NEED HELP! Mixing coolants question. Need EXPERT advice.

[Navy Warrant]

I use Engine Ice (propylene glycol) in my '15 RT LTD. While at the shop for other service I asked them to check the fluid levels. When I came to pick it up they told me the coolant was a half quart to a quart low and they topped it off with green coolant (ethylene glycol?). They should have known better because they're the ones who flushed the system originally and filled it with Engine Ice, and it should be in the maintenance/service records. (OEM coolant for a Spyder is the long life orange coolant anyway, so why short life green? But I digress.)

I've heard things from very bad to no biggee. Need KNOWLEDGEABLE advice here, not personal opinion. Engine Ice company says not to mix the two, and then I've read that you can but the heat transfer is negatively affected. If no biggee, fine. But if so I'll need to insist they flush and replace the coolant. It's expensive, but I do have a couple of spare bottles.

From the Engine Ice FAQ's: We recommend you never mix ANY TYPE of coolant and antifreeze products. One reason is that propylene glycol and ethylene glycol do not mix well together. Another reason is that just because the base fluid may be similar, other additives and ingredients may not be. Just as you would not mix oils, and for the same reasons, you should not mix coolants and types of antifreeze.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

COOLANTS

I know it's supposed to be the same stuff :lecturef_smilie:.... But I have the BRP ...ORANGE coolant and they say don't mix .... so I'm not going to ...... jmho .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Navy Warrant]

I know it's supposed to be the same stuff :lecturef_smilie:.... But I have the BRP ...ORANGE coolant and they say don't mix .... so I'm not going to ...... jmho .... Mike :thumbup:

Well, no. Ethylene glycol is not the same as propylene glycol. I'm not talking about mixing the orange with the green, both propylene glycol. Engine Ice is an ethylene glycol product and is better at cooling, and keeps my engine about 10 degrees cooler. Important when ryding in 113 degree desert, or even just 95 degree summer heat here in NC. The dealership's shop mixed a quart of green propylene glycol with the Engine Ice brand ethylene glycol already in the system.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

WELLLLLLL NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT

Well, no. Ethylene glycol is not the same as propylene glycol. I'm not talking about mixing the orange with the green, both propylene glycol. Engine Ice is an ethylene glycol product and is better at cooling, and keeps my engine about 10 degrees cooler. Important when ryding in 113 degree desert, or even just 95 degree summer heat here in NC. The dealership's shop mixed a quart of green propylene glycol with the Engine Ice brand ethylene glycol already in the system.

Actually I was referring to the Equivalent to the " ORANGE STUFF " . ( there is such a thing ) .... however I don't trust it to be true ...... so I'm sticking with BRP's Orange stuff ...... ( for now At least :roflblack: )..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Navy Warrant]

Actually I was referring to the Equivalent to the " ORANGE STUFF " . ( there is such a thing ) .... however I don't trust it to be true ...... so I'm sticking with BRP's Orange stuff ...... ( for now At least :roflblack: )..... Mike :thumbup:

I appreciate telling me which coolant you use Mike, but I'm not sure how that helps me with my ethylene and propylene mix situation. Thanks tho.

 

[Crisis]

If in doubt flush and fill.

 

[Buckeye Bleau]

If in doubt flush and fill.

:agree: This if nothing else will give you peace of mind, if you do not you will forever be worrying about it.

Joe

 

[Peter Aawen]

Mixing those two types of coolant is pretty much NOT recommended by any of the coolant or radiator mobs out there, altho it's not really the absolute worst thing you can do in the way of mixing coolants & some products have similar enough additive packages that you can get away with it - but do you know if that's the case with the mix that's in your Spyder now!?! :shocked:

Sooo, I still reckon I'd be asking for a flush & refill, even if you hafta pay for it, because you did ask them to check the fluid levels, didn't you!! :dontknow:

Check this lot out for some more info on the subject: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/cooling/cool_121.htm
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28591458-Coolant-Ethylene-Glycol-vs-Propylene-Glycol
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2nfmhp/can_you_mix_antifreeze_types_for_a_car/

There's heaps more where that came from!

 

[Zip]

See #3

http://foryourbusiness.eco-freez.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118&Itemid=134

 

[Bob Denman]

The Shop screwed up... nojoke
Take it back to them, and have them replace that mess with the proper stuff! :gaah:
On their Dime: of course!

 

[Trbayth]

I retired from the coolant wars last year. You won't get a reasoned, knowledgeable answer. You'll get everyone heading to their corners, guns blazing with how their opinion is right and everyone else is an idiot.

 

[Mr. White]

The Shop screwed up... nojoke
Take it back to them, and have them replace that mess with the proper stuff! :gaah:
On their Dime: of course!

Bob is right.

:spyder2:

 

[Peter Aawen]

Zip, That's only really safe if you know (for sure) that the additive loads that generally make up about 10-25% of each product are also fully compatible, which is often not the case!! :lecturef_smilie:

So while the polypropelene & ethylene glycol components themselves may be 'compatible' & safely mixed, the various additives contained in each glycol product may well (& often do!) simply turn into a concrete like substance inside your cooling system if combined with a different product.... & in doing so, they often block the cooling galleries in the engine & the heat transfer tubes in the radiator - permanently; but almost always somewhat if not significantly reducing the heat shedding capacity of your engine's cooling system. And THAT's the reason that you should (still) never mix different coolant products unless you know they are completely compatible!! :shocked:

 

[Navy Warrant]

Mixing those two types of coolant is pretty much NOT recommended by any of the coolant or radiator mobs out there, altho it's not really the absolute worst thing you can do in the way of mixing coolants & some products have similar enough additive packages that you can get away with it - but do you know if that's the case with the mix that's in your Spyder now!?! :shocked:

Sooo, I still reckon I'd be asking for a flush & refill, even if you hafta pay for it, because you did ask them to check the fluid levels, didn't you!! :dontknow:

Check this lot out for some more info on the subject: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/cooling/cool_121.htm
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28591458-Coolant-Ethylene-Glycol-vs-Propylene-Glycol
https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2nfmhp/can_you_mix_antifreeze_types_for_a_car/

There's heaps more where that came from!

Yes, you're correct. I did ask them to check the fluid levels... since they're the ones who put the Engine Ice (propylene glycol) in for me on both of my Spyders. Yes, it is the case. The paperwork says the coolant was a qt low and they topped it off with green coolant (ethylene glycol).

Thanks for the link, but that's about a different coolant, OAT (Organic Acid Technology), the orange stuff, being mixed with glycols.

After reading sage advice, flush and refill is the plan. Glad I have extra Engine Ice. Stuff's expensive (which reminds me, I'll be using Amsoil next oil change). Thanks guys.

 

[SpyderNeil]

The Shop screwed up... nojoke
Take it back to them, and have them replace that mess with the proper stuff! :gaah:
On their Dime: of course!

Agree with Bob, their screw-up their responsibility. If You had made the mistake they would sure charge You to fix it.

Neil

 

[bmccaffrey]

year

I agree flush and fill

But ,BUT you did not specify that the ice was in there . They also should have known that green did not go in there for that year

So lets go with 50-50 blame

 

[SteveLaoyster]

This is from my service manual.

Yeah, I agree that they should have had records of the change over on coolants. Mixing the two is not a good idea. I would verify that the change over is in their records. If it is, their fault. If not, why not? Good luck.

And that Dexcool (OAT) is just bad news. I've heard nothing but bad news about that stuff.