Topping off Orange Antifreeze with Yellow Antifreeze

[Utah Driver]

My 16' needed to be topped off after 7 yrs. I went to the Ford dealership and they gave me the Yellow antifreeze. I quickly found out that I have the orange antifreeze. After a little bit of internet forum searching I found out that the orange antifreeze is GM dexcool. I also found out the newer spec yellow Ford replaces the orange and is compatible. So basically there are two options unless you go for other aftermarket brands.

https://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricants.com/quickref/FCSD%20Motorcraft%20Yellow%20Antifreeze-Coolant%20Backward%20Compatability.pdf

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

Ford stopped making the orange, so yes, the replacement is yellow.

 

[Utah Driver]

Ford stopped making the orange, so yes, the replacement is yellow.

Yeah, but the important thing here is that the newer spec yellow can be used to top off existing orange antifreeze (of an older spec) without a drain and flush. Thats a different thing than your statement.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

Yeah, but the important thing here is that the newer spec yellow can be used to top off existing orange antifreeze (of an older spec) without a drain and flush. Thats a different thing than your statement.

It really isn't. The yellow has replaced the orange in the product lineup (and did so years ago). If they weren't mixable, there would be no orange replacement. It was formulated, specifically, to be mixable with the orange as the factory maintenance schedule involves a drain/fill, not a flush/fill.

 

[Utah Driver]

Except that it specifically says on the bottle not to mix with any other antifreeze. That is why I posted the Ford bulletin that says that you can mix with other colors of anti freeze even though the bottle says otherwise.

 

[GaryH]

Then what's the Gold for?

 

[Utah Driver]

I found this. It looks like the gold wasn't used very long. https://youtu.be/o1pz05j4uWE?si=XRJYczipuLWqklZr

 

[Utah Driver]

Be glad that the motorcraft antifreeze play well together. I have a 13 Chrysler and the Chryslers had massive problems with heater cores plugging and non mixable antifreeze. The earlier days of dexcool had sludge/jelly problems when mixed wrong. I dumped the OEM Chrysler antifreeze and went with the autozone extended life in my Chrysler a long time ago. It's compatible with all types so I don't have to worry about someone topping it off with the wrong stuff.

Hopefully the industry will settle down and agree on something soon. It's nuts. A quick google search will get you out in some forum of nerds arguing about OAT, POAT, NOAT, and IAT antifreeze. Then there is truck antifreeze. All we sell at work is TRP extended life and it is rated at 1,000,000 miles 8ys. It is OAT.

TRP® Extended Life Coolant

TRP is the quality choice for aftermarket truck parts. Available for almost all makes and models, you can find TRP in over 300 locations across the country.

www.trpparts.com

 

[Gregg Eshelman]

This is what you don't want to have happen in your cooling system. https://youtu.be/nTlylt-qQdA?t=34

 

[BMW2FORD]

Hi all,

Here’s the officials from Ford. I’ve topped up the new yellow coolant on a car with Orange and had no problems. Comparability chart also says it’s possible.

https://parts.ford.com/content/dam/ford-parts/resources/motorcraftpdf/Coolants_Brochure.pdf