Coolant in Hondas

Spilchy

Spilchy

New member
I've done reading that Hondas should only have Honda brand coolant replaced in it. Supposedly it is good for aluminum radiators and doesn't have silicates in it. My owner's manual says this too.



I got the coolant changed back in May in my 1996 Civic at the local garage and while wiping the engine down today noticed that the resevoir was empty, just below the min. line. I untwisted the radiator cap and it was filled to the top.



I have no idea if they replaced the coolant with one that has Honda's requirements. I didn't know it needed this "special" coolant. It looks like your generic green coolant, not orange or red. From what I've read, basic coolant can harm the radiator and water pump in Honda engines from 1996 to the present.



Do you think this may have anything to do with the low resevoir? I noticed no leaks anywhere in my driveway and I drove it just fine all through the summer.



I'm just curious. I'll fill the resevoir with a 50/50 coolant/distilled water like the owner's manual states. I'm selling the car and don't want the new owner to be stuck with a bum radiator down the line beacuse of what I may have done wrong.



Oh, get this - I pulled on the hood release and it ripped off in my hand! I stumbled back and was left holding the lever. I had to use pliers and pull on the cord that remained! I can't believe I have to get this replaced, days before I am putting up an ad to sell it!!
 
i have a 92 and use the green stuff. ive never had a problem with it. toyota uses the red and gm has its own mix. u should be ok with the green. the resevior being low u could have a small leak in a hose or at the radiator neck if u have the original radiator. if the leak is small enough u wont see it on the ground. could be the water pump. if u r not blowing out white smoke that smells like antifreeze out the tail pipe and u r not over heating then the head gasket maybe ok. your thermostat maybe sticking also, meaning the coolant could still be in there just not circulating when the thermostat sticks.
 
isn't the orange stuff Dexacool or w/e its called? I think it's specially formulated for GM cars and trucks. IIRC most car makers use the "green stuff", i would go with some universal prestone premix, because i am lazy and it is supposed to be universal.
 
Spilchy, don't get wound up over having a leak. Usually when you change the coolant, you get some air trapped in the system which over time comes out and rises to the top of the overflow tank, causing the level to drop (as fresh coolant gets sucked back in to replace the air when the car cools off). That may be the reason it's low. Of course, you could also have a leak, I'm just saying not necessarily. If you for some reason have the car for another month, just check the coolant level weekly after you fill it and see if it changes.
 
Spilchy said:
...Oh, get this - I pulled on the hood release and it ripped off in my hand! I stumbled back and was left holding the lever. I had to use pliers and pull on the cord that remained! I can't believe I have to get this replaced, days before I am putting up an ad to sell it!!
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Welcome to the club! The same piece broke on my Daughter's '98 Civic a year or two back. :angry That was just one more nail in the coffin for me when I think how I bought into the Honda "quality" story. IMO it is a cheap car that isn't cheap.



We also just replaced her radiator, I wasn't aware of special coolant requirements, but the repair facility which specializes in Honda repairs used a green colored coolant.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I'm heading out early to run a few errands before the football games so I'll stop and pick up some coolant that'll be compatible.



Mr. Clean - LOL, so I'm not alone! How much did it cost for you to get it replaced? I'm thinking of taking it to my local body shop since my Dad knows the guy.
 
I know in Honda's newer cars the coolant is blue instead of green (same stuff as far as I know, they just changed the colour for some reason). Case in point, my 2006 Accord uses blue.



I know my manual has a section that talks about what coolant type to use (if not the Honda stuff)...if you don't have your manual any longer you can probably view an online copy at the following URL:



https://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/RJAAI001_OMANUAL.asp



Hope this helps...
 
Honda, like every other manufacturer, tries to sell as much coolant as possible. They CANNOT specify "Honda" brand coolant only to keep warranties intact as that would be a violation of the Magnusson-Moss Act.



They only way Honda could force the use of their own coolant would be to provide it at no charge.



I went through this with my 2005 Subaru Legacy GT. Subaru specifies a silicate and phosphate free formula. There are several coolants that meet these requirements. Subaru goes further by specifying a "non-amine" coolant. When I looked for that, I came up empty.



I spoke with a chemist that works for the company that makes Peak Anti Freeze and found out something very interesting. Virtually ALL coolants have been "non-amine" for decades. Nobody even puts that on the label anymore. The bastards at Subaru specify "non-amine" knowing that you won't find it on any label and come crawling back to a dealership to shell out $20+ for a gallon of Genuine Subaru Coolant.



In any case, Peak Global Lifetime Coolant meets 100% of the requirements for all Asian cars including Honda.



