Coolant help.

[pt4cec]

Going ahead with my DIY maintainances. I am going to drain the radiator. I can see red coolant in the plastic container under the hood. Would that be the 5 Year 100,000 coolant. Want to ask for the right coolant when I go to the parts house. 2001 38,000 miles, I would like the put the right stuff in it the first time. Also what thermostate would I ask for. Andy

[mopar_man]

I drained out that red stuff, filled the system with distilled water, ran the car until the thermostat opened (check your gauge, you'll know) for a few minutes and let it cool. I did this another time and put in generic green stuff that's cheaper and easier to come by. Measure how much water you drain out of the system and compare it to the capacity (7.4 quarts). Mix it as you see fit (I use 50/50).

Stock thermostat (195˚) is fine.

[Duster]

I won't risk myself by using something else than HOAT coolant in the PT, sorry.

[mopar_man]

I'll take my chances. I've never had a problem using regular coolant in any other vehicle I've ever owned. I change it out every other year and call it good. But if it makes you sleep better at night, go ahead and use the stuff only available from a dealer. I don't know if it's formulated anything like GM's Dexcool but that stuff is absolutely horrific on aluminum. It's amazing some of the GM intakes I've seen that are so badly pitted they won't even seal anymore.

[Duster]

Dexcool is OAT coolant while Chrysler uses HOAT coolant.

If you're about to change your regular green stuff every year, I don't see where's the economy.

Each his own but I'd stay with the recommended product.

[Mean Green]

Originally Posted by Duster

I won't risk myself by using something else than HOAT coolant in the PT, sorry.

Totally correct. It has to be HOAT or you'll kill the insides of the engine and radiator.

Changing it every other year is a waste of money but, if it makes you feel better......

[ejstith]

I'm going to use the HOAT stuff because I'm chicken, however, I think it's a scam by Chrysler. This isn't the only motor on the planet that is aluminum or has an aluminum head on a cast iron block .. Something is really, really fishy here ... I'm waiting for someone to do a post with a PT with a million miles that's been using the green stuff all of it's life.

[wheelgarage]

Use whatever is recommended....

You need to be sure the system will not scale. Aluminum and the wrong mixture/chemical can create deposits from the heat generated from the head or block. In time, it will become acidic and literally eat though aluminum.

I have seen this happen to BMW's and rotary engine coolant parts. But, since the PT is mostly plastic (i think), it probably would be fine....probably....

[pelicanpirate]

you must use the Chrysler Pt Coolant. It has sodium silicate in it to seal any potential leaks from the head gasket and is chemically balanced to eliminate corrosion between the block and the head. DO NOT use the green stuff...it is totally not compatible.......this from a PT with a big bill for using incorrect coolant.

[Mal]

Always been a, dump in a gallon of the cheapest green stuff I can find and top off with tap water and I'm good to go sorta guy. After replacing the water pump on the PT ... no more. The previous owner had apparently used DexCool and the system was an absolute mess. It was so bad, I'm just guessing DexCool. Though it may have been that he and I just hadn't changed it for 110k mi. I doubt it was that because the factory fill should have lasted that long with no problems.

After considerable research into coolants; I am a convert to the HOAT technology 100%. So much so that I am going to switch out all my vehicles not under warranty to it; despite some even recommending DexCool. Even the Mopar HOAT is made by Valvolene under the Zerex brand. It is called G-05 and seems to be sold at NAPA among other places. I also have recently caved to mixing with distilled water.

I now consider this even more important than my choice of oil. Coolant chemistry is vastly different one type to another where as oils are not that different even conventional to synthetic. Also if you go with the 5 yr 150,000 mi regimen, coolant is really cheap per mile even if ridiculous per gallon......

If you value your water pump, the possibility of the silicates precipitating out will make you avoid the green stuff and if you value plastic and iron parts you will avoid DexCool. You're pretty much left with the recommended HOAT chemistry ( G-05 or the Mopar branded, expensive equivalent). Not nearly that simple as you will see if you spend hrs in research, but enough for me to make a decision.

Edit: just finished the job and none too soon. The coolant looked rusty and had lost it's green color; don't really know why. I used Zerex G-05 (HOAT) but had a lot of trouble finding it. NAPA had Zerex but not G-05, Auto Zone, Pep Boys and Advance Auto didn't have any Zerex at all. I finally found it at Crown at $12.95 a gallon ... I wonder what the dealer charges?

Edit: Just read the shop manual's discussion of coolant. Obviously written by Chrysler but it will absolutely convince you to use the right stuff. I wish I could cut and paste from Adobe, but I can't. Mercedes has been using the HOAT technology for many years, Chrysler since 2001 and now Ford uses it as well along with several others. As far as I can tell, the Chrysler, Ford etc coolant is identical to and likely made by the Valvolene/Zerex version, G-05. It seems to be the consensus here to use it and for good reason; I'll never use anything but and I recommend you read the shop manual's discussion if you don't.