Type of Coolant - 99 subaru impreza 2.5 RS

[rook]

My subaru has been smelling like it is running a bit hot lately. I checked the coolant level in the radiator and it is really low. The owner's manual says I should use only Subaru Genuine Coolant or something like that but I am pretty sure they wont be labeled like that at Schucks.

 

What do you guys recommend?

[davebugs]

Personally in that era of Subaru I use the Advance Auto universal anti-freeze. Kinda looks line Mountain Dew.

 

Of course I'm always changing out the fluid as part of a HG or engine swap.

 

On very new Suby's I use the expensive dealer stuff - but I don't work on them much.

[subaru360]

Any green antifreeze is ok. If you smell coolant and it is low, you may have a leak.

[Dr. RX]

The first thing that I would do is have the radiator chemically flushed to remove any deposit that has been forming from using other coolants, then I would use that Subaru expensive stuff with the Subaru additive. It's that old FRAM saying, "You can pay me now, or pay me later." I learned this the hard way. I thought that I had a head gasket that was going bad, so I pull the engine and rebuilt it. Reinstalled the engine and still had the same problem. I got one of those laser temperature measuring devices and took various readings on the radiator. That showed that there was blockage in the radiator. I run an aluminum radiator and was using coolant that was suppose to be used in aluminum radiators. I did a lot of research before I replaced the radiator with another aluminum radiator and found that the Subaru stuff was the best of anything out there.

[ron917]

Any green antifreeze is ok. If you smell coolant and it is low, you may have a leak.

 

Color means nothing, it is only a dye to help find leaks. You must go by the chemistry. There are many coolants with same colors but different chemistrys, and vise-versa.

 

Almost every coolant that is widely available and marketed for "all makes, all models" is the same chemistry as the infamous DexCool. Most of them are green or yellow. It is very difficult to find aftermarket coolant that is not a clone of DexCool.

 

Peak Global (it must say "Global") or Zerex G-05 are the only non-DexCool clones that are sort of easily available. You have to search for them, Wal-Mart, Autozone and Advance Auto don't sell them.

 

You might find green "conventional" anti-freeze, but that contains silicates which should not be used in modern engines.

 

Genuine Subaru coolant is green, but contains no silicates.

[rook]

Alright so I will get it flushed out and re-filled with the Subaru stuff (buying it from the dealer and not Schucks). Guess its not a do it yourself job.