ok, i must be an old guy because i remember when it was either water or green coolant!
anyway, i was looking thru my owners manual about the coolant for my 2008 Ranger and it tells me to use YELLOW coolant only.
i looked up Motorcraft coolant and it says dont mix yellow with green or with orange or with pink, red, blue, almond....you get the idea!
my question is what coolant other than Motorcraft can i use?
does prestone have a yellow coolant?
it should be a 50 50 mix according to my book.

 

Yellow/orange coolant is usually used for european engines (2.9, 2.8 and 4.0). For made of cast iron 3.0 green was used.

But.... now all new trucks have yellow coolant (and with 3.0 too).

I mixed green and blue. All was good.

 

Just use the Prestone coolant that says it is for everything. it is yellow/greenish (more yellow), and it has the required additive that allow it to work in just about any type of vehicle.

 

You can hit any of the auto parts stores and get Prestone all-in-one or whatever they call it. You can use it with any car, any year, any color. Yellow bottle, blue label if I recall correctly.

 

That is what I did anyway. I was trying to keep the different types of anti freeze and then found the one for all and went with it.

 

Use Zerex G0-5, it is the same chemical compound

 

I made the mistake of putting orange coolant in a car I had a few years ago. After a few months, the radiator had corroded through and had to be replaced...not sure if any other damage was done to the engine, but it ran fine. I definitely learned my lesson to make sure I'm using the right coolant for my vehicle.

 

A while back I read some auto expert's column and he said definitely do not use the all-in-one coolants.. I can't give you any reasons why not.. that's all I can remember, sorry..

*edit*
October 2005 — Ford Motor Company released recently a dealer/distributor FAQ communication to address the concerns over using “universal” coolants. Below is the verbatim from the communication.

Some companies market a “Universal” coolant claiming that their product can be used for all vehicle applications. What is Ford’s position on the use of “Universal” coolants in Ford vehicles?
Ford does not have performance data for the multitude of engine coolants available in the aftermarket and therefore cannot recommend the use of any coolant except those approved by Ford Motor Company.

Due to the complexity of cooling systems, no one coolant has been proven to work in all vehicles. “Universal” coolants generally do not contain silicates and nitrites, both of which are required for Ford vehicles equipped with Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant.

Thus, these “universal” coolants generally do not meet Ford’s coolant specification WSS-M97B51-A1.

Ford vehicles equipped with Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant, meeting Ford specification ESE-M97B44-A, require silicates and, in the case of diesel engines, the use of Motorcraft Diesel Cooling System Additive, VC-8, which contains nitrites. Thus, these “universal” coolants may not be suitable for use in vehicles originally equipped with Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant.

Based on blind laboratory ASTM testing performed in duplicate, two leading “universal” coolants currently in the marketplace did not meet the extended D2809 requirements of Ford’s Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant specification, WSS-M97B51-A1.

The “universal” coolants may not be compatible with Ford’s recommended supplemental coolant additive, Motorcraft Diesel Cooling System Additive, VC-8.

Use of non-approved “universal” coolants may lead to eventual engine damage or failure. Problems caused by use of non-approved “universal” coolant may not arise immediately, but may occur over longer periods of time due to additive compatibility issues.

Although the Ford New Vehicle Limited Warranty is not automatically voided upon the use of a non-approved coolant in Ford vehicles, if such use results in damage to the vehicle or its components, the cost of repairing the damage (and related damage) would not be covered by the Ford New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

What may be some of the consequences of using the wrong coolant?
Reduced corrosion protection of cooling system components, incompatibility with engine gasket materials, corrosive attack of aluminum components, cylinder wall cavitation and engine block damage in diesel engines and potential water pump issues.

What are the primary coolant types Ford recommends for use in its vehicles?

* Yellow-colored Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant, meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B51-A1
* Green-colored Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant, meeting Ford specification ESE-M97B44-A
* Orange-colored Motorcraft Specialty Orange Engine Coolant, meeting Ford specification WSS-M97B44-D

What is the interchangeability of Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant and Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant? Can Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant be used to top off a vehicle equipped with Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant? Can Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant be used in vehicles equipped with Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant?
Ford does not recommend mixing coolants. Green-colored Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant should not be used in vehicles except those originally equipped with it.

However, based on the results of backward compatibility testing, certain vehicles originally equipped with Motorcraft Premium Engine Coolant can be serviced using the yellow-colored Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant as long as the following conditions are met:

1. If the green-colored engine coolant is thoroughly flushed out of the cooling system and then the system is filled with yellow-colored engine coolant, the service maintenance (change-out) intervals of the yellow-colored engine coolant can be followed.
2. If the green-colored engine coolant is not completely flushed out of the cooling system (e.g., yellow-colored engine coolant is used to top off the system), then the service maintenance (change-out) intervals of the green-colored engine coolant must be followed.
3. All pre-1999 vehicles, as well as all model years of Mercury Villager, must be serviced with the green-colored engine coolant.

