Thread: Coolant OAT or Green stuff

Originally Posted by tombraider

Dunno...

But amongst other things - I think they use OAT (s) in the horses....

Not in ours anymore (one has a tendency for acidosis/tying up) but we do use OATen hay

Pedro, still restrictions in place. NSW is a few weeks ahead of Qld in that the last confirmed infection dates back to the beginning of December.
Horses can only be moved if they either have resolved status (blood test confirming antibodies) or micro-chipped and vaccinated and a 'Travelling Horse Statement' from the DPI.
If there are no more positives, we will (as in the whole state) be declared a 'Green Zone' mid March, and 'White' (totally eradicated) possibly mid year. Current Green Zones have just been declared 'White', meaning travel between these areas and other states is now permitted.
SWMBO is finally starting to get a little work again as horses are brought back in work and their fitness levels improve again. Ours have only just re-commenced work, and they were infected early on in the piece, it's taken that long for the residual symptoms to clear

From the Nulon site

Nulon Red Long Life Coolant is not recommended for use in cooling systems that have a copper/brass radiator (in such vehicles, use Nulon LL, which is green)

Whilst my P38A has an aluminium radiator, it does have a copper heater core (unlike the D1 which has an aluminium heater core). I wonder if the use of OAT in the P38A is the cause of reported heater core failures in those cars. I've looked at two heater cores from cars using glycol (mine and another) and there was no corrosion in those at over 225,000km.

I also wonder if the change to OAT was predicated by environmental concerns, not by corrosion - Ethylene Glycol is toxic - or perhaps for the extended service life of 5 years vs 2 years?

One can't believe a lot of what one reads on the 'Net so it's hard to really know.

I note my P38A workshop manual states:

Use an ethylene glycol based anti-freeze (containing
no methanol) with non-phosphate corrosion inhibitors
suitable for use in aluminium engines to ensure the
protection of the cooling system against frost and

corrosion in all seasons.

I've been doing a bit of hunting around the 'Net and it may be that OAT does cause corrosion in copper/brass systems with soldered joints.

Originally Posted by ak

Graeme Coopers have been using the green stuff for years and they service more Td5's than most people can poke a stick at. I mentioned this to them and they said yes everyone will tell you that you can only use the red stuff "not true". With the experience they have and the number of Td5's they service it would be hard to think they would be wrong.

Here's one example why there are problematic vehicles out there - a workshop that knows better than the Manufacturer. Short-term not endurance mentality....

Originally Posted by p38arover

I note my P38A workshop manual states:

I've been doing a bit of hunting around the 'Net and it may be that OAT does cause corrosion in copper/brass systems with soldered joints.

Originally Posted by jmkoffice

Here's one example why there are problematic vehicles out there - a workshop that knows better than the Manufacturer. Short-term not endurance mentality....

It may be you are both right,,

Lots of P38a's still getting serviced by LR,, but they will only have the CURRENT LR fluid,, which will probably be red,,,
as for the private workshop,,
can they afford to carry TWO Lr fluids?
probably carry the one THEY use most of,,

just my 2cents,,