Sorry, another coolant thread

[Mick_Marsh]

Time to change the coolant, oil and filter.
So, I have been looking for a suitable coolant. I can't find what was previously put in it. So far my searches have discovered these that are available.
https://www.google.com.au/shopping/prod ... 4870204796
https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/penri ... oolblue005

What are the opinions of the brains trust?
Oh, if you recommend not to use these products, please advise what product you do recommend, brand, part number and where it is available.

Thanks in advance.

[CraigB]

The coolant needs to meet the MB spec which is specific for the alloys used. A while ago the advice was to get it from the dealer or oem supplier - I think it was Febi from memory. Since then Penrite in particular (maybe nulon too) have produced coolant to the mb spec. Confusingly from penrite, I am pretty sure the one that meets the correct spec is green and not the blue one. I changed coolant on a mates W116 M110 and wanted to get onto the right product that day, so followed up with a call direct to Penrite Tech people. He failed to appreciate my point that the MB fluid and the febi fluid that I had always used was blue, and now they produce the blue spec coolant and make it green - he just said the chemical composition is what counts and the rest is just colouring - and the green one is definitely the right one for that car. Penrite have a pretty good tool where you put in your model and it lists all the recommended products. So could check if that also comes up with the green one. Its also a '7 yr' product.

But the message remains the same - you need the right spec coolant not just anything, even if it looks the right colour.

[Mick_Marsh]

I can appreciate dye is just a dye. In other vehicles I have run green, red, yellow and clear coolants. The thing to look out for there is things like HOAT, OAT, type 'A', type 'B', universal,..........
They all say they are suitable for Mercedes Benz vehicles (well most do). All say they conform to a Mercedes spec.

The Penrite site I am looking at do not recommend a coolant. Oil and transmission fluid, yes, but no coolant.
I have a W109 with a 3.5 V8, which is the one you recommend? Part number?

[Bartman4800]

Yes they do, there is a tab for coolant after you chose the correct car.

This is for a 1961 190c (finny)

https://www.penriteoil.com.au/product-s ... gLdrPD_BwE

Bart

[John Green]

From the point of view of someone who runs a workshop, the colour of any given fluid is important. If only you will ever tough the car, you know what is in it. But, if for example you have issues on a road trip (to come to the ACT Concours ) and someone else winds up working on it, unless the coolant is the odd blue green colour that MB use they they will presume it is not up to spec.

Another example I can offer is that Castrol make a hydraulic oil that is the correct spec for the SLS systems and the roof rams on A124, R129, ect. But it has a red dye in it. The factory stuff is clear with a very slight honey colour. If you use the Castrol product I can tell if it is ATF or hydraulic oil.

Ask a Aeronautical tech about fluid colours and they will go on for hours about the importance of getting them right.

[Mick_Marsh]

So, this statement is true:
"As long as I have the correct coolant colour, the specification is irrelevant."

I'm still no closer to getting my coolant. Anyone got the part number of the correct Penrite or Nulon stuff?

(I hope this process for the M189 is easier.)

[Mick_Marsh]

Yes they do, there is a tab for coolant after you chose the correct car.

This is for a 1961 190c (finny)

https://www.penriteoil.com.au/product-s ... gLdrPD_BwE

Bart

So they recommend a green type 'A' Hoat MB spec 325 (as opposed to the spec of the blue is 325.3).
The same one I have been using in all my other vehicles without issue.

[CraigB]

Short answer to your statement - 'I'm still no closer to getting my coolant' - Just buy the Nulon blue product in your first link - It is greenish blue and meets MB 325 and all bases are covered. Longer answer.......

Just on various posts - I agree with JG about colour and the point i was making to Penrite tech - I found the attitude a bit arrogant but I like that Penrite go to the trouble to provide a range of specific oils for older vehicles and if you believe what they say at car club talks (which i do), they don't really make money out of those based on the very small volumes, but they do it as a service and make the money on their 'volume' more modern oils. But I don't see myself buying their green stuff for my cars where I can plan ahead.

Also at a recent Penrite talk I was at, I believe what they say that if MB or any company specifies a very specific standard and any company stringently tests compliance with that so they can print it on the bottle, then I am going to make sure that's what goes into my cars and I am not going to risk what seems to be ok. I see the life of these cars being longer than mine and i don't think I can tell if in 20, 40 etc. years time that there won't be some corrosion issue finally in a head or specific part that would be avoided by using the correct coolant. I don't doubt you haven't had trouble with the 325.3 Mick but I reckon your experiment has been going shorter than i would be confident to make the claim.

Maybe 325.3 supersedes 325, but I did some checking on US forums and that didn't seem to be the case from the 'self declared' experts and that the later spec applied to later cars.

I don't get your comment Mick - So, this statement is true:
"As long as I have the correct coolant colour, the specification is irrelevant."
Definitely not true - if it is made as a summary of JG comment, I am pretty sure that's not what he is saying. What he is saying are reasons why it is good to use the same colour, but of fluids that have the right spec. He makes reference to the red castrol SLS that is ok to use, but as a person servicing these vehicles, if he sees the red he (or any new purchaser of the car) can't be sure if someone has just stuck red trans fluid in, which is not to spec.

[Mook1]

The Penrite site I am looking at do not recommend a coolant. Oil and transmission fluid, yes, but no coolant.
I have a W109 with a 3.5 V8, which is the one you recommend? Part number?

I use Zerex G-05 in my W109 3.5. It is approved by MB for use which is good enough for me and can be had premix for $25 for 5 litres from Big W. I have read it is coloured yellow in the US compared to green here.

[Nabstud]

Looking at coolant now myself, when I search the Nulon site it gives me a different type Again:

https://www.nulon.com.au/lube-guide/MER ... %20AT%2FMT

Then Repco advises this penrite product but on the penrite site there is no coolant option:

https://www.repco.com.au/en/oils-fluids ... p/A9632643

??? 4 different coolants, 4 different colours, they are all recommended as in spec so I guess either will be fine?

[Chai]

Valvoline Zerex G-05 has "Mercedes Benz MB 325.0" approval.
Have seen it in a Big W store.

Yellow colour according to this company's US site:
https://www.valvoline.com/our-products/ ... ne-coolant

[CraigB]

I knew that I had checked the penrite site for my mates 280SEL, so I put 1980 Mercedes 280s into their vehicle application thingo.... came up with 1972 to 1980 280s.... clicked coolant.... and came up with the penrite green..... that looks like a pretty good price at Repco at the moment too. Not sure if this link will work https://www.penriteoil.com.au/product-s ... mendations