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Antifreeze - Pink/Blue, which brand?


bpboat

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Hi,

We've flushed out our header tank and skin tank and need to refill with water and antifreeze.  We need 40Litres so I've been looking for large quantity containers that aren't too expensive.   For many years we've had pink (OAT I believe?) which appears to be cheaper AND longer lasting than blue (IAT I believe?) so we're happy to use pink again.  I've found a few products online but the best price is this one: Smith & Allan Cooltech 53 Anti-Freeze Antifreeze, at £20 for 20 litres it's a lot cheaper than others I've found, details here:

https://www.smithandallan.com/products/transport-antifreeze-and-coolant/2731-smith-and-allan-cooltech-53-anti-freeze-antifreeze/

Is this OK do you think?  Or is there a reason is cheaper than others.....?

I'd appreciate your thoughts, many thanks.

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So your cooling system holds about 120 litres? Remember that you dilute antifreeze to 30% so if the system capacity is 40 litres you only need about 13 litres of antifreeze. Some advocate using distilled or remineralised water water while others prefer ready mixed and that would need 120 litres. The 305 is very rough figure, do not exceed 50% antifreeze and try not to drop blow bout 20%.

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Hi Tony

Thanks for your reply.  Our cooling system has a huge skin tank, and we apparently need 40 litres and are advised to dilute to 50%, though we could probably dilute to 30%.  But we still need a lot of concentrate, hence my question.   I just want to check this is the right stuff to use and there's not something wrong with it as it's a lot cheaper than others I've found (which are more like £35 per 20 litres).

Would be grateful for people's thoughts, thanks.   

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It seems to be one with the more modern they of corrosion inhibitors as you have flushed the system should be fine, but that is based on such data as there is in the link. Check the  recommended change intervals because paying a little more may give a longer change period and work out cheaper overall (if you can afford it in the first place).

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I use Ford Super us Premium as it potentially has a 10 year life at a 50% concentration.

 

https://parts.vospers.com/genuine-ford-super-plus-premium-antifreeze-5-litres.html

 

Mine has been in 7 years so far and I check a sample every year by adding some nails  and a bit aluminium and copper to a sample to see if they corrode.

 

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11 hours ago, bpboat said:

Or is there a reason is cheaper than others.....?

 

Not read the link but a few years ago when buying antifreeze myself, I found the price varied according to the concentration. The cheapest tended to be "pre-diluted", "for your convenience" meaning you were buying mostly water, with 30% antifreeze in it. This may be why your cheap stuff is cheap, because you need to use it neat. 

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Just now, MtB said:

 

Not read the link but a few years ago when buying antifreeze myself, I found the price varied according to the concentration. The cheapest tended to be "pre-diluted", "for your convenience" meaning you were buying mostly water, with 30% antifreeze in it. This may be why your cheap stuff is cheap, because you need to use it neat. 

 

Some of the adverts are very misleading. I only buy the 100% concentrate, hate paying £1 a litre for tap water, its only about £2 for a tonne!

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It's concentrate, not diluted, I've copied the description below.    The thing it doesn't mention is how long life it is, doesn't say how long it will last.  

  • About Smith & Allan Cooltech 53 Anti-Freeze Antifreeze

  • Cooltech 53 is a premium quality antifreeze coolant concentrate. This ethylene glycol-based coolant contains an Organic Acid Technology (OAT) inhibitor package and is Nitrate, Amine, Phosphate, borate and silicate free. The product provides all year-round frost and corrosion protection and is formulated for use in all engines, including those constructed from aluminium alloys. The exceptional thermal stability eliminates the risk of deposits particularly near the cylinder head, engine block, radiator, water pump and heat exchanger. The product may be used neat as supplied for extreme use or diluted for economic use.
  • Performance Features
  • Outstanding protection from overheating and frost
  • Protects against corrosion
  • Exceptional thermal stability
  • From of Nitrate, Amine, Phosphate (NAP Free), borate & Silicates
  • Eliminates risk of deposits
  • Contains a bittering agent
  • Can be diluted or used neat
  • Performance Levels
  • BS:6580
  • Protection Levels
  • Extreme (Use Neat) -53°C
  • Winter (CT 53 66% / Water 33%) -28°C
  • Normal (CT 53 50% / Water 50%) -20°C
  • Typical information, Not part of a specification
  •  
  • Water quality should not exceed the following limits:
  • Water Hardness: 0 – 20° dH (0 – 3.6mmol/l)
  • Chloride Content: 100ppm max
  • Sulphur Content: 100ppm max
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8 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

You could ask them.................................

 

I top up the anticorrosion with central heating stuff from Screwfix occasionally, not very scientific but there is no rust in the coolant so far.

Hi Tracy, good idea, I've contacted them to ask how long it's supposed to last.   And thanks for comment about topping up the anticorrosion as I think I've read somewhere that the antifreeze aspect doesn't stop working, but the anticorrosion does.  Which product do you use?  Thanks.  

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12 minutes ago, bpboat said:

Hi Tracy, good idea, I've contacted them to ask how long it's supposed to last.   And thanks for comment about topping up the anticorrosion as I think I've read somewhere that the antifreeze aspect doesn't stop working, but the anticorrosion does.  Which product do you use?  Thanks.  

I used Screwfix No Nonsense I think but they seem not to do it anymore. There are others on their site or try Toolstation?

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28 minutes ago, bpboat said:

It's concentrate, not diluted, I've copied the description below.    The thing it doesn't mention is how long life it is, doesn't say how long it will last.  

