Champagne bubbles...more info please!

[fro]

I didn\'t have much time to respond to this earlier (being at work) so here goes..

When I first changed my coolant, I asked on here or fduk (can\'t remember which) if a specific brand of coolant was ok to use in a rotary. I got no answer so asked Tim. Tim told me specifically to avoid any red/long life coolant and stick to normal ethylene glycol based blue/green coolant and provided anecdotal evidence of engines he\'s stripped down with different coolants.

After a lot of research on various overseas forums it appears that any extended life organic acid coolant is to be avoided in a rotary. These coolants are red/pink in colour when undiluted. The manufacturers *should* stick to the convention that blue/green coolants do NOT contain organic acid additives and are therefore ok for use in a rotary. If in doubt, check the label.

[B9 KLF]

Got to agree that pure anti freeze will turn corrosive - in about 6 months and most articles that I have read recommend changing the coolant mix every 2 years anyway.

Keith

[FD3UK]

just to throw a spanner in the works, I have pink coolant in my car based on a this THREAD as recomended by Carl.

[Martiny]

FD3UK, thats MY thread and thats exactly what I wanted to say!   :-))

So now I am confused, Tim says the pink stuff is bad, and Carl says its good. I made about a 50/50 mix of the Halfords 5 year ( pink stuff) and de-ionised water.

[fro]

now I\'m confused too. I\'m pretty sure carl wouldn\'t recommend it unless he was sure it\'s ok.. does the pink halfords stuff have organic acid rust inhibitors?

[andrewrx7]

I guess this is one of those discussions that will never have a definitive answer. The only way it can be solved is to have multiple engines, same age, same condition, running the different coolants, under the same conditions etc etc etc......and look at the effects over several years. Its just not going to happen. I suppose if an engine goes, and when its stripped it is found to have an OAT containing coolant, then that could be one cause.....but then how many water seals go, in engines using the older non-OAT containing coolants?! Its like all these arguements - eg synthetic oil - some people swear by it, some stick with mineral \'cos of what Mazda said 20 years ago etc etc!! (I think I read recently, that Mazdas LeMans winner ran on sythetic?? Is this correct??)

[ro284]

I think for now the answer is that it probably takes some time for the coolant to become corrosive if it does, and if nobody is 100% sure which one  is best, To change the coolant more often, perhaps twice a year with a good flush! but this is an interesting thread and is in all our interests to sort out the best coolant for the job, so keep talking guys,
Bob

[iaint]

I think for now the answer is that it probably takes some time for the coolant to become corrosive if it does, and if nobody is 100% sure which one  is best, To change the coolant more often, perhaps twice a year with a good flush! but this is an interesting thread and is in all our interests to sort out the best coolant for the job, so keep talking guys,
Bob

Bingo - we have a winner!!!

Might be alright for your average boinger to have a coolant change every 1 million miles (or at the next ice-age, whichever comes first).  But our cars weren\'t designed to be maintenance-free.

Depending on miles and driving type, one changes oil every 3k or less.  This is lower than the manuf reccomendations I think but a safe point.  Surely it\'s a good idea to change coolant at least anually?  That way you can do a flush and inspect the outcome for signs of problems!

[gsb876]

I do a complete coolant change with every yearly FULL service, which is due in January  :spank