I use the approved coolant, Zerex G-05, which is available at NAPA and many other chains, same as M-B coolant. I've never heard that Peak was the M-B coolant mfgr, did hear that Zerex is though.
There is a link to the Mercedes service bulletin here somewhere, you'll have to search. Having a substantial amount of experience and research on diesel coolant under my belt also, I can say that there is a difference between diesel and regular coolant. Whether the Sierra coolant fills all of the needs of the M-B diesel I don't know, and I'm unwilling to risk my engine. I run CAT coolant and distilled water in my CAT with the proper SCAs, in the Mercedes diesels I run M-B approved Zerex.
I'm not feeding the anti-freeze to animals, so poisoning them isn't a concern. There are some sea creatures that thrive on ethylene glycol BTW ...

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

I was using Peak Global Lifetime in my VW/Audi vehcles, had planned to use it in my M-B diesel also, ... BUT, the Mercedes technical bulletin (linked somewhere on this site) specifically warns against using organic acid based coolant/anti-freeze (such as the Peak Global Lifetime or deathcool et al). So, ... back to the Zerex Z-05. Further, although Peak recommends it for Mercedes, they don't say anywhere that it is APPROVED by Mercedes, ... hmm. Read carefully folks.

Yes, coolants do break down, and the additive packages can be restored, has been common in large cooling systems for decades. In heavy equipment you often have a "coolant filter" which leaches its minerals/properties into the coolant to maintain pH etc, or on others you test with a strip (available at NAPA et al, ask for the 5-test strips not the 3-test ones) and add SCAs (Supplemental Coolant Additives) as necessary, usually twice/year.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

That's not the same as M-B saying that Peak GlobalLifetime is approved for your car, although it probably is compatible.

Considering how much I actually spend on antifreeze, and the fact that I can mail-order the real deal, I'll just keep using the stuff with the star on the bottle.

Most anti-freeze is made by only a couple plants in the US. I remember back about 10-15 years ago the price of coolant doubled overnight. What happened is that one of only two production plants in the US burnt down. Literally overnight AF went from $4/gal to $8/gal at you local wally world and parts houses. The price has since come down as people naturally bought less and production improved over the years since.

But...if only 2 plants were making every single available brand on the market, just how "special" is any "exclusive" dealer or "premium" brand from any other brand?

With the exception of the new orange stuff.....green is green, and orange is orange, IMHO.

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1987 300TDT
1981 VW MKI Caddy 1.6 diesel, waiting on engine swap
1983 D-50 Power Ram 4x4 "Mitsubishi" 2.3 turbo diesel
assorted gas powered crap and motorcycles

RIP: 1984 300TDT, 1982 300TDT, 1984 190D 2.2, 1992 300D 2.5, 1987 300TDT, 1982 Maxima LD28, 1983 Maxima LD28, Isuzu C223 P'ups X3, 1983 Holiday Rambler 6.2 Banks turbo diesel, 1984 Winnebago LeSharo 2.1 TD, 1985 Allegro 6.5

Odie, that is a very illogical statement at best. In essence, you are saying that a plant is incapable of producing more than just a few products. Come on, that's simply not true.
The color statement just makes me shake my head. What has color got to do with anything? How do you know green is green, or pale yellow is pale yellow?

Whether it's coolant, or toothpaste, or cosmetics, or whatever, plants can, and do produce different products to a variety of formulations. They may and do put different private labeling on the identical product, but that does not necessarily mean that, in some instances, the product spec is not actually different. There are rules and regs about ingredient labels.

Steve

Several years back there were only two plants making AF. Yes an AF plant can make other products too....I never said they didn't. But only two plants were involved in the production of AF at the time. When one burned, other petro-chemical plants can't simply flip a switch and start pumping out AF. They have other customers already and already have supplies being delivered and equipement set up for production of other fluids. The supply of AF to the US market simply cut in half overnight.

But if it's one plant or twenty plants...pretty much all green AF is going to be basically the same formula.

The color is to indicate if it's "traditional" anti-freeze or the newer formula developed specifically for what I'm not sure (aluminum engines?) since my newest vehicle is a 1992 and it was all green stuff back then. And the newer orange stuff is all pretty much the same formula too regardless of whose "label" is on it.

