Mixed fleet antifreeze recommendations

[2SteveWI]

I belong to my local Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department as I think many other on this board do. I am in charge of maintenance for our vehicles. My question about the various types of antifreeze recommended by Cummins, Cat, Ford Diesel and Gas, Navistar, and GM gas. This has to be an issue with Farmers with Grain trucks also. All my tractors are from 1950-1980 and they get the the HD green antifreeze with a bottle of SCA on the bigger diesels. My tractor Hauler is a 2006 Ford with 6.0 and that gets Shell ELC (red or pink in color). How many types of antifreeze do you keep on hand. OAT HOAT CHOAT, red, green, purple. I hope to avoid someone topping off a truck with the wrong stuff and creating sludge. I have read somewhere that color is not standardized among manufacturers. What are your thoughts and experiences. Thank You, Steve

 

[Mad Farmer]

I belong to my local Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department as I think many other on this board do. I am in charge of maintenance for our vehicles. My question about the various types of antifreeze recommended by Cummins, Cat, Ford Diesel and Gas, Navistar, and GM gas. This has to be an issue with Farmers with Grain trucks also. All my tractors are from 1950-1980 and they get the the HD green antifreeze with a bottle of SCA on the bigger diesels. My tractor Hauler is a 2006 Ford with 6.0 and that gets Shell ELC (red or pink in color). How many types of antifreeze do you keep on hand. OAT HOAT CHOAT, red, green, purple. I hope to avoid someone topping off a truck with the wrong stuff and creating sludge. I have read somewhere that color is not standardized among manufacturers. What are your thoughts and experiences. Thank You, Steve

I heard mixing the newer red with the old green stuff will cause problems. Never seen the result?

 

[cjunrau]

I belong to my local Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department as I think many other on this board do. I am in charge of maintenance for our vehicles. My question about the various types of antifreeze recommended by Cummins, Cat, Ford Diesel and Gas, Navistar, and GM gas. This has to be an issue with Farmers with Grain trucks also. All my tractors are from 1950-1980 and they get the the HD green antifreeze with a bottle of SCA on the bigger diesels. My tractor Hauler is a 2006 Ford with 6.0 and that gets Shell ELC (red or pink in color). How many types of antifreeze do you keep on hand. OAT HOAT CHOAT, red, green, purple. I hope to avoid someone topping off a truck with the wrong stuff and creating sludge. I have read somewhere that color is not standardized among manufacturers. What are your thoughts and experiences. Thank You, Steve

I ad universal to everything. Have multiple brands and as new as2016. No issues yet. Not saying it won’t someday but I think there is very little difference if any between them all and it is just a marketing tool. I could be wrong but I’m not having 5 types of antifreeze sitting around

 

[old]

I heard mixing the newer red with the old green stuff will cause problems. Never seen the result?

Your correct the old dark green and new red if mixed will jell in the block and in turn cause major engine problems but the new universal light green can be mixed with either

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Anybody have a link to a video of the various coolants being mixed together to see what happens?

 

[miner09]

Local repair shop said not to mix unless you buy what says you can mix with any color. He had pink jug open and I had the old green. I mixed equal parts in a drink bottle. It been in his shop for a year or so. Still looks the same as day one. Don’t know if different in an engine.

 

[Bob Bancroft]

I belong to my local Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Department as I think many other on this board do. I am in charge of maintenance for our vehicles. My question about the various types of antifreeze recommended by Cummins, Cat, Ford Diesel and Gas, Navistar, and GM gas. This has to be an issue with Farmers with Grain trucks also. All my tractors are from 1950-1980 and they get the the HD green antifreeze with a bottle of SCA on the bigger diesels. My tractor Hauler is a 2006 Ford with 6.0 and that gets Shell ELC (red or pink in color). How many types of antifreeze do you keep on hand. OAT HOAT CHOAT, red, green, purple. I hope to avoid someone topping off a truck with the wrong stuff and creating sludge. I have read somewhere that color is not standardized among manufacturers. What are your thoughts and experiences. Thank You, Steve

I have the "gold" or yellow, or whatever it is which claims it is compatible with everything. I premix one gallon with one gallon of distilled water and keep it on hand in a 2.5 gal jug. Most of my machines still have green in them.

 

[moresmoke]

Deere coolgard can be mixed with most without issue. I use it in everything.

Just for topping off, the non additive green is probably the easiest choice.

 

[4play]

Just use any universal, or ELC, long lasting, best protection, and already has diesel coolant additive, ELC's come in all colors too, so stop using colors to identify types.