I need to change the thermostat in my 70's 6000lb Yale forklift so will change coolant at the same time. It's an aluminum head Mazda engine with conventional copper and brass soldered radiator. The guy at Yale says use borate and silicate free, the new antifreezes are designed for aluminum crimped radiators and some will attack the solder used in older conventional radiators. It has green in it but I'm not sure what kind. Anybody know what coolant should be used? Tempted to put Cat ELC in it, I have a pail. 2 many coolants out there!
Conventional green contains silicates and always has as far as I know. That was all that was around at time of manufacture so that is what I would use first choice. I know a lot of places are standardizing on Cat ELC for everything, though. I find it very hard to believe that any coolant could be on the market that would attack a conventional radiator in any way. There are still too many copper/brass/solder components in the system for this to be a possibility. Heater cores? Transmission/oil coolers?
Yeah, who knows if the guy at Yale has a clue, think I’ll put the Cat elc back. I just don’t want to cause myself problems.
Use what was available back in the '70's, and you won't go wrong... Unless the gubment has banned it, LOL!