Blue Anti Freeze

   / Blue Anti Freeze #1  

N1ST

Silver Member
Joined
May 25, 2007
Messages
210
Location
Enfield, CT
Tractor
Kubota B7800
I could buy the green Prestone brand, but would rather stick with the blue that's in my MF. Anyone know of a Wal-Mart or Napa brand that's blue? ...it's tough to tell from the outside of the container!
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze #2  
Not sure of any regular store that sells it. Cummins uses it in some of their OTR truck engines. The Snap On truck I serviced a couple of years ago had blue coolant in the ISB 5.9.
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze #3  
If you have a Tractor Supply Co. store near you, they may have it or find a place that services diesel tractor trucks.

Antifreeze for diesels is supposed to be low silicate stuff to protect the engine block with some kind of additive. There are some test strips that can be used to find out if your additive has grown weak. The green stuff is okay for gas powered vehicles, but you really should use antifreeze formulated for diesels.
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze #4  
I maybe and probably am missing something but how does the coolant know weather it is in a Gas burner or diesel ? I would think there should always be a rather thick metal partition between the fuel / exhaust and the coolant.
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze #6  
The silca in anti-freeze is abrasive and in some applications the aluminum parts like water pump seals are thinner and will fail or leak much quicker. Honda uses the blue anti-freeze and it voids the warrenty if an anti-freeze with slica is used. Other brands do have the silca free. I don't know what color it is you just have to read the label.

Coolant Information Page
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Yes, I was going to mention that Honda (motorcycles) uses the blue stuff, so that may be a source.
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze #8  
2manyrocks said:
The problem is called diesel cavitation. That steady diesel hum we all like does some strange things with coolant.

http://www.freeautoadvice.com/diesel/cav.html


Well 2manyrocks example talks about a problem that can be corrected by yet another additive but nothing about a specific color. Unless one assumes that Blue dye is the additive.


And woodchuckie's example it about Gas burner problems due to Aluminium parts not type of fuel.

I am getting more confused by the minute.
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze #9  
My machine came w/ green and the dealer recommends Prestone low silicate. They dont even carry NH brand (Ambraflu or whatever its called). I think also the Prestone bottle indicates its OK for diesel or meets the spec req'ed by NH.
 
   / Blue Anti Freeze #10  
There are at least two coolant problems here. The well known problem is for the coolant to not freeze and not to overheat. The lesser known problem is for the coolant not to act like an abrasive in a diesel.

Diesels vibrate in ways that gas engines do not and some coolants can wear pin holes in the cylinder walls.

Supplemental coolant additive can be added to the green antifreeze to fight cavitation or you can buy coolant that already has the additive in it.

The additives wear out over time and use. So even though you may have anti-freeze protection left, the antiwear additives may be shot. The only way to tell is to test for freeze protection and to test for the level of additive left.

What the post about Honda antifreeze really brings out is that different metals and seals used in the various engine parts may require a different type of antifreeze for your particular machine.

Not knowing what is in your machine or what is supposed to be in your machine, you need to check your owner's manual for the specific type of antifreeze needed.

The fleetguard diesel antifreeze I use is low silicate, has coolant additive and is blue.
 
 
Top