I use Honda coolant (green in color). The Japenese r way ahead of most, if not all, European and American auto manufactures.

In case u do not know, 75% of all materials and chemicals used in the latest auto's is owned by Japenese patents. A significant majority of matetials and chemicals that used this century r owned by the Japanese.

That is why fine telescopic lenses have to be ordered from Japan. All American auto makers get their molds from Japan. All sleeves that makeup the jackets of pistons r manufactured by the Japanese.

The American auto manufactures have long complained that the Japanese auto's get the latest stuff for almost 2 years before anybody else.

The MB coolant may be good, but for my money, I use Honda coolant.

Are you referring to Caterpillar's Extended-Life Coolant (which is FAR different from the Dura-Cool stuff, BTW)?

I'm switching my truck to ELC when I put everything back together, and for the sake of having one fluid for both vehicles, I'm thinking on the lines of putting this in the Benz next time I flush the cooling system...

ELC also has a good anti-cavitation additive (coats the cylinder walls and acts as a sacrificial goat)...not as important with the OM6xx engines as it is with the Navistar 7.3l IDI, but still a good idea

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2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

They were damn sure not ahead when my 300D was built. Ever driven an 83 Civic?

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One more Radar Lover gone...
1982 VW Caddy diesel 406K 1.9L AAZ
1994 E320 195K

Nope, but I've driven my mom's 2000 Civic, and I would take my 19 year old W123 over that econobox any day of the week!!!

Warden, that's what I'm after - do you know if the MB coolant has an anti-cavitation additive? I know Ford now strongly recommends periodic and frequent addition of a seperate anti-cavitation additive for trucks with the powerstroke diesels - due to their tacit admission that the excessive erosion found in some of these trucks water jackets should have necessitated the use of better coolant that they now use. I really do not know specifically why the MB OM 6xx engines may be less susceptable to cavitation erosion than other engines (thicker walls, different metallurgy, injection pattern?) Can you shed some light here?

MB diesel engines have dry liners, not wet liners, and therefore have ZERO issues with cavitation. I use a bottle of Water Wetter for grins and a little extra cooling assistance but that's it.

Yes I am using the Cat ELC in one truck and have their "regular" red in the other two. You don't add any water to the ELC stuff. The other (sorry I don't have the proper name for it) we cut 50/50
with water.

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1980 300SD Manganese Brown Metallic Clearcoat 248k
1979 300SD White 148 k
1984 300D Silver project car for daughter
1982 300D wrecked
1980 300SD 310K not running

when using green coolant replace it after 2 years but no more than 3 years..
The additive package wears out and it becomes acidic..
Test strips can be purchased to check the PH..
I use a volt meter in the coolant (positive lead). If I have more than 3/4 of a volt it is acidic..

I stopped checking it and replace every two years now..

MB coolant will go longer than 2-3 years, not much though. This gives it an edge on the green stuff.

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79 240D my current toy
42 years a Diesel addict

240D sold
250SE sold
220D sold
280C sold
280S sold
300D (2) sold
300CD sold
300DT sold
300SD sold
380SL sold