Roy_R

I'd be more concerned about what the green stuff is doing to my ALU engine parts...

ThaiCobra

The antifreeze was for the radiator....

I used 50% antifreeze and 50% distilled water, as recommended by the manufacturer.

Derf00

Because they ARE different...and mixing them without paying attention at best doesn't provide the protection you need. At worst, they react chemically and actually destroy the cooling system....

Different coolants have different packages that meet different specifications and requirements.

Not saying you should only by Ford for Ford but you do need to pay attention to what you add.

If you want to go green, make sure you fully drain/remove the OEM stuff before switching, that way you lessen any chance of creating a problem down the road. Just be aware that the traditional green stuff breaks down faster than newer fluids designed in more recent year. (Will require changing ever 2-3 years instead of every 5-6).

http://www.eetcorp.com/antifreeze/an...ze-faq.htm#q28 answers pretty much all questions regarding coolants/antifreezes.

moosestang

The 5w20 oil people are running is going to destroy your engine long before any antifreeze.

Prestone claims 5 years 150,000 too. Ford is raping you for their coolant.

Art161

You do not have to use Motorcraft antifreeze. Zerex markets a gold antifreeze that meets Ford specs.

mmdpg

So to save $5 or $10 on a gallon of antifreeze people are willing risk damage to the engine in a car worth thousands of dollars? I'm no fan of paying dealer costs for parts or fluids but sometimes it just doesn't make sense to risk problems in the cooling system for a couple of dollars. When you do a standard drain of the coolant you are only getting out about 8 of the 12 quarts in the engine. If you change coolant type or manufacture you run the risk of mixing incompatible chemicals that can cause issues.

Derf00

If Prestone meets the spec requirements for your cooling system, buy it/use it.

Like I said, I'm not saying buy ford coolant, just make sure you buy what your car needs spec wise.

No different than oil with their API designations. It's not the weight that kills the car so much these days, it's that not all oils have the same API rating and if you don't understand what the differences are, yes, you will destroy your motor faster, regardless of the weight.

Art161 that is correct. Zerex makes a coolant that meets Ford Specs, in fact, I believe that is what I have sitting at home (and in my cars) at this moment...

mmdpg - right attitude on the fluid costs but inaccurate on your statement about manufacturer. It's not the manufacturer (Ford, Prestone, Zerex, etc) that matters....it's the specification of the product they offer that counts.

Even Ford offers several different antifreezes depending on the required specs. Just because it's motorcraft doesn't mean it's the right one. Read your manual and the labels (like with any fluid).

https://www.fordparts.com/Products/C...-Coolants.aspx

ThaiCobra

Okay, ignoring the fact that my thread got derailed by a discussion about coolant...

i moved my car and looked at the puddle under it today. It is definitely motor oil (it's brown) and its coming from about dead center of the car. It appears to be leaking a few spoonfuls a day, so not much. I have not been able to get under it, as I don't have the proper lift equipment to do so.

I'm thinking I should take it to a pro. Might just be a simple seal right? Any further advice would be appreciated as my $ supply is quite low, and if there is a fix I can do myself I definitely will, I just don't want to waste my time.

Thanks everyone!

mustangspotential

Did you get your oil changed recently? A common issue is the drain bolt not being tight enough and thus causing a leak. If that's the case, you can tighten it yourself.

wcgman

Until you can find the source, just frequently check your oil level and top off as needed. It's not a show stopper and back in the day when money was a major issue, I always carried a couple of quarts with me just in case.