 

There is no difference in a 1999 Ford 4.6-5.4 V8 and a 1997-1998... There the same engine\cooling system.. Ford just stopped at 1999 for some reason. Maybe they didn't test earlier models..Who knows.. Fact is you can mix Ford Green with Newer Red bottle Ford Gold.. You just can't call it extended life. If you mix them...

But if your paranoid. Pull the engine block drain plug. Some are on the Driver side. Some on the Passenger side.Remove the Thermostat and flush the system out. Be mindful of Vans or Trucks that have rear heating. As the line has to be flushed out too...You can remove the hoses in the rear of the heater core. Then proceed to flush from the Thermostat housing inlet...Use Ford Coolant flush. It will not harm seals or gaskets for a complete cleaning flush. Which should be done every 3-5years anyways..

 

The thread is from 2008. However one thing hasn't changed and that is the fact you can't mix Ford Gold with conventional green. The gold is a HOAT coolant and shouldn't be mixed. This is still indicated on the newest fluid application chart.

 

The fact is you can... Ford Dealers do it everyday. As they buy it in bulk... I seen 1997 use the stuff. 5 years later no issues and they mixed them...As there the same engine\cooling system. Nothing changed on them and a 2001-2002...

And yes they have changed, As Ford no longer offers Gold Coolant in White Jugs..The use Red Jugs so you know it's the updated version...And they also made the updated version green tinted. To blend in with the old green version...It's no longer clear like the White Jug..

So read more. As the only difference is you can't run them as Extended Coolants. If you mix them. You want the 5 year protection. Flush the whole system out. Then use Gold Coolant Red Jugs..

Thank You

 

Your confusing completely different products. The current "green tinted" is Ford Yellow. This is a PHOAT formulated coolant. This is compatible with OAT based coolt like Ford Specialty Orange or Dexcool. However it is not to be used in Ford Gold applications as Gold is a OAT coolant and a OAT should never be mixed with a conventional as additive fallout and gelling will occur.


After all the Gold just like the rest does have specs listed and tells you not to mix..

• Approved to Ford Specification WSS-M97B51-A1. Use when Ford Specification WSS-M97B51-A1 is specified
• Do not mix different colors or types of antifreeze/coolant

 

No I'm not... All the Ford Mechanics use the Gold Coolant now. In place of the Green...As Ford changed the color to a green tint..That tells you it's the updated version you're using..

So stop with the myths.. The Manual was written for that vehicle. That was made 20+ years ago.. Well we got better fluids today..That superseded the old stuff... That includes Transmissions, Power Steering etc.. To fix issues the older stuff had..

And if one more person tells me you can't use the stuff in a 1997-1998-1999 or 2000 ford 4.6, 5.4 Liter... Tell me what parts are not compatible with it? As they use the same engine and coolant system components. Hell in some cases there the same part number..Outside Coil over Plugs and VVT camshafts.... They are exactly the same. Down to the leaky *** plastic intake manifolds...Which is why Green coolant was replaced with Gold.. The Gold coolant is better on plastic and rubber coolant hoses and seals.. Which are things you want..

Thank You

 

No myths here, I use used current valid Ford specs to make my post. You do realize the Gold is obsolete and last used in 2009 in the trucks? The current standard is yellow, this is not the same coolant as gold. As previously clarified the new yellow is a PHOAT based and it is not Gold coolant HOAT with a tint. Both Gold and Yellow are available, so is conventional green IAT and specialty green. The only discontinued coolant is specialty orange OAT. Don't be misinformed, I know of no dealer or fleet operator that dumps Gold coolant in everything as a fill. It's not cost effective and is application specific.

Motorcraft Coolant Application Chart 3/20 Updated

 

Ford Gold is not Obsolete..Ford has to meet European standards for hard water... As European water is ****...

Fact is. Ford dropped some in place of single type..To cover Newer Engines. Mainly the Ecoboost Turbo equipped vehicles...

And you just proved my point... That chart is used to promote myths.. As Ford Never tested any Vehicle below 2001...Even though they use the parts commonality..

So Like I asked before. Tell me what parts are not compatible with Gold Coolant made in a 1997. Compared to Ford 2002 models....You can't..As they are the same coolant System\Engine design..Using the same Materials. Pumps, Seals, Head Gaskets, Intakes. Crossover tubes, Hoses etc...And the reason Ford went to Gold Coolant. It's produces less electrical conductivity. Then the older green coolant..Which was causing corrosion buildup... And ever Ford line tech is taught that in class...

Thank You.,....