Mixing Green and Red Coolant
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Denver
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1988
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Litre
Mixing Green and Red Coolant
Hi there,
I have an 88 jeep cherokee 4.0l. So I have seen a couple of threads on this already, but I was in a jam in the mountains yesterday with a coolant issue and fixed the problem, went to a gas station to get more coolant and all they had was a red coolant. It says that it is compatible for cars using dexcool but does not say only for dexcool cars. It is prestone 50/50 extended life, it says on the back approved for all general motors cars and all other cars and light weight trucks that have aluminum radiators. I only put less than two quarts in and when I got home topped it off with the green stuff that has always been used. All of my friends say it is fine to mix the two, but when I hop on the internet there are a ton of stories about why you shouldn't mix and some sort of sledge develops. Does anyone know if this is true? I can flush the system but I didn't think it was that big of a deal.
I have an 88 jeep cherokee 4.0l. So I have seen a couple of threads on this already, but I was in a jam in the mountains yesterday with a coolant issue and fixed the problem, went to a gas station to get more coolant and all they had was a red coolant. It says that it is compatible for cars using dexcool but does not say only for dexcool cars. It is prestone 50/50 extended life, it says on the back approved for all general motors cars and all other cars and light weight trucks that have aluminum radiators. I only put less than two quarts in and when I got home topped it off with the green stuff that has always been used. All of my friends say it is fine to mix the two, but when I hop on the internet there are a ton of stories about why you shouldn't mix and some sort of sledge develops. Does anyone know if this is true? I can flush the system but I didn't think it was that big of a deal.
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Posts: 918
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
Absolutely flush it. Dexcool does not like to mix with other types of coolant and will develop sludge. Dexcool is also slightly acidic and can eat gaskets and seals that weren't specifically designed to work with it.
Your Jeep should use conventional green coolant. If you want to use a long-life coolant, Zerex G-05 is probably the best option, it is what is used in newer Ford and Chrysler vehicles as well as others. But I'd probably just stick with green and change it every two years.
Your Jeep should use conventional green coolant. If you want to use a long-life coolant, Zerex G-05 is probably the best option, it is what is used in newer Ford and Chrysler vehicles as well as others. But I'd probably just stick with green and change it every two years.
Trending Topics
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Tulsa,Oklahoma
Posts: 838
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 97
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
definitely flush it right away, I'd run the jeep with just water until it got to operating temp and flush again...
then add the favorite topping of your choice
Last edited by DieselDaze; 08-03-2013 at 10:08 PM.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Dawson Springs, KY
Posts: 780
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Year: 1985
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 2.5L
I had a water pump go out on my F150 4.9L I6, and when I opened it up it was orange inside, looked like dissolved rust or red clay mud. Radiator was also almost completely clogged. Took me the better part of a day to flush the Radiator and the engine block. Turns out my ExGF had filled it up a few months before with the Dexcool I had behind the seat to go in her Trans Am.
Funny she almost killed that one by filling up the coolant, and she killed my Ranger by not filling up the coolant.
Funny she almost killed that one by filling up the coolant, and she killed my Ranger by not filling up the coolant.
#10
Hi there,
I have an 88 jeep cherokee 4.0l. So I have seen a couple of threads on this already, but I was in a jam in the mountains yesterday with a coolant issue and fixed the problem, went to a gas station to get more coolant and all they had was a red coolant. It says that it is compatible for cars using dexcool but does not say only for dexcool cars. It is prestone 50/50 extended life, it says on the back approved for all general motors cars and all other cars and light weight trucks that have aluminum radiators. I only put less than two quarts in and when I got home topped it off with the green stuff that has always been used. All of my friends say it is fine to mix the two, but when I hop on the internet there are a ton of stories about why you shouldn't mix and some sort of sledge develops. Does anyone know if this is true? I can flush the system but I didn't think it was that big of a deal.
I have an 88 jeep cherokee 4.0l. So I have seen a couple of threads on this already, but I was in a jam in the mountains yesterday with a coolant issue and fixed the problem, went to a gas station to get more coolant and all they had was a red coolant. It says that it is compatible for cars using dexcool but does not say only for dexcool cars. It is prestone 50/50 extended life, it says on the back approved for all general motors cars and all other cars and light weight trucks that have aluminum radiators. I only put less than two quarts in and when I got home topped it off with the green stuff that has always been used. All of my friends say it is fine to mix the two, but when I hop on the internet there are a ton of stories about why you shouldn't mix and some sort of sledge develops. Does anyone know if this is true? I can flush the system but I didn't think it was that big of a deal.
from the gas station....
The crew doing a cement job for me, were late getting started. They had run out of coolant on the way here, and had to walk 2 miles or so to get water for their truck. I ask them why they did not use some of the water from their 5 gallon ice cooler, rather than doing a long walk....
#11
Senior Member
I am not being a smart butt here, but could you have just added water
from the gas station....
The crew doing a cement job for me, were late getting started. They had run out of coolant on the way here, and had to walk 2 miles or so to get water for their truck. I ask them why they did not use some of the water from their 5 gallon ice cooler, rather than doing a long walk....
from the gas station....
The crew doing a cement job for me, were late getting started. They had run out of coolant on the way here, and had to walk 2 miles or so to get water for their truck. I ask them why they did not use some of the water from their 5 gallon ice cooler, rather than doing a long walk....
In a pinch during warm weather it would be better to use tap water than try to use some other non-compatible coolant. But I think I would drain it out shortly thereafter since there's no anti-corrosion or other additives and straight tap water would probably scale up your rad if left in.
My $0.02.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cpnwrench
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
13
02-15-2024 08:09 AM
ToxicFox
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
2
09-27-2015 06:56 PM
Zach Smith
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
11
09-26-2015 03:24 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)