Can I use auto antifreeze?

[KC10Chief]

I see no reason why I cannot use automotive coolant in my dirtbike radiators. But the guy at the bike shop says I need to buy this expensive stuff he sells. He also says I should use his $8 a quart tranny oil instead of the 10W 40 I am using. Can I just use some prestone anti-freeze and mineral free water? It's getting cold here in OK. Should I still use a 50/50 mix? Matt

 

[Oldschooldeathwish]

ya 50/50 mix is fine down to -45 I dont see a problem running car collant through the engine. Pretty much as long as it is the same color then it is ok dont mix red/orange/pink antifreeze and green/yellow antifreeze

 

[CaptainObvious]

Don't blame the dealer/shop...he's in business afterall. Auto coolant mixed at 50/50 is all you need. I'd like to answer the oil question, but will refrain, otherwise your thread will get hijacked :)

 

[reelrazor]

It is best to use Dexcool type antifreeze(pink), which is expensive as far as car coolant goes($12per gal or so).

The regular stuff(yellow/green) almost always has silicates added, which are hell on the combination of aluminum and magnesium found in most dirtbike cooling systems. You can see the result in older engines by the porousity around the waterpump impeller-lots of bikes running with J-B welded watrepump housings because of silicate added coolant.

Shop around and read labels. If you find some of the green/cheap stuff and the label or ingredients(?) list says 'silicates' don't use it. Look for 'silicate free' on the label somewhere.

 

[OKKX'er]

Use type F automatic trans fluid in your clutch, $1.49 at autozone and change it every two rides. Has to be type F, the others have friction modifiers. Do a search on ATF. Much has been written on the subject.
Also, regular antifreeze has particles added to scrub corrosion out of car systems. These will scrub your plastic impeller. Buy the bike antifreeze, run it one year.

 

[Jaybird]

Be a responsible dirt biker and use propylene glycol (Sierra brand) as opposed to ethylene glycol (most common anti-freeze). Prop glyc is non toxic and works as good as the Very toxic eth glyc.
It is the same price as the others. (~5-8$ a gal)
Distilled water is about a dollar a gal in the grocery store.

 

[Studboy]

Auto antifreeze is fine, in the very long term it may not be good but I've never had any problems.

 

[Someone]

I've used the cheapest antifreeze I could find in my 01 since day 1. Dunno what my radiators feel about it, but it's never given me any problems.

 

[RM_guy]

Peak antifreeze used to be bike friendly so that's what I've been using.

 

[darringer]

I've also used the 50/50 Peak antifreeze for years with no problems. Never used the expensive stuff. Didn't see the need to as the cheap stuff works fine.

 

[Gibby]

I don't see a problem with car antifreeze, but I would go 50/50 with distilled water for sure. The 10w/40 you are using is fine and is alot cheaper. You can change your oil about 5 times for the same price as the stuff your dealer wants you to pay his mortgage with! After all your manual says to use it anyway.

 

[Lorin]

It is my understanding that antifreeze never really breaks down, so it can be run longer than one year. What usually ends up missing from the equation is the lubricating elements of the antifreeze (these do end up breaking down over time). I've been told that you can just add the lubricating elements to existing antifreeze without issue.