My coolant is Green

[Pdwight]

I was checking my coolant this week and noticed it is green, to me that means at some point before I owned the car someone put Preston in it....I suppose I will just do the same once I preemptively change out the water pump.

[kk2002s]

Mine was also Green. From what I've heard, way back when America was Great, the Porsche coolant was green, same formula as the Pink stuff
So for me either my coolant was 14 years old or someone switched like you are thinking.

I wanted to go Pink so not knowing, I Flushed twice with distilled and then went Pink

Without knowing, all you can do to top off is add distilled water.

[rick3000]

Originally Posted by kk2002s

Without knowing, all you can do to top off is add distilled water.

+1, you never want to mix coolants.

If you don't know what is in there the best thing to do is flush the system with distilled water and replace all of the coolant. It's not worth the risk of accidentally mixing coolants and having it gel.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Pdwight

I was checking my coolant this week and noticed it is green, to me that means at some point before I owned the car someone put Preston in it....I suppose I will just do the same once I preemptively change out the water pump.

Up until about 2003, everyone's Porsche coolant was green, and then they modified the formulation and it became a pink color. Fortunately, the pink stuff is completely compatible with the original Porsche green coolant.

[Brian in Tucson]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Up until about 2003, everyone's Porsche coolant was green, and then they modified the formulation and it became a pink color. Fortunately, the pink stuff is completely compatible with the original Porsche green coolant.

If, indeed, the green stuff is original coolant and never changed or topped up with the likes of old fashioned Prestone. No way for we mere mortals to know, so cleaning it out and starting from scratch is probably the best approach.

I live in the desert, where it gets hot. All my cars have a fresh gallon of distilled in the trunk. Cheap insurance--88 cents a gallon at Walmart. In an emergency, you can drink it or give some to your dog.

[kk2002s]

Up to about a year and half ago (Coolant was green), I always carried a gallon of distilled water for emergency. That's when I flushed and filled with pink. Then I started carried a gallon 50/50 pink/Distilled water.
But you bring up a great thought. Distilled water has greater uses. I think I'll go back to the gallon of distilled water

[particlewave]

I used to do that, too. Then thermal expansion from the heat in the trunk popped the top off the gallon jug and it sloshed around my trunk for quite a while before I noticed it.

I guess I should have squeezed the jug a bit to allow for expansion...

[Brian in Tucson]

Originally Posted by particlewave

I used to do that, too. Then thermal expansion from the heat in the trunk popped the top off the gallon jug and it sloshed around my trunk for quite a while before I noticed it.

I guess I should have squeezed the jug a bit to allow for expansion...

Yes, you also might want to do that if you plan to go into the mountains. I had an inflated air matress in the back of my hatchback once and it exploded going over a pass in Colorado.

Scared the crap out of me!:dance: Used to drive longhaul. Multitudes of time, I had shampoo all over my kit because I forgot to burp the bottle.

[EdPrem]

So is the green Porsche antifreeze compatible with the pink Porsche antifreeze? I am low and want to top off. 2002 Boxster S

[Racer Boy]

Originally Posted by EdPrem

So is the green Porsche antifreeze compatible with the pink Porsche antifreeze? I am low and want to top off. 2002 Boxster S

Per JFP, yes, the two different colored Porsche antifreezes are compatible -

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Up until about 2003, everyone's Porsche coolant was green, and then they modified the formulation and it became a pink color. Fortunately, the pink stuff is completely compatible with the original Porsche green coolant.

The problem is that you don't know if the green stuff in your car is Porsche coolant, or Prestone.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

Per JFP, yes, the two different colored Porsche antifreezes are compatible -



The problem is that you don't know if the green stuff in your car is Porsche coolant, or Prestone.

You can take a sample of what is in the car and add some Porsche pink to it and mix it thoroughly, if it does not form crud, you should be fine.

[piper6909]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

You can take a sample of what is in the car and add some Porsche pink to it and mix it thoroughly, if it does not form crud, you should be fine.

Great tip! How long would it take to curdle?

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by piper6909

Great tip! How long would it take to curdle?

Couple of hours, sooner if heated.

[EdPrem]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

You can take a sample of what is in the car and add some Porsche pink to it and mix it thoroughly, if it does not form crud, you should be fine.

Thanks from me too.

[Brian in Tucson]

Originally Posted by EdPrem

Thanks from me too.

I don't think I'd mix antifreezes. On my 01, I just flushed it with O2 over a couple of weeks. First with tap water, and then with 2 rounds of distilled water. Drove it with water for a while. Then bought a bunch of VW coolant (cheaper.) At amazon. And 6 gallons of Walmart distilled water. Still have a couple of gallons of water left.

Gonna flush the Highlander when I do the timing belt, drive belts, and the water pump. Wish Aisan made kits for german cars, Amazon sells an entire kit for $160 using OEM parts.