So my neighbor offered to supply me with some Universal Red antifreeze since my trucks are due for a coolant change.

They both have always had green (at least to my knowledge) and I seem to recall several years ago there were issues with switching from one color to a different color.

He is saying this product can be mixed with green with no problems. I do not know the brand of the product. He works as a route driver, and this would be from the fleet service department.

So, my question is: Is there a universal red coolant that will mix with green?

Is the red coolant better or worse for aluminum core radiators?

If the red will not play well with the green, is a switch recommended with a proper flush?

Or just keep it green and sell the 5 gallons of red on facebook marketplace?

I use the NAPA antifreeze which is red or pink in color. I don't think the color matters anymore if it ever did. The problems people had with the red GM antifreeze was due to the fact that they never had their coolant changed. Any modern coolant will work just fine in a musclecar as long as it gets changed annually.

Just make sure its not Dexcoool.I know some mfgs use a pnk color.Most universal is yellow but maybe they make different colors.Just make sure the jug says mixes with anything.Rocky

Changed annually?

I thought coolant had a 4 to 5 year lifespan?

I just know when you mix green coolant with Toyota red it turns into black coolant with an iron block.
The new Toyota pink is good coolant but not much lubricant in it, eats water pumps prematurely. I always put the good old pure red in all my cars.

Gus

Remember that "universal" means "fits nothing".

Universal in coolant means its good for all.Probally thousands of cars I did had it.No problems since Ive used it since it came out.Rocky

Water is a universal coolant too.

I have been using the Yellow universal coolant in everything, since about 2008. I would have to look at the 55 gallon drum at the shop to be sure. NO Problems in anything...

Color doesn't matter anymore. Color can be whatever the manufacturer wants. I would look up what the OEM installed and compare:

Silicates. There's silicate, low silicate and silicate free. Green has traditionally contained silicates or low silicates. Silicates in the coolant form a protective coating on your internals, however from what I've read, as they age out apparently the silicate coating can wear off and flake into the coolant as sort of an abrasive deposit. I run two japanese cars that specifically call for silicate-free coolant, which is the same stuff we use at our shop in all our new semi trucks.

Nitrites. Coolants for cars and diesels used to contain nitrites as a cavitation inhibitor. Nitrites will corrode aluminum so they have been going away with newer coolant formulations.

1. Color means nothing at all.....I mean nothing at all...it's food coloring.

2. There are several families of coolant...conventional, OAT, NOAT, HOAT, Asian, European.....a bunch of different types.

3. Some coolants do very bad things when mixed....even if they are the same color (see 1 above).


4. In general, you don't want a coolant containing nitrite in a car. That is for heavy duty diesel (semi-truck or larger vehicle) engines...cranes, Navy ships, etc. The one exception is G-05 which uses a low level of nitrite & was used by Chrysler for a few years. Nitrite (and molybdenum) are used to protect wet sleeve liners.


5. Any coolant that lists ASTM D3306 is fine for just about any car...as long as it is not mixed with any other coolant & you use distilled water (or deionized water)...never use tap water or God forbid well water.

Hope This Helps!