in the cooling system. This may eat pin holes into the radiator or heater core and cause coolant leaks. It can even eat away at the inside of rubber hoses and cause them to fail also.

This type of corrosion can sometimes be detected with a voltmeter. Place the positive test lead into the coolant, and touch the negative lead to battery negative terminal or body ground. If the voltmeter shows more than a few tenths of a volt, current is traveling through the coolant and may be attacking the cooling system. Check the engine ground straps for loose or corroded connections. If a ground strap is missing, replace it (or install an extra strap if one is not enough).

The Europeans use less silicates and rely mostly on borates to inhibit corrosion. Their antifreeze also contains no phosphates because hard water can react with phosphates to form calcium and magnesium sediments. The Asians use phosphates but no borates and low or no silicates because they say borates may actually add to the aluminum corrosion problem if the coolant is neglected. The new long life coolants use an entirely different corrosion inhibiting chemistry that uses carboxylate organic acids instead of the silicates, phosphates or borates.

Evans Waterless Coolants which are the ONLY 100% waterless automotive engine coolant available on the market.
http://www.evanscooling.com/
Because Evans Waterless Coolants do not contain water, electrolysis and corrosion are also eliminated. Not only do Evans Waterless Coolants not boil over, they do not freeze. All Evans Waterless Coolants will last the life of your engine and do not require supplemental coolant additives.

AMSOIL Antifreeze & Coolant is compatible with all ethylene and propylene antifreeze and coolant formulations on the market, including DEX-Cool®, Sierra® and Zerex®. It is also compatible with fully formulated diesel anti-freezes and other organic acid technology (OAT) and hybrid organic acid technology (HOAT) formulations.
Super long life fluid - 750,000 miles/7 Years of service in over-the-road trucks & 250,000 mile/7-Year service life in light-truck and auto applications. Essentially nontoxic & biodegradable. Superior performance in all climates. Independent tests reveal AMSOIL Antifreeze & Engine Coolant surpassed standards for metallic corrosion.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:56 pm

SLS wrote:

Well, this is probably more than you wanted to know. But I had some concerns about this a while back. So I put this together.

The new long life orange and yellow OAT-based antifreeze formulas can typically go 5 years or 150,000 miles between changes.

Aluminum is more vulnerable to electrolytic corrosion than either copper/brass or cast iron because aluminum is a highly reactive metal. When the corrosion inhibitors in the coolant are depleted and the pH of the coolant drops to 7 or below, aluminum becomes a sacrificial anode and is eaten away.

Checking the pH of the coolant with chemically-treated test strips can help you determine if the coolant is overdue for a change. The alkalinity of a typical antifreeze/water mixture will vary depending on the additives in the antifreeze and the ratio of ingredients, but is usually somewhere between 8 and 11. The average for most antifreezes is around 10.5, but when diluted 50/50 with water and added to the cooling system the pH drops to the 8.5 to 9 range. Higher is not necessarily better, though, because some of the new long-life coolants have a pH of only 8.3.

ELECTROLYTIC CORROSION

A different type of corrosion can also occur in the cooling system even if the coolant is in good condition. Electrolytic corrosion can occur if the engine does not have a good electrical ground connection. Voltage from the charging system and ignition system will flow through the coolant to ground, creating electrolysis corrosion that eats away at the metal components in the cooling system. This may eat pin holes into the radiator or heater core and cause coolant leaks. It can even eat away at the inside of rubber hoses and cause them to fail also.

This type of corrosion can sometimes be detected with a voltmeter. Place the positive test lead into the coolant, and touch the negative lead to battery negative terminal or body ground. If the voltmeter shows more than a few tenths of a volt, current is traveling through the coolant and may be attacking the cooling system. Check the engine ground straps for loose or corroded connections. If a ground strap is missing, replace it (or install an extra strap if one is not enough).

The Europeans use less silicates and rely mostly on borates to inhibit corrosion. Their antifreeze also contains no phosphates because hard water can react with phosphates to form calcium and magnesium sediments. The Asians use phosphates but no borates and low or no silicates because they say borates may actually add to the aluminum corrosion problem if the coolant is neglected. The new long life coolants use an entirely different corrosion inhibiting chemistry that uses carboxylate organic acids instead of the silicates, phosphates or borates.

Evans Waterless Coolants which are the ONLY 100% waterless automotive engine coolant available on the market.
http://www.evanscooling.com/
Because Evans Waterless Coolants do not contain water, electrolysis and corrosion are also eliminated. Not only do Evans Waterless Coolants not boil over, they do not freeze. All Evans Waterless Coolants will last the life of your engine and do not require supplemental coolant additives.

AMSOIL Antifreeze & Coolant is compatible with all ethylene and propylene antifreeze and coolant formulations on the market, including DEX-Cool®, Sierra® and Zerex®. It is also compatible with fully formulated diesel anti-freezes and other organic acid technology (OAT) and hybrid organic acid technology (HOAT) formulations.
Super long life fluid - 750,000 miles/7 Years of service in over-the-road trucks & 250,000 mile/7-Year service life in light-truck and auto applications. Essentially nontoxic & biodegradable. Superior performance in all climates. Independent tests reveal AMSOIL Antifreeze & Engine Coolant surpassed standards for metallic corrosion.

Never use propylene coolant in your Jeep.Your cooling system is not speced for it but speced for HOAT coolant just Like Fords are and Ford has a TSB strictly forbids propylene coolant use due to severe engine damage it causes.

In a nut shell stop being cheap and use the correct stuff and change it when you are supposed to or earlier then supposed to.The whole idea is to change it before it goes bad or causes problems not pay alot more $$$ and try to run longer which always comes back and bits you in the rear.

2006 Coolant is RED!!

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