Before you go off and fill your car with green or orange coolant, be aware that color no longer means anything.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Spilchy, don't get wound up over having a leak. Usually when you change the coolant, you get some air trapped in the system which over time comes out and rises to the top of the overflow tank, causing the level to drop (as fresh coolant gets sucked back in to replace the air when the car cools off). That may be the reason it's low. Of course, you could also have a leak, I'm just saying not necessarily. If you for some reason have the car for another month, just check the coolant level weekly after you fill it and see if it changes.
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Or, the head gasket(s) could be bad!
 
Well, I just got back and picked up some Prestone premixed coolant that indicates is good for any engine with any coolant and includes ingredients safe for aluminum parts.



I filled it up to the min. mark as the directions indicate and will monitor. The radiator was already filled to the top.



Thanks for the input.



Oh, I got it at my KMart. they are having sales on every car care supply. I got NXT wash for $1.50 a bottle. So I cleaned them out of every bottle.



Edit: Upon closer inspection I noticed a few drips of coolant near the radiator cap that I know I didn't spill. Apparantly, there is a slight leak at the clamp that secures the hose to the radiator. I see a slight dribble at the clamp that is running down the hose.



I'll drive my other car and take this to Firestone when I have a day off this week.
 
Spilchy said:
Edit: Upon closer inspection I noticed a few drips of coolant near the radiator cap that I know I didn't spill. Apparantly, there is a slight leak at the clamp that secures the hose to the radiator. I see a slight dribble at the clamp that is running down the hose.



I'll drive my other car and take this to Firestone when I have a day off this week.
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if you can see the leek at the clamp

did you try to teighten the clamp?
 
BigJimZ28 said:
if you can see the leek at the clamp

did you try to teighten the clamp?
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:hide: Guilty as charged. Total mental brain fart on that one. Ouch.



Went outside and sure enough it was super loose! I tightened it securely so it couldn't twist or move with some effort on my behalf. Hose feels nice and rubbery, not brittle and no cracks.



Can you believe I admitted that one :spit:



I'll drive locally and monitor.
 
STG said:
Before you go off and fill your car with green or orange coolant, be aware that color no longer means anything.
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WRONG!! DO NOT MIX THEM!!!!!



"An alternative to tradition green antifreeze is a product currently used by many engine manufacturers. "Orange" antifreeze is a long life or extended life type of antifreeze used to increase the useful life of engine coolant. It is ethylene glycol base as is the green antifreeze. The difference between the two colors is that orange antifreeze contains a different type of corrosion inhibitor that has a much longer service life than silicates, phosphates and borates. Orange antifreeze contains organic acids that protect engine parts from corrosion. Silicate (green) type antifreeze does not mix with orange type antifreeze. Never mix the two colors in a cooling system. The organic acids in orange types will cause precipitation of silicates in the green type and corrosion protection is greatly reduced. Orange type antifreezes are good for five years or 100,000/150,000 miles in newer vehicles (1996 and later). They can be used in many older vehicles (ask your vehicle dealer if it is safe to use orange antifreeze) if all of the green mixture is flushed from the system and is replaced with the orange mixture. Useful life is about four years or 60,000 miles in older cars."



Taken from: http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtProg/machinery/Articles/engcool.htm
 
Spilchy said:
:hide: Guilty as charged. Total mental brain fart on that one. Ouch.



Went outside and sure enough it was super loose! I tightened it securely so it couldn't twist or move with some effort on my behalf. Hose feels nice and rubbery, not brittle and no cracks.



Can you believe I admitted that one :spit:



I'll drive locally and monitor.
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that's cool we have all done it



glad it worked out:spot
 
CkretAjint said:
WRONG!! DO NOT MIX THEM!!!!!
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I DID NOT suggest mixing antifreeze. My point is that the color of antifreeze, despite your reference, is no longer a surefire way to determine its type. The colors are no longer uniformly used by manufacturers. Part of the reason is automobile makers want to sell there own branded coolant. If they change the color, many owners will be hesitant to use a perfectly suitable over the counter brand.



For example: Let's say that ABC Car Company's coolant specifications exactly mirror Prestone coolant (GREEN). Instead of using green, ABC specifies a coolant with Prestone's formula, but BLUE in color. The owner's manual says to use ABC coolant or its equivalent to keep the warranty intact. (The manufacturer is precluded by law from requiring the use of its own coolant, unless they give it away.) Many owners will think that they can only use a BLUE coolant and buy ABC's brand at 2 -3 times the price of Prestone.



Instead of quoting the internet, talk with 3 different chemical engineers at three different coolant manufacturers. That's what I did. That's what they all told me. In fact, Peak Global antifreeze is specially formulated NOT TO ALTER THE COLOR OF THE EXISTING ANTIFREEZE when added to the cooling system.
 
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