Asked by: Yonatan Gottschall

Asked in category: automotive, green vehicles

Last Updated: 19th May 2024

Can I use regular coolant in a diesel?

Diesel antifreeze is different from conventional gasoline engine antifreeze because it contains a special additive that prevents erosion of cylinder walls.

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So, can regular antifreeze be used in a diesel engine?

Maintaining engine coolant is as important as oil changes. The coolant condition of a diesel engine might be even more important than that of a gasoline motor. Antifreeze-coolant today not only prevents freezing during winter but also protects diesel engines against common cavitation problems.

Can I also add water to my diesel cooling fluid? For heavy-duty engines, a 50/50 mixture of heavy-duty antifreeze/coolant, and clean, quality (distilled or de-mineralized or de-ionized), water with supplemental coolant additions (SCA) is necessary. Water without antifreeze/coolant and with 6% SCA is no longer recommended. It is not acceptable as a coolant.

This is how you can find the best antifreeze to use on diesel engines.

Zerex G05 Antifreeze/Coolant is the best diesel option. Zerex G05 Antifreeze/Coolant can be used in gasoline and diesel cars, but it also contains additives that can benefit diesel engines.

How does diesel get into coolant?

Diesel flows through the head to the injectors. There are only a few ways can get into the cooling system . Leakage of injector cups or cracked head. It is possible, but unlikely, that the Davco has failed. A blown head gasket will not allow diesel to flow into the coolant system.

17 Related Question Answers Found

Do you need special coolant for diesel engines?

Diesel engines are subject to "cavitation erosion" of the cylinder walls if proper additives are not presant in the coolant. This erosion can eat holes clear through the cylinder walls. Use a "precharged" coolant formulated for diesel engines, usually not green. But the coolant in this engine IS green.

What is the difference between red and green antifreeze?

The purpose of using an antifreeze is to lower the freezing point and increase the boiling point of the coolant. The key difference between red and green antifreeze is that red antifreeze lasts longer than green antifreeze. An antifreeze contains ethylene glycol and propylene glycol as the bases.

What color is Delo ELC?

Specifications

SKU	DELC50
Color	Red
Specific Gravity	@15C 1.130
PH	8.3
Tags	Silicate Free

Which coolant is used in diesel generator?

6.1. 1.2 Engine Coolant - Water is the most common coolant used in diesel engines. However, water alone presents the possibility of corrosion, mineral deposits, and freezing. Where engines could be subjected to temperatures near or below freezing, an antifreeze such as ethylene glycol or propylene glycol must be added.

How often do you need to change engine coolant?

30,000 miles

What is SCA in antifreeze?

Supplemental Coolant Additives (SCA) Supplemental Coolant Additives are vital for the health and longevity of any diesel engine. Diesels, particularly the Ford Powerstroke, are prone to a problem called cavitation (or liner pitting).

What happens if you use the wrong color antifreeze?

Mixing different engine coolants or using the wrong coolant can impair the performance of the special additive packages; this can result in increased corrosion to the radiator. Using the wrong engine coolant can gradually lead to corrosion and damage to the water pump, radiator, radiator hoses and cylinder gasket.

Is green or orange antifreeze better?

Radiator fluid color can tell you a lot of things about your car. Having a green-colored coolant means your engine cooling system still has steel and copper components to it. It also means more frequent replacement of the coolant. Having an orange coolant means your car stays protected for up to 5 years.

What color is Honda coolant?

Blue and Green Antifreeze

You can use either blue or green antifreeze in your Honda without impacting the antifreeze's performance; the color difference is simply a result of the different dyes used in making the product. If you have previously used green antifreeze, you can still use blue or use a mixture of both.

What color is Prestone antifreeze coolant?

yellow

Do coolant additives work?

But over the years we've become accustomed to using cooling system wetting agents, as they've been proven to work almost every time. Unlike ring sealers in a can and other mysterious leak sealing products that never seem to work, cooling system additives generally do work.

Can you mix red and green antifreeze?

It often can last five years or 150,000 miles. So it's a better antifreeze to use. Now, if you mix them--they are not supposed to be mixed--but if you mix them it's not like mixing an acid and a base and you are not going to have and explosion or anything like that.

Can you mix coolant with tap water?

No! You should never mix coolant fluid with regular tap water. Tap water contains minerals that can form deposits inside the radiator and cooling system passages of your engine. This and the proper mixture of coolant and distilled water will help your car and its cooling system run without breaking for a long time.

Is coolant the same as antifreeze?

Antifreeze is commonly used as one of the components of a coolant mixture – coolant is generally a 50-50 split between antifreeze and water. Antifreeze (specifically the ethylene glycol, which is its main ingredient) is used to lower the freezing point of the liquid that circulates around the engine of a vehicle.

Is it OK to use water instead of coolant?

In general, using water as coolant is OK for a short time or as a "get you home" alternative, but it does not have the anti-freeze and corrosion inhibiting properties of a proper coolant mix, so should not be left in the engine for any length of time, especially if you live in a cold climate.

How long can you drive without coolant?

You certainly have more time on a cold day, but 30 degree or 90 degree day, the car is going to run up to 300+ before long without antifreeze. Assuming you mean with just water and no antifreeze, as long as the outside temperature does not drop below 0°C, nothing bad should happen.

How long after adding coolant can I drive?

Yes, run the engine

After you do any work involved with draining the coolant you will either have an exact process to remove air from the cooling system or you will simply run the engine. If you don't the gasses (air) will expand at a greater rate than liquid when the engine get's hot.

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