Mixing coolants

[Jefr0]

Hi

My bro currently has GREEN coolant in his bike and needs to top it up. In the shed we have BLUE coolant. Ok to mix? Is there different types of coolant or is it just colour?

Thanks

Jeff
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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[stinkwheel]

I can think of no possible negative consequences of mixing different glycol based coolants.

If they are something wierd based on something other than elthylene glycol a) You would know and b) I'd like to know what before advising further.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[TUG]

Mix it in a cup and see if there is any side effects, i wouldnt think so anyway, i think colour is down to manufacturers?
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[stinkwheel]

Just a thought. Sometimes blue coolant goes green when the corrosion inhibitors are exhausted. The stuff in it may have been blue to start with. Or it may have been green.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[TUG]

[The999Kid]

Just a point to add to Stinkwheel's thought... 2 ionic solutions of Copper are Blue and green, Copper Hexaqua ions are green in solution, Copper tetraqua ions are blue... basically if it was blue before... you have a water contaminant in your coolant...
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[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

It's fine to mix the blue and green types, and as Stinky says with age the blue can turn green.

It's Orange that you cannot mix with blue/green.
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[Barry_M2]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[Bru]

Orange stuff is silicate-free. That is, it does not contain the fine scrubbing agent which is used to scour the insides of a cooling system of limescale build-up.

[Barry_M2]

Nice, cheers for that.

I've only ever used the blue one in any of my bikes. Didn't realise there was a difference in content.

I have the orange stuff in my cars.


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[stinkwheel]

Although orange coolant is more often blue coolant that exhausted itself years ago and is now little more than rusty water.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Jefr0]

This has caused a lot of controversy which I didn't expect from coolant!

He text two companies, ask and something else, one said do, one said don't. He then rang 8 dealers and they all said it's fine to mix coolants apart from don't mix pink with other colours, the rest are fine.


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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[Barry_M2]

[Selkie]

You could always take this as an opportunity to overhaul the cooling system?

Drain it, flush it, refill with nice fresh coolant?

Then you know exactly what is in there and what to top it up with next time. If it needs frequent top ups then there's likely to be a leak somewhere.

[Jefr0]

[Hutchysrs50]

make sure it isnt screen wash
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