Prestone Antifreeze/Coolant?

map40 wrote:
What about the "Any car, Any model" Prestone?

I use this in my truck. No issues.

map40 wrote:
What about the "Any car, Any model" Prestone?

It's ok to use, and it will not react adversely with other coolants. However it may not provide the long-life protective properties as the OEM-specified coolants. If you were under warranty, that would probably be grounds to deny a claim for a cooling system problem. Some folks use it with no problem. I myself prefer to use the OEM recommended formulas.

http://www.tomorrowstechnician.com/the-real-world-testing-your-coolant-knowledge/

FWIW - I've been following Ford's spec on my van, and doing a drain and fill about every years, and at 417,000 miles I'm still on my original water pump. The only cooling parts I've replaced are the upper radiator hose (it was soft), the heater hose coming out of the manifold (it burst), and the radiator (it also burst, but I think that was due to a faulty cap).

What about the "Any car, Any model" Prestone?

Thanks, going by Ford Dealer tomorrow. GOLD!

PS - I verified the 2016 E-series owner's manual, and the Gold coolant is correct for 2016 models as well.

Same precautions apply to going to a dealer. The bottles look similar, and to somebody with blue-yellow colorblindness, the orange and gold labels probably look the same. And it won't help that Ford is hammering on the 2015 change to orange for all Ford's EXCEPT the E-series.



Don't let them send you home with this:

DAS26miles wrote:
I'm playing it safe and stopping by the Ford dealer and buy the correct one. I don't need to save $3 buying another brand.

Smart choice I would say.

I'm playing it safe and stopping by the Ford dealer and buy the correct one. I don't need to save $3 buying another brand.

tatest wrote:

For your Ford engine, you want the Prestone "orange-compatible" though Ford wants to call it "gold" to distinguish it from the traditional green-dyed ethylene glycol permanent antifreeze product.

Look for orange. It is distinctive from green or gold.

NO NO NO NO! That will be turn into a quick and painful death of your cooling system and probably cylinder heads too, if you have a Ford V10!

ORANGE = DexCool

Orange is NOT Gold.


GOOD:



VERY BAD:

Prestone is just a brand (for Union Carbide products). With five kinds of automotive antifreeze, they do make one for your E-450.

For your Ford engine, you want the Prestone "orange-compatible" though Ford wants to call it "gold" to distinguish it from the traditional green-dyed ethylene glycol permanent antifreeze product.

I would not bother with "universal" (because it is probably "green") nor DexCool, if you can find the "orange." DexCool (yellow dye) was GM branding for the earliest "mixed metal" antifreeze formulas, but GM has moved on to recommending "orange" antifreeze in former DexCool applications, after having some corrosion and engine life problems in some of the DexCool cars.

FWIW, Honda has been using something quite different, dyed blue. The first time they did an antifreeze change in my wife's Accord, I went back to the dealer to find out why they filled the radiator with windshield wiper fluid. That's not what it is, it is Honda formula antifreeze and quite expensive.

Look for orange. It is distinctive from green or gold.