Help - Did I just put the wrong coolent in my car?

[colly]

ust wanted to make sure, I used an ethaline glycol based coolent (its pink). Someone just told me I should use the blue coolent. I have blue coolent which is also ethaline glycol based. Does it make a difference? I thought it just has to be glycol based?

[interloper393]

hey bud iv got the pink stuff in mine, altho its safe to use, it got acidic after a year so needs changing regular, but coolent should be changed once a year anywho .. so your fine :yes

[colly]

hey bud iv got the pink stuff in mine, altho its safe to use, it got acidic after a year so needs changing regular, but coolent should be changed once a year anywho .. so your fine :yes

Thanks, how were ye able to tell that it got acidic? Do ye know if it corrodes anything like aluminium plastic or rubber? Should I just flush it and put in the blue stuff?

[kev-yorks]

Its in now so don\'t worry just change it in a years time then your safe. When it does go acidic it just loves all the ali rotor housings, it\'ll attack steel also but it takes a while longer.
Kevin

[David Nock (RIP)]

I use Bluecol and change every 2 to 3 years, but the big thing is that your coolant should be ethylene glycol based , not methanol based. I swear by Bluecol but, as said above, I\'m sure you\'re OK with pink stuff for at least a year.

[chrisJDM]

pink coolent is fine just dont keep it in there too long

[colly]

When it does go acidic

Anyone know what makes it turn acidic?

[David Nock (RIP)]

I don\'t.
Obviously if it gets exhaust gases into it but thats not normal. Maybe it\'s a gradual absorption of things - metal molecules mainly. Also there will be a gradual degredation due to age.
As I said though, don\'t know.

[RedRummy]

I just use distilled water in mine!

[pdtaylor18]

Just distilled ? or with an antifreeze ? I know some who house their cars in warm garages dont bother but the antifreeze does help to prevent corrosion which is the killer in rotaries.  At least with distilled you dont have the impurities that clog things up, i always use distilled with blue antifreeze.  Distilled it so cheap, even use it for the squirters as well. Think i can get it for less than £1 a gallon !!

[David Nock (RIP)]

I just use distilled water in mine!

If you mean you just top up with dist water, then sooner or later your coolant concentration will allow freezing, then it\'s goodnight. New engine.
If you can keep it under cover like PDTaylor said above, then that\'s possible most of the year, but I\'ll bet you daren\'t go out in anything below zero degrees because it\'ll freeze up in the bottom of the rad. So not practical I\'m afraid.