Best or Prefered Coolant for Viper???

[SneakyPete]

I am going to have my cooling system flushed and replace the coolant that is 6 years old next week.

I am going to go with a mix of 80% water, 20 anti-freeze and 2 bottles of Redline Water Wetter.

What is the best or prefered anti freeze to purchase and do I need to do anything else like change hoses and such.

thanks.

 

[Marv S]

80% water might be too thin for enough corrosion protection.

the current Car & Driver, July, 2002, pp24 wrote a very good article on coolants.

 

[Ulysses]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I am going to go with a mix of 80% water, 20 anti-freeze and 2 bottles of Redline Water Wetter.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I agree with Marv, that sounds too thin.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>do I need to do anything else like change hoses and such.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Depends on the mileage. I think it presents an excellent opportunity to switch to aftermarket hoses. Check your hoses, I've found that with 12,000 miles on my GTS that the lower radiator hose is already swelling and the torque clamp is loosing it's ability to clamp down.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>What is the best or prefered anti freeze to purchase<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> That's still under debate, but I prefer the orange long life Dexcool coolant.

 

[TacDoc]

I was told by the PVO guys at the Mid Ohio Viper Days event NOT to use the orange coolant. Main reason was no matter how well the sytem is flushed to remove the green there always seems to be some somewhere to gel. Since I flush/fill yearly, the long life offers no advantage.

 

[Ron]

<FONT face="Comic Sans MS">There is a lot of variables and opinions on coolants which a search button will highlight, however proper draining and flushing will ultimately remove all of any type of coolant. The perceived issue in switching from green to Dex-cool is that green works by coating the engine and that is what isn't removed during a drain and flush. Whether that is an issue is the debatable point. I for one don't find it troubling and my experience, reading and discussions with those who know all support that position. Conversely, I'd also of course trust PVO. Why they don't recommend / use it? Perhaps we'll find out at VOI. In the meantime, your call.

TacDoc - Longer water pump life and better heat transfer are 2 reasons for using Dex-Cool beyond it's long life and aluminum corrosion protection.

On the hose issue, I was shocked at the terrific condition of the factory hoses and belt on my 1994 Town & Country minivan. 80,000 miles and they all looked like new and really did not need replacement. Regardless of what many say, I do believe that the factory installed hoses and belts are of a higher quality then typical PEP Boy replacements.</FONT f>

 

[Chuck 97 GTS]

Is there some reason why they haven't switched to this type of coolant as the factory fill?