What brand of Anti/Freeze is orange

[Paul Dobbin]

About to change a water pump and the vehicle has orange anti-freeze.   What brand is it?

Thanks

[cudaman]

The orange coolant is based on organic acid technology (OAT).  OAT was developed in the 1990s to better prevent corrosion on later engines with more aluminum and nylon components in them.  The color is not associated with a specific brand name.  You should not mix orange coolant with the older green coolant.

 

 

[rocketraider]

If it's in a GM vehicle it's probably that heinous Dex-Cool coolant GM was using in the 90s. 

 

Unless you're willing to do an extensive flush process to get all of that nasty mess out, you're pretty much stuck refilling your cooling system with it. It doesn't mix with green antifreeze, creates a nasty glop.

 

I always believed it contributed to the intake manifold gasket and heater core failures GM was rife with in late-90s/early-00s.

[46 woodie]

If it's orange it's probably Dex Freeze. The other types are "Inorganic Acid", that is bright green. "Organic Acid" that's red, blue or dark green and "Hybrid Organic Acid" yellow, purple  and pink. Every new vehicle is now "anti freeze vehicle specific" and you can actually void your warrantee by using the wrong anti freeze. Others do not mix and will turn into a jelly like substance and can cause all sorts of congealing and clogs. Gone are the day's of picking up a gallon of anti freeze for your garage or trunk, to be used on all your cars.

[rocketraider]

13 minutes ago, 46 woodie said:

 Every new vehicle is now "anti freeze vehicle specific" and you can actually void your warrantee by using the wrong anti freeze

Started with transmission fluid. Now antifreeze. And there's no battery or charging station standardization for EVs. 

 

Looks like an effort to hold us hostage to OEM parts and service, which I thought was outlawed by Magnuson-Moss act many years ago?

[Bloo]

2 hours ago, Paul Dobbin said:

About to change a water pump and the vehicle has orange anti-freeze.   What brand is it?

Thanks

 

You can not believe color these days. Not at all. A quick look online at what all is available will make your head hurt. There are probably about 10 different formulas in a typical auto parts store. The colors are not standardized, and a formulation that is red in one brand might be yellow or purple in another. I hear efforts at a standard are underway but it has not happened yet.

 

You didn't say what you are working on. For several years it was usually true that green meant traditional antifreeze and orange/pink meant DexCool. If it is a GM car, it is fairly safe to assume it is DexCool, as they started using DexCool for factory fill (and warranty) in the mid 90s.

 

If you cant figure out what it is or are going to change to another type, I agree that the system should be thoroughly rinsed out. There are "all cars" antifreeze formulas available today that claim to mix with anything but if I were changing types I would still rinse it out.

 

DexCool takes a lot of heat for being the root of GM's cooling system issues, but I think the blame lies elsewhere. I have been using DexCool and similar formulas since the 1980s, when formulas like that were dyed green just like most other coolant, and have had zero issues. The thing is, it doesn't last 5 years like GM says it would. I change every two years like you would with traditional coolant. I rinsed out and changed my 91 Geo Metro to DexCool in 1996, much to the horror of some of my co-workers. The engine is aluminum. The radiator and heater core are are the original brass/copper and still solid. Most of my other cars have DexCool in them too.

 

 

[5219]

I have 2003 and 2004 Ford products that use Motorcraft Gold Antifreeze. 2002 and back used the green conventional stuff. The Gold, I believe, is now obsolete. I am not sure what replaced it.

[Paul Dobbin]

Thanks guys.  It's a 2006 Saturn Vue with a Honda 3.5 V6 engine & transmission/  Original anti-freeze.

It was deal with Honda who needed some big GM machinery when GM needed a good V6 for Staturn, 2005 -2007.

We bought it to flat tow behind our RV.    Now with 100,000 miles it's time to do the timing belt, water pump & plugs.

A great little SUV with poly body.  No rust, no dents, no problems.  255 HP, 246 ft. lb. of torque, tows 3500 lbs.

Edited May 23, 2022 by Paul Dobbin (see edit history)

[bryankazmer]

5 hours ago, rocketraider said:

If it's in a GM vehicle it's probably that heinous Dex-Cool coolant GM was using in the 90s. 

 

Unless you're willing to do an extensive flush process to get all of that nasty mess out, you're pretty much stuck refilling your cooling system with it. It doesn't mix with green antifreeze, creates a nasty glop.

 

I always believed it contributed to the intake manifold gasket and heater core failures GM was rife with in late-90s/early-00s.

It did.  GM changed coolant types without checking the compatibility with the seals in the intakes.  You know, the design failure mode effect analysis (DFMEA) that any supplier would have been required to do.

[Larry Schramm]

I have used DexCool extensively in my Silverado which has a more miles that I would guess almost all of you. This is my tow vehicle along with daily driver.

 

I have not had a problem with the coolant.  I have been told the most important thing is to change at the recommended interval and keep the coolant jug to the full level which I do.

Edited May 23, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[Bloo]

1 hour ago, bryankazmer said:

It did.  GM changed coolant types without checking the compatibility with the seals in the intakes.  You know, the design failure mode effect analysis (DFMEA) that any supplier would have been required to do.

You're not wrong, but I am still not convinced it's the coolant's fault. That same gasket design was offered as an aftermarket replacement for the Ford FE engines (332-352-390-427-428), and they failed in exactly the same way, and there have been plenty of pictures posted on the web. It is a fair guess none of those Ford guys were running DexCool. I have DexCool in my 390 Ford, but have yet to meet another FE owner who is using anything other than "traditional green" antifreeze. Most of them seem to insist on it.

 

[8E45E]

Not to be off-topic, I have seen RV anti-freeze, which is supposedly non-toxic in a slight orange color.

 

Craig

[JACK M]

4 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Not to be off-topic, I have seen RV anti-freeze, which is supposedly non-toxic in a slight orange color.

 

Craig

That is probably the stuff to winterize the water lines.

I use that every season.

DO NOT put it in your water tank, I built a system, a valve to switch water supply from main tank to alternative. Use the gallon jug the stuff comes in as a source and run the faucets until it turns pink.

I drain the water heater tank separately as well.

[zepher]

On 5/22/2022 at 4:52 PM, Paul Dobbin said:

Thanks guys.  It's a 2006 Saturn Vue with a Honda 3.5 V6 engine & transmission/  Original anti-freeze.

It was deal with Honda who needed some big GM machinery when GM needed a good V6 for Staturn, 2005 -2007.

We bought it to flat tow behind our RV.    Now with 100,000 miles it's time to do the timing belt, water pump & plugs.

A great little SUV with poly body.  No rust, no dents, no problems.  255 HP, 246 ft. lb. of torque, tows 3500 lbs.

 

Since it is a 2006, I would also spend a little extra and change out all of the timing belt pulleys and tensioners, just to be safe.

I've seen pulleys with low miles but more than a decade old, spit out their bearings and shred the timing belt and the head(s) with it.

You're already going to be staring at them to do all the other work so you may as well change them out and have piece of mind.

[Paul Dobbin]

1 hour ago, zepher said:

 

Since it is a 2006, I would also spend a little extra and change out all of the timing belt pulleys and tensioners, just to be safe.

I've seen pulleys with low miles but more than a decade old, spit out their bearings and shred the timing belt and the head(s) with it.

You're already going to be staring at them to do all the other work so you may as well change them out and have piece of mind.

   Thanls, I changed all the pulleys, water pump and timing belt and plugs.  Refilled with Dex-Cool.   Should be good for another 100,000 miles.