Correct engine coolant?

[Codger49]

I understood the 15 year coolant life for MB vehicles post circa 2002 came from a additive package (silica gel) being placed in the coolant reservoir when manufactured. After the 15 years, its back to normal coolant life of two to three years.

 

[14emerc]

What color is your existing coolant ?

When I had a quick look yesterday, I would say Blue

 

[Gazwould]

What colour is MB's 325.6 ?

grober (235.6 quoted above ) easily done .

 

[Gazwould]

My S204 was a faint yellow !!!!

Had this type of coolant conundrum before with Hyundai that had a engine change , a year later for the top up , coolant was a luminous green colour , yet the main dealer who did the work said they only use blue .

So out come the green Comma G48, lol .

 

[14emerc]

Been looking again, as you do and both the g40 and 48 says, has a service life of 5yr

 

[Gazwould]

Whereas Comma themselves say 3 years , lol .

 

[14emerc]

Yes, I did see that. Talk about misleading.

Think I will remove some and have a look at the colour. Then will try to come to a decision.

 

[Gazwould]

Enjoy , what a kerfuffle .

 

[markjay]

...The hand book does say 180 months ...

The service booklet for both my 2006 W203 and my 2013 W204 said 15 years (and the coolant is yellow)... is your car a W205? Maybe MB stopped doing the 15 year coolant on the W205?

 

[markjay]

I understood the 15 year coolant life for MB vehicles post circa 2002 came from a additive package (silica gel) being placed in the coolant reservoir when manufactured. After the 15 years, its back to normal coolant life of two to three years.

That sounds plausible, though the service booklet says 'every' 15 years, which suggests that there's a way to restore the original 15 years service life?

 

[Gazwould]

If we're confused then a mechanic could be putting anything in there in a 15 year period .

 

[markjay]

BTW, the point about coolant having long service life is that avoiding frequent flushes reduced the formation of deposits and corrosion.

 

[14emerc]

My car is 2014 Eclass cabriolet 220, new as of April that year.

Think I try and find the build year, wonder if the vin number will give that info somewhere.

 

[markjay]

If we're confused then a mechanic could be putting anything in there in a 15 year period .

That's a good point. Unless you bought a new car, or a reasonably new car with full dealer service history, then it's anyone's guess what coolant does your 10 years old merc with 5 previous owners actually have....

 

[markjay]

My car is 2014 Eclass cabriolet 220, new as of April that year.

Think I try and find the build year, wonder if the vin number will give that info somewhere.

That would be a A207, which is based on the W204 platform (floorpan and running gear).

 

[grober]

My recommendation of 325.6 and 5 years is based on backward compatibilty, a possible worst case scenario of a system that has had non standard parts fitted or been previously drained for maintenance and no longer had a factory spec coolant mix in it and the note
15yrs /250,000 km
Exception: Different change
intervals are specified in the vehicle
maintenance manual !!!

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/d/d/en/Spec_310_1.pdf table 1.1


Coolant colour may not be an accurate guide as manufacturers tend to use their own colourants in their products- there is no universal colour code afaik??

 

[markjay]

...https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/d/d/en/Spec_310_1.pdf...

It seems to be a feature of the engine rather than the coolant... on some engine types the coolant replacement interval is 15 years, on others it's less.

 

[markjay]

It seems to be a feature of the engine rather than the coolant... on some engine types the coolant replacement interval is 15 years, on others it's less.

The service booklet for my W203 (M271) and W204 (M274) says 15 years.

 

[14emerc]

Why is it such a problem for such a simple top-up.
Your point about the colour not being a true indicator is worth remembering, thanks grober.

 

[markjay]

Why is it such a problem for such a simple top-up....

Just add water...