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General Antifreeze

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General Antifreeze

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cowabunga

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Hi

Just wondered what people are doing here?

I looked under my bonnet earlier just to check the radiator reservoir for the antifreeze. The liquid is red coloured but the level is down to about the minimum line. That said the car is cold and no doubt after a run the liquid would heat, expand, and the level would rise.

Then under the hood/ bonnet it has a big sticker stating all the liquids in each reservoir for steering, motor oil, etc. The name for the radiator is given as "Petronas Paraflu".

I googled around a bit and there seems to be a few versions, blue and red. I just wondered what if anything I should do....I'm thinking perhaps best to wait for the annual service and let the garage top it up then.

Have any of you guys bought any Paraflu or do you just top up with normal antifreeze? (of which i have a fair bit)
 
cowabunga said:
Hi



Just wondered what people are doing here?



I looked under my bonnet earlier just to check the radiator reservoir for the antifreeze. The liquid is red coloured but the level is down to about the minimum line. That said the car is cold and no doubt after a run the liquid would heat, expand, and the level would rise.



Then under the hood/ bonnet it has a big sticker stating all the liquids in each reservoir for steering, motor oil, etc. The name for the radiator is given as "Petronas Paraflu".



I googled around a bit and there seems to be a few versions, blue and red. I just wondered what if anything I should do....I'm thinking perhaps best to wait for the annual service and let the garage top it up then.



Have any of you guys bought any Paraflu or do you just top up with normal antifreeze? (of which i have a fair bit)
Click to expand...



To avoid potential warranty problems in the future I would recommend the dealer either tops up, or changes, the coolant with the Fiat approved coolant. Once the warranty period has expired you're obviously free to use your coolant of choice
 
I am led to believe that blue is for much harsher climates but i could be wrong...

Im using red right now and have 3 lots of it in the shed ready for my thermostat change (i didnt say that... next job to come along).
 
dtimmins1985 said:
I am led to believe that blue is for much harsher climates but i could be wrong...

Im using red right now and have 3 lots of it in the shed ready for my thermostat change (i didnt say that... next job to come along).
Click to expand...



Good luck with that one. I needed a new thermostat cover gasket. Fortunately it was a warranty job. It entailed a monumental amount of work
 
Paraflu G11 is blue and is intended ONLY for (very) older cars.
Modern, Paraflu UP ( Ultra Protection) G12 is red is for use in any modern (Italian) car, even if it did use blue G11 in the past ( do a good flush first...!)
Fiat/Alfa/Lancia dealers only use the red Paraflu these days.
And remember to dilute it with 50% distilled water ( as it says on the label), NEVER use it pure, and never use tapwater.
And NEVER, EVER use blue/green antifreeze in cars intended for the use of red/pink coolant, it will ruin the cooling system, or even the entire engine.
 
Last edited:
Peter Pick-Up said:
Paraflu G11 is blue and is intended ONLY for (very) older cars.
Modern, Paraflu UP ( Ultra Protection) G12 is red is for use in any modern (Italian) car, even if it did use blue G11 in the past ( do a good flush first...!)
Fiat/Alfa/Lancia dealers only use the red Paraflu these days.
And remember to dilute it with 50% distilled water ( as it says on the label), NEVER use it pure, and never use tapwater.
And NEVER, EVER use blue/green antifreeze in cars intended for the use of red/pink coolant, it will ruin the cooling system, or even the entire engine.
Click to expand...
Why if used only water/distilled water. My climate is always around 30 Celsius and no minus Celsius in sri lanka.
 
sandaru said:
Why if used only water/distilled water. My climate is always around 30 Celsius and no minus Celsius in sri lanka.
Click to expand...

We used to call it 'antifreeze', which only describes one of its functions. Nowadays we try to call it 'coolant' as a generic term, partly to avoid this sort of question.

If you mix water and metal, the metal corrodes.
But if we don't put water in it will melt.
So the most important job of the coolant is anti-corrosion. The chemicals wear out, which is why there is a recommended change interval. I have weighed a radiator from a 1980s Rover, used in the middle east without coolant. The owner refused to use coolant due to the hot climate. When the engine overheated, destroying the engine, he thought a warranty claim was in order. The radiator weighed three times that of a new one, it being clogged inside with aluminium, from the engine block corrosion. Engine gently dissolving, all the tiny particles depositing in the radiator.
Other tasks of the coolant is to raise the boiling point, so it is less likely to boil. (We also pressurise the system, which also raises the boiling point.)
And another task is to lower the freezing point of the liquid, as we do wish to use our vehicles when it gets cold outside. Freezing water expands, and will crack cylinder blocks open.

So despite the climate, it is best to replace the coolant at the specified intervals. Much cheaper than an engine.
 
sandaru said:
Why if used only water/distilled water. My climate is always around 30 Celsius and no minus Celsius in sri lanka.
Click to expand...

You can probably use a 20% mix in your climate, so 20% Paraflu and 80% distilled water.
Anti freeze protection is not important where you live, all the other habbits of coolant are, as stated in previous posts.
 
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20% coolant to 80% water or vice versa. We dont have paraflu products here. So can i use paraflu 11 (blue) or paraflu up (pink) equivalent product? What should i check when buying i mean the ingredients etc...
 
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