I had to replace the water pump on my '97 960. Now I have to fill the coolant system. Does it really matter what type of coolant goes in this system? Of course Volvo says:

• "Volvo Genuine Coolant/Antifreeze only"
• "Different types of anti-freeze/coolant may not be mixed."

IMO, coolant is coolant and I don't see the need to go to the steeler and spend $23.97 per gallon.

If someone knows better, please chime in here.

It looks like I have prestone in it now, it's yellow/green, not the Volvo Blue stuff. So if I go get the Volvo stuff, I will need to flush the system out with flush or water right (so I don't mix types)?

 

This thread was going nowhere fast. So I added a poll. Let me know what you're doing if you would.

 

I can guarantee you that Volvo does NOT manufacture their own antifreeze/coolant! Prestone is what I use.

 

Apparently this is what Volvo buys and is labled for them http://www.veredlungschemikalien.bas...lysantin/index

 

I just topped off my OEM coolant with Prestone random color stuff...

 

What type coolant originally came in cooling system? Dexacool or just regular green antifreeze. If you mix them bad things will happen inside cooling system, better known as gorilla snot. Need a little guidance here.
Thanks.

 

Volvo sells some blue stuff. I never paid it any attention, just added anything, mixed anything.

 

Recently I have been knocking myself out doing web research to determine what kind of coolant to use in my 1996 Volvo 960. The information out there seems to be fragmentary, anecdotal, and largely inconclusive.

I did not buy my car new, so I have no idea what color/type of coolant it had from the factory. But several things I have learned recently: 1. It's a chemical no-no to mix coolant types. (makes sense, doesn't it?) Silicate types, the most popular, like Prestone, get along pretty well with everything, especially everything old, meaning cars built before 1996. The new extended life types like Dex-Cool will not mix chemically with the older silicate types, and they also eat brass radiators and solder, so you must make sure your system is 100% aluminum before trying to switch over. Even then a complete and thorough system water flush is mandatory. So, why switch over?? Just change your regular Prestone or Peak on schedule every three years/30,000 miles, and relax. Silicate coolants still work just fine.

For Volvos I have found only one aftermarket coolant that recommends itself to meet OEM specs for all Volvo cars manufactured from 1980 (and even before) til present, and that is Zerex G-05 Formula. (NAPA Auto Parts, $19.99/gallon, Amazon $17.37/gallon.) From what I read it's a hybrid formula or HOAT that contains some silicates, which gives it a sort of universal quality. But the application chart on the back is very specific for which model years from which auto manufacturers require which types of coolant, so read carefully... unless you own a Volvo. Then it seems to fit all of them.

Here is a web site that shows the whole Zerex application chart: Whitfield Oil Company: Zerex Antifreeze

If you've had something else in the system before, I would think it's best, although maybe not mandatory, to do a full water flush first before installing the Zerex.