blue coolent in red/orange what do I do now?

[damongrounsell]

I filled up antifreeze into the header tank, before realising that there are different types of antifreeze. I have red/orange solution in at moment, I only know this because I put my finger in and it splashed out a red/orange colour. I put blue in, only 1 litre but what will happen, what should I do. Do I need to get more red G12 etc... and add more of this or replace the whole lot with red?

help me obi wan kenobi, your my only hope!

[ermie571]

OMG!!!!

There she blows........



Only kidding....I really have no idea what will happen other than a slight change in colour.....

Em
x

[toomanytoys]

Oh no... not the old antifreeze debate again.........

Ideally you need to find out what was used in there... some "new" antifreeze doesnt like the original stuff....

I just use something branded like the Comma concentrated stuff and change it every 3-4 years or so... but usually a leak or failed component pre empts the fluid change...

[Red Westie]

I've just taken this diectly off the Bluecol website.....
The difference between the two colours is that Orange / Red antifreeze contains a different type of corrosion inhibitor that has a much longer life than silicates, phosphates and borates. Orange / Red antifreeze contains organic acids that protect engine parts from corrosion.

Green antifreeze does not mix with long life antifreeze. Never mix the two colours in a cooling system. The organic acids in orange types will cause precipitation of silicates in the green type and corrosion protection is greatly reduced.

Orange type antifreezes are suitable for up to five years or 100,000 miles. They can also be used in many older vehicles if all of the green antifreeze is flushed from the system and is replaced with the orange / red antifreeze. The lifespan of long life antifreeze is about four years or 60,000 miles in older cars.
Martin

[toomanytoys]

There you go then...
Cheers Martin.........

[Red Westie]

I wouldn't get too worried about it...obviously it looks like it may need changing sometime soon. It is also important to properly flush out all the old coolant which many people don't seem to do.
Martin