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Prestone VS Honda Antifreeze

22K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  bartlettracing 
#1 ·
Is it ok to use an over the counter antifreeze in a GL1800 or should you stick with Honda Brand?

Thanks
Kenny
 
#2 ·
You should use what is made for aluminum. Stick with Honda brand, it's pre-mixed to 50-50. I just changed my coolant. Save the frustration and uncertainity and stick with OEM stuff...only $16 a gallon. JMHO
 
#5 ·
local Honda Motorcycle Dealer - (50/50 premix) $6.59 Qt + tax

Local Honda Car Dealer - (50/50 premix) $12.92 gal + tax

Same Honda Antifreeze for aluminum engines, silicate free.
 
#6 ·
I like the green kind
 
#7 ·
What is silicate and what antifreeze has it in it.Lots of aluminum engines out there.
hazle
 
#9 ·
Use whatever you want. Your bike, your choice. If you trade bikes often enough, its the next guy that has to worry about it, not you. But if you plan on riding it a long time, is it worth even thinking about something 'that is supposed to be as good as' ? For five bucks every two years?
 
G
#12 ·
I wonder if Honda's antifreeze factory is anything like there Oil refinery, I think not. the only thing that they might call there own is the Label after negotiating each year for the supplier. They have probobly had more suppliers than all of us could come up with on this board. :D :D :D
 
#13 ·
beastie said:
I have not changed anti freeze in my Wing yet, but at 32,000 miles I probably should. I have used Prestone in my Honda cars for 20 years and I think they have aluminum engines.
I think some of Prestones do have silicate in them. I have found a couple others that do not.
 
#14 ·
beastie said:
I have not changed anti freeze in my Wing yet, but at 32,000 miles I probably should. I have used Prestone in my Honda cars for 20 years and I think they have aluminum engines.
I just changed mine at 63k and it did not look bad at all. The coolant in the overflow tank was as clean as a pin, no sediment at all. Go figure! :?
 
#15 ·
use honda premix. go to the honda CAR dealer, much cheaper, same stuff and the crush washers are cheaper too.
 
#16 ·
barncobob said:
use honda premix. go to the honda CAR dealer, much cheaper, same stuff and the crush washers are cheaper too.
Actually they are about the same price here. $3.99 quart at the Honda MC dealer and $15.99 gal at the Honda car dealer. The car dealer's antifreeze is now blue, and the MC is still green, I think. Both are silicate free and mixed with ionized H2O. Take your pick. I just flushed the system yesterday and the original coolant was looking a bit old.
 
#17 ·
In my experience the organic acid based antifreezes are not appropriate for our engines. I would either stay with Honda antifreeze or consider Toyota branded fluid. I have had especially good luck with Toyota branded fluids. Both are silicate free. There are reported problems in trying to mix the traditional ethylene glycol and the long life orange coolants. They have very different chemistry. Can you really be sure of getting out all the old coolant? I also recommend that you use distilled water when using fluid that requires added water.
 
#18 ·
I believe that standard Prestone coolant does contain silicate. But their extended life coolant definitely does not.
On the Prestone Extended Life bottle it says it will mix with any color coolant.
If Honda's coolant was required to be used in our GL1800's to maintain the warranty they'd have to provide it to us for free.
When I change the coolant in my Goldwing it will get Prestone extended life because that's what I use in my other vehicles.
If it makes you feel better to use a coolant with Honda's name on the bottle then by all means use it. Just realize that you don't have to.
Ralph Wenzl

From Prestone's web site:
http://www.prestone.com/carcare/faq.php

Q. Does Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant contain phosphates?
A. Some European automobile manufacturers request that a phosphate-free antifreeze be used in their vehicles. This issue is related to the extremely high mineral content of the water in Europe. If you were to mix an antifreeze that contained phosphates with the type of water they have in Europe, it may produce deposits that can settle in the cooling system and promote corrosion. However, in North America we do not have this type of water problem. Typical North American coolants have contained phosphates (which is part of the corrosion inhibitor package) for many years. Therefore, the question of phosphates is a non-issue here in North America. Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant is completely safe for use in both foreign and domestic vehicles. For those consumers who would feel more comfortable using a phosphate-free antifreeze, our Prestone® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant is phosphate, silicate, and borate free. This coolant uses a special chemistry and technology that extends the life of the corrosion inhibitor package so that it lasts for five years or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first), and is safe for all cars and light trucks (old or new). Prestone® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant has been approved by General Motors under their DEX-COOL® specifications and is compatible with other DEX-COOL® approved coolants.
 
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