  • About Smith & Allan Cooltech 53 Anti-Freeze Antifreeze

  • Cooltech 53 is a premium quality antifreeze coolant concentrate. This ethylene glycol-based coolant contains an Organic Acid Technology (OAT) inhibitor package and is Nitrate, Amine, Phosphate, borate and silicate free. The product provides all year-round frost and corrosion protection and is formulated for use in all engines, including those constructed from aluminium alloys. The exceptional thermal stability eliminates the risk of deposits particularly near the cylinder head, engine block, radiator, water pump and heat exchanger. The product may be used neat as supplied for extreme use or diluted for economic use.
  • Performance Features
  • Outstanding protection from overheating and frost
  • Protects against corrosion
  • Exceptional thermal stability
  • From of Nitrate, Amine, Phosphate (NAP Free), borate & Silicates
  • Eliminates risk of deposits
  • Contains a bittering agent
  • Can be diluted or used neat
  • Performance Levels
  • BS:6580
  • Protection Levels
  • Extreme (Use Neat) -53°C
  • Winter (CT 53 66% / Water 33%) -28°C
  • Normal (CT 53 50% / Water 50%) -20°C
  • Typical information, Not part of a specification
  •  
  • Water quality should not exceed the following limits:
  • Water Hardness: 0 – 20° dH (0 – 3.6mmol/l)
  • Chloride Content: 100ppm max
  • Sulphur Content: 100ppm max

It's concentrate but a very weak one. To get even -20 protection it's 50/50. Stronger concentrates are  normally 1 to 2 or 3  (concentrate to water). I went down the same path as as you a couple of weeks ago so appreciate how confusing it all is. Note that according to some sources colour is not a definitive indication of type. You either have to look at the formula or rely on the manufacturers comments. So far as I could determine the key indicator is whether it contains silicates. Silicates equals old, traditional technology where as silicates indicate OAT. In the end I went for Morrris'es MEG which according to them is suitable for old vehicles.  

4 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I used Screwfix No Nonsense I think but they seem not to do it anymore. There are others on their site or try Toolstation?

Morris'es used to do an anti-corrosion additive but it seems to have been dropped. I suppose they make more money selling antifreeze.

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13 hours ago, bpboat said:

Hi,

We've flushed out our header tank and skin tank and need to refill with water and antifreeze.  We need 40Litres so I've been looking for large quantity containers that aren't too expensive.   For many years we've had pink (OAT I believe?) which appears to be cheaper AND longer lasting than blue (IAT I believe?) so we're happy to use pink again.  I've found a few products online but the best price is this one: Smith & Allan Cooltech 53 Anti-Freeze Antifreeze, at £20 for 20 litres it's a lot cheaper than others I've found, details here:

https://www.smithandallan.com/products/transport-antifreeze-and-coolant/2731-smith-and-allan-cooltech-53-anti-freeze-antifreeze/

Is this OK do you think?  Or is there a reason is cheaper than others.....?

I'd appreciate your thoughts, many thanks.

By the time delivery and vat are added £35 so not as cheap as you think. But yes cheaper than mono ethylene glycol at £50 . I guess this is  simply because OAT is used more commonly these days .

 

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9 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

You could ask them.................................

 

I top up the anticorrosion with central heating stuff from Screwfix occasionally, not very scientific but there is no rust in the coolant so far.

Hi Tracy, good idea, I've contacted them to ask how long it's supposed to last.   And thanks for comment about topping up the anticorrosion as I think I've read somewhere that the antifreeze aspect doesn't stop working, but the anticorrosion does.  Which product do you use?  Thanks.  

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I replaced the water based coolant used in my 22 year old Beta 1505 about eight years ago with a waterless coolant. It did cost more and I had to flush the system which did mean more work. But the coolant will not have to be replaced, so removing the need and cost to replace normal water based coolant every few years. Beta were not keen on using waterless coolant, so spoke direct to Kubota who very helpfull on the subject.  

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Thanks for all your replies, it does indeed all seems to be incredibly complicated!   

As MartynG pointed out the price isn't quite so cheap once you add VAT and delivery, also I got the price wrong as it's £25 per 20L not £20.  

I've now found somewhere I can collect it from at £39.95 for 20L, so I may go there instead in the end.  

 

One more question: what do people think about mixing pink and blue? (we have some of each left over).   I've heard that you should definitely NOT mix them as it can coagulate but I've also been told that we CAN mix them nowadays.   In fact I notice from our records that an engineer added some blue antifreeze to our pink a couple of years ago on a service, and he said it was fine, and we had no problems.  Probably not a good idea, but I just wondered.   

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15 minutes ago, bpboat said:

Thanks for all your replies, it does indeed all seems to be incredibly complicated!   

As MartynG pointed out the price isn't quite so cheap once you add VAT and delivery, also I got the price wrong as it's £25 per 20L not £20.  

I've now found somewhere I can collect it from at £39.95 for 20L, so I may go there instead in the end.  

 

One more question: what do people think about mixing pink and blue? (we have some of each left over).   I've heard that you should definitely NOT mix them as it can coagulate but I've also been told that we CAN mix them nowadays.   In fact I notice from our records that an engineer added some blue antifreeze to our pink a couple of years ago on a service, and he said it was fine, and we had no problems.  Probably not a good idea, but I just wondered.   

Don't mix them is my advice when we had the garage we had issues with customers doing it, it can turn to  a gel and special cleaning agents were needed to flush them out. 

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