My NC is 10 years old in May and the handbook says that European cars only need the FL22 coolant changing at 11 years. In the US, it’s 10 years.
The car has done 17,000 miles and no short trips or town driving. Is it fine to leave it until next year? I was planning to have a specialist service it from then on, and they can do the thermostat at the same time (it’s been serviced by the main dealer so far, but they’re increasingly unfamiliar with NCs).
The coolant looks fine but that green dye would hide anything.
I reckon no problems leaving it, it’s all working, stat doing it’s job etc.
My last NC had it’s coolant changed around 11 years, the following year I needed to change the stat so a good idea to do both whilst it’s in.
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“they’re increasingly unfamiliar with NCs”
It’s a strange one if they let you know that, or more like don’t want to work on older cars any longer.
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The propylene glycol (or other) element doesn’t wear out but its the anti corrosion additives that do get used up which is why it needs changing after a determined period.
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To expand on the above, they see very few NCs now. The last NC is 8 years old and most people stop main dealer servicing at 3. I have to specify that they fill the oil slowly using a dipstick, as the computer thinks it needs about a litre too much - it took them three attempts a few years ago before they realised the computer was wrong.
There is a good chance that the technician was still at school when the car was built!
I see in the April edition of Soft Top/Hard Top they say MK1 and MK2 coolant should be changed every two years, and then go on to use FL22,
FL22 is backwards compatible. As fas as I know, Super Coolant is no longer available.
FL22 is the best antifreeze/coolant i’ve ever come across, it’s seriously impressive stuff so is the least or your worries.
I’ve stripped countless neglected and abused Duratec/MZR engines of all ages and have never, ever seen any damage or corrosion in the waterways. Quite the opposite in fact, they sparkle and are as clean as the day they left the factory.
I also build high power historical WRC car engines and when any customer asks what to use with them I just say put some FL22 in it. I’ve seen lots of those with corrosion damage from old coolant in which turns acidic when it’s left in too long.
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