The above is an advertisment. If it asks you to download software or create an account, please ignore it.
Site News - 7/31: How to Fix Site Errors 403 | 5/10: Members: Log In to See Fewer Ads!

[General | Members | C900 | 9000 | NG900 & OG93 | 93 | 95 | NG95 | 99 | Sonett | Vintage Models | Clubs | Other Cars | FAQs | Gifts | Member Photo Galleries | Member Directory | Classifieds | Manuals | *Buddy Registry | *Mileage Registry | Polls | What's New | Raffle | Photo of the Month | Sponsors]

9000 Bulletin Board
1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest]
(Search Author's Posts: e.g. Keyword:username)*Members Only


[Main 9000 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ | Next by Date | Post Followup ] Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Phosphate-free coolant
Like This Post: - Subscribe to Daily Digest for this Bulletin Board
Posted by Bob Davis (more from Bob Davis) on Sat, 10 Aug 2002 20:28:22 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: My point was,,,, KeithR, Fri, 9 Aug 2002 23:10:16
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup


> Read the label on the long life types and you will see that statement in > the fine print [Phosphate free].

You're right, it's on the label (small print). I hadn't noticed the labeling before, but the presence of phosphates in coolant hasn't been an issue with me anyway. Several years ago while researching long-life coolants, a Prestone tech-support person told me that phosphates were not an issue in the U.S., and probably not in Europe any more. I don't recall the reason given, but at that time put the phosphate-free requirement out of my mind.

> I too use the long life brands with good luck....

I've used nothing but that for probably 10 years now, or whenever the original Texaco Dex-cool was introduced. It warned against use in cars not originally equipped with long-life coolant, that these cars should have coolant changed as with standard coolant (two years or 30k miles) for the first change after switching. After that first application of Texaco coolant, I switched to Prestone which didn't have any such warning. To verify, I called Prestone and was told to change the coolant every five years regardless of the previous coolant used. They said it didn't matter and that it was compatible with standard coolants, a quality apparently not shared by the Texaco variant.

> A very old time Saab mechanic, since retired, told me about phosphates.

I'm not sure about the analogy of laudry soap vis-a-vis standard coolant, but I recall all coolants I've used in the past (mostly Prestone) have had claims on the label that the coolant was safe with aluminum radiators and
heads. FWIW, Saab does not mention "phosphate free" in my '95's owner's manual, but does say that you should use Saab brand coolant, and if not you may damage your engine. Hmmm, not very specific, but sounds like Harley-Davidson's propaganda that their fossil oil is best for your bike, period. I, of course, use synthetic in it and my Saab gets the Prestone orange stuff with a dose of Bar's Leaks once per year and at every change.
Call me an iconoclast or doubting Thomas, but I try to be rational about things related to my precious vehicles.

My '91 was trouble free in the cooling system for the 124k I owned it, and continues with the present owner now at 177k. I used Saab coolant for two years, normal green stuff for several years after that, and the orange stuff for the last few years I owned it.

> The design of the Saab head gasket seems to amplify this, perhaps there > is some porisity problems weeping fluid up into the gasket.

I would assume that my experience with Saabs would tend to mollify any claims of cause and effect related to standard coolant and Saabs. I've never had a head-gasket failure, knock on wood, and the only cooling-system problem I've ever had was my '96 9KT, which needed a new water pump at 90k. FWIW, I didn't start using Bar's Leaks until I purchased the '91.
It has a cooling system conditioner that purports to prolong the life of the water-pump seal/bearing, and I believe it should be used in all systems regardless of whether a leak is present or not. The oddest thing of all is that I have never had a thermostat or heater-core failure, which must be some kind of world record among Saab owners.



posted by 68.11.251...

Posts in this Thread:
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Post a Followup

No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.

Name: Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
E-Mail: (Optional)
Re-Enter E-Mail: (Confidential & Secure - Not revealed to other users!)
Note: Please check your spam folder for BB responses.

Subject:

Posting rules are simple - No for sale/wanted ads may be posted here - use the site classifieds.
You may not cross-post your message to multiple BBs.
Not permitted: political/religious topics and being disrespectful (personal attacks, insults, etc...).
Site Members do not see any red text, inline ad links, bottom of page anchor ads, box ads, or anti-spam check.

Message: (please no for sale/wanted classifieds - post those in the Saabnet.com Classifieds)
Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).


Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post above, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).

Optional Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/)
Link Title: (Optional)
Optional Photo/Image Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/img.jpg)
Photo/Image to Upload: (Please be patient while file uploads)





StateOfNine.com
SaabClub.com
Jak Stoll Performance
M Car Covers
Ad Available

The content on this site may not be republished without permission. Copyright © 1988-2025 - The Saab Network - saabnet.com.
For usage guidelines, see the Mission & Privacy Notice.
[Contact | Site Map | Saabnet.com on Facebook | Saabnet.com on Twitter | Shop Amazon via TSN | Site Donations]

Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)

This is a moderated bulletin board - Posting is a privilege, not a right. Unsolicited commercial postings are not allowed (no spam). Please, no For Sale or Wanted postings, SERIOUSLY. Classifieds are to be listed in The Saab Network Classifieds pages. This is a problem solving forum for over 250,000 Saab owners, so expect to see problems discussed here even though our cars are generally very reliable. This is not an anything goes type of forum. Saabnet.com has been a moderated forum since 1988. For usage guidelines, see the Saabnet.com Mission and Purpose Page. Please remember that you are not anonymous. Site Contact | Site Donations | Other Sites by SP - Poverty2Prosperity.org | Run Club Menlo Park | ScreenBot



Site Members do not see red text instructions, bottom of the page anchor ads, or box ads.
Click here to see all the Site Membership Benefits!