TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Apr 13, 2013 6:41 pm

I hate to start a new thread because there are some many antifreeze threads. However, the whole thing is pretty confusing, it is as if manufacturers didn't care to make information well available.

I am running blue Pentosin Pentofrost NF. I have one 1.5L bottle as a spare. Also, I am in Mexico, and about to drive south to Guatemala.

In order to be prepared should anything like a blown hose or something happen, I want to know which of the commonly available antifreeze brands or types are safe to mix in. Stores here carry Peak, a couple of types of Prestone and something by Chevron I think.

What, if anything, can be mixed with the blue NF stuff? I would hate to have to flush the whole system if I blow a hose or otherwise spill some coolant.

BTW--I only use distilled water for the mix.

Thanks!

Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:00 am

I know Dex cool is NOT supposed to be mixxed with regular anit-freeze, causes the system to gunk up. avoid that type.

I guess lacking anything else, bring lots of water, you can survive a short time with water without corrosion issues. enough to get you hopefully to a service store where you can but the correct stuff, or convert to prestone or what ever.

Mixxign diferent types is not usually recommened, although differentbrands of the same type are generally compatible.

I believe that the Blue stuff is compatible with Green standard Prestone, but I'd want to do more research before putting it in the van as from what I have heard about Dex -Cool being mixed with regular antifreeze, you dont want to guess wrong, else you'll have a mess to clean up

Sun Apr 14, 2013 12:35 pm

regular green coolant will mix with NF. Xerex sells a clear coolant that Mercedes uses and they sell it as G06 or something like that and it works too. BMW coolant is blue and is nearly identical to NF, I use it at my shop for older VW's etc. If I had an issue during a summer trip, I'd just refill with plain water and deal with it when I got home, but if you wanted the corrosion prevention any coolant thats not an OAT type should be ok to mix.

Sun Apr 14, 2013 3:49 pm

Thanks guys.

One guy here at the campground had some green supermarket-bought coolant. I asked him for a bit and mixed it with some of my blue Pentofrost from the open almost-empty bottle I have. I left it in the sun all day, and so far so good--it looks blueish green, but there are no signs of gelling or anything strange.

I'll try to make that experiment with the Prestone yellow bottle that claims to mix with anything, and if that works, I'll have a gallon of that in the car for an emergency.