It's just like oil...not much difference there either with the exception of either systhetic or fossil, or specific weight or specific API classification. If all those are the same, then it makes no difference if the bottle says Mobile, Quaker State or Wal Mart other than the price you pay.

__________________
1987 300TDT
1981 VW MKI Caddy 1.6 diesel, waiting on engine swap
1983 D-50 Power Ram 4x4 "Mitsubishi" 2.3 turbo diesel
assorted gas powered crap and motorcycles

RIP: 1984 300TDT, 1982 300TDT, 1984 190D 2.2, 1992 300D 2.5, 1987 300TDT, 1982 Maxima LD28, 1983 Maxima LD28, Isuzu C223 P'ups X3, 1983 Holiday Rambler 6.2 Banks turbo diesel, 1984 Winnebago LeSharo 2.1 TD, 1985 Allegro 6.5

Here are a couple of useful articles from past threads. The first one is 1.8MB, be patient:

https://mbwholesaleparts.com/StarTuned/pdfs/AntiFreeDec04.pdf

It explains the many facets of engine protection and properties/variables, not a simple matter of pH or color at all.

This article has another perspective and more general-market knowledge of engine coolants:

http://www.aftermarketbusiness.com/aftermarketbusiness/data/articlestandard/aftermarketbusiness/332005/174357/article.pdf

Personally I feel that anyone considering a non-Mercedes coolant should at leaste read the first article, make your decisions on the information contained.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

We haven't had a good oil thread in a long time.

Oil is oil, perhaps when it comes out of the ground. How the oil is processed, and the quality/quantity of the many additives varies greatly. You can't use crude oil in your car's crankcase, and you wouldn't want to use oil without the many additives that make it engine oil. Further, just because one oil meets a minimum standard doesn't mean that it is as good as a premium oil that far exceeds it.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

The API classification is a given standard. API has several classification levels. There are lots of different levels on the shelf. Usually, a refiner is going to meet that standard but not go beyond that unless it will get them to the next level. Simple business economics. Why expend the additional costs if you cannot mark the bottle with the next higher grade? The premium that far exceeds the standard is stamped with a higher level API rating.

A lot of "Dollar General" brand oil is only SF, or SJ rated. While name brand stuff might be SL or S-whatever. And yes, I know "S" rated oil is not for diesels. You gotta read the API label to know what you are buying.

Nothing wrong with the older SF stuff for older cars. As refining gets better and car engines are pushed harder to produce more MPG/HP with less to keep the EPA happy, a better grade of oil is needed.

__________________
1987 300TDT
1981 VW MKI Caddy 1.6 diesel, waiting on engine swap
1983 D-50 Power Ram 4x4 "Mitsubishi" 2.3 turbo diesel
assorted gas powered crap and motorcycles

RIP: 1984 300TDT, 1982 300TDT, 1984 190D 2.2, 1992 300D 2.5, 1987 300TDT, 1982 Maxima LD28, 1983 Maxima LD28, Isuzu C223 P'ups X3, 1983 Holiday Rambler 6.2 Banks turbo diesel, 1984 Winnebago LeSharo 2.1 TD, 1985 Allegro 6.5

"The color is to indicate if it's "traditional" anti-freeze or the newer formula developed specifically for what I'm not sure (aluminum engines?) since my newest vehicle is a 1992 and it was all green stuff back then. And the newer orange stuff is all pretty much the same formula too regardless of whose "label" is on it.

It's just like oil...not much difference there either with the exception of either systhetic or fossil, or specific weight or specific API classification. If all those are the same, then it makes no difference if the bottle says Mobile, Quaker State or Wal Mart other than the price you pay."

The above is just plain mis-information. Statements of opinion with no facts to back them up. "It was all green stuff back then". Really, I had a '90 300E that specified MB Coolant. My '92 300E specifies MB Coolant, not the green stuff. " The orange stuff is all pretty much the same." Only useful for those people that buy coolant by color. Many of us pay attention to the actual specification.

I won't touch the oil statement.

Steve

I have been using MB coolant in my SDL since I replaced every part in the cooling system. Everything still looks new, and the temp is still perfect.

The local MB dealer runs $99 coolant change deals, which isn't to bad by the time you factor in your time, and figure $25 just for the coolant.

All those cooling system parts I changed were very expensive, makes a couple of gallons of MB coolant every few years look cheap.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200