Can't find Zerex G05, only alternative MB coolant?
 

AutoZone used to carry the Zerex G05 coolant which is OK for the MB cooling systems, however now the stuff can't be found. Is MB coolant my only alternative? Thanks

Try Pep Boys; I had same problem at advance and autozone

NAPA also.

I got mine at NAPA...right on the shelf.

Very easy to find here in Seattle. Napa and Carquest. Carquest is very good for Mercedes parts since they are connected to Worldpac. They have all the special fluids.

I've always bought it at NAPA.....recently the price even went down about $2. I was quite pleased!

honeslty, whats the big deal with Zerex, i have never used it in any of my cars and they all have never had a problem with the Prestone i run.


maybe i have been misinformed?

We are talking G05 here... G05!

Spending more than 10 minutes looking for it is too much for the couple dollar savings you'll get. Grab the MB bottle and move on to something else.

That works if there's a dealer near you, in my case it would add over 2hours to the project.

Couple Dollar? More like $15! Dealer wants $25+ a gallon, NAPA charges $11.59 or so for G-05. I'd drive 30 miles to get it! (thankfully its only 1.5 miles away though :D)

i know, but whats the difference between it and what im running right now. performance wise and durability wise.

I don't remember when I got my last bottle, but it was maybe 2-3 years ago and nobody local stocked the Zerex. Turns out the dealer's price was somewhere in the teens, which wasn't too bad.
Either way, spending an hour of my time and $5 on fuel plus wear and tear to save $12 still sounds inefficient and knauserig to me.

You are kidding, right? The standard green coolant - or any coolant not approved for use in an mbz engine for that matter - does not adequately protect the aluminum parts from corrosion. Do a search - there are accounts out there of pieces such as cylinder heads and blocks which were removed and then examined. Sharp edges adn mating surfaces were rounded, and other evidence of corrosion throughout the cooling system. I know on my 300E the PO used green coolant and the pump fins were all rounded and corroded when I removed it. I promptly switched to Zerex G-05 and hoped for the best. Fortunately the head gasket never gave way.

Bottom line is: green coolant in Mercedes = BAD

Using prestone (green) over 32 years. in my 77 450sl. Replaced one water pump in that time. (replace prestone every 5 years)This is an ongiing discussion,suggest that water content is critival factor. If local water is reasonably free of minerals, no problems.If heavy mineral content no antifreeze is fool proof. Just my 2 cents. Good luck all,Abe G

Common knowledge on this forum is to NOT use any old off the shelf coolant. You must use MB or Zerex G05 or the aluminum coolant parts and passageways will become pitted and corroded. These cars are special thusly they require special precautions. Adhering to these special requirements is the reason why some MBs last for 500k and others are junked at 150.

Not to bad here
 

The local Indy (that's Indianapolis) stealer is selling it for $15.00 dollars a bottle. Don't add tap water, get a gallon of distilled water at the Grocery for about $1.35.

What colour should the Mercedes coolant be?

I am curious, what is so different about the cast iron, aluminum and plastic used in a M/B compared to any other vehicle. Why do M/B vehicles require special coolant? Could it be the the corrosion that a previous poster mentioned be caused by the use of cooling system flush chemicals or improper coolant/water ratios? or differed cooling system maintenance or some sort of improper electrical charge in the cooling system due to a bad ground?

Really, I would like some real answers or links to real answers other than a pat "you can only use M/B coolant or XYZ coolant in a M/B".

Just curious........

MB coolant is a sort of clear/golden color. It protects all aluminum parts from wear, especially critical on the engine with aluminum heads! :eek:

How much aluminum is there in your cast iron veteran?

Um, the engine in your car is totally different compared to more modern ones. The newer ones use far more aluminum.

Also, there will always be someone who does fine without following the manufacturer's requirements. That doesn't necessarily mean those requirements are trivial.

I found mine at NAPA for $10.

I think I got mine at Pep Boys for about $11 or so; it was a couple years ago so I'm not positive. With that said, I'm about due and will be flushing the E320 again soon.

2 gals of Zerex might cost $25, and 2 gals of generic green coolant might cost $8. You're already saving on the labor by doing it yourself; is it really worth saving another $17 by using the "wrong" stuff?

It is often described as "straw" colored.

I just re-read this. I might be out of my element here, having never owned a vintage SL. It could be that your heads are indeed aluminum; I really don't know...

First time I've heard it called that. :D :D

This is the philosophy I use to justify buying all the tools I have. :)

Just a few examples:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/236033-w203-c-230-k-coolant-replacement.html?highlight=straw+coolant

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/194280-thermostat-coolant-question.html?highlight=straw+coolant

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/188511-need-confirmation-m104-headgasket-issue.html?highlight=straw+coolant

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/134036-mysterious-disappearing-oil.html?highlight=straw+coolant

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/133451-shop-put-green-coolant-when-i-had-m-b-orange.html?highlight=straw+coolant

Mercedes Coolant
 

A valid question / request.

The first link is to a STAR article in PDF, a good read.

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

The second to a coolant discussion that should probably be a DIY sticky:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/218844-coolant.html

Lots of aluminum bits on the 450SL and other much earlier MB engines dating to the 50's. Non-diesel heads were aluminum with various water pump/thermostat housing bits also made of aluminum. The mid 50's to early 60's 300SL had alloy blocks too as did the M189 engined 300SE from 1961-1967. The M130 engines from the late 60's to 70's tended to have numerous head related problems including corrosion but I'm not sure how much of the corrosion problems with those engines was due to poor cooling system maintenance or what. Mark

99% of cars made in the last 20 years have aluminum heads and the vast majority of cars in the last 10 years also have aluminum block. They all run on cheap green coolant. What makes Mercedes special?

2 things: most of us keep our MB's a long time, until things start to fail, and water pumps on MB's cost 3-4x your Ford Mustangs and Honda Accords.

Here's an interesting article on Mercedes antifreeze written by a Saab mechanic. I found this when I was researching the blown head gasket in my Saab 900 (before I owned Mercedes).

http://townsendimports.com/Web/cooling_system_folder/coolingsys.htm

You didn't read the link https://mbwholesaleparts.com/StarTuned/pdfs/AntiFreeDec04.pdf did you?

It's a matter of the Engineers designing the car to match the HOAT anti-freeze, as much as the anti-freeze matching the car.

It'll run just fine with other anti-freeze formulations, but it'll last longer with the right stuff.

You'll live a long time on a diet of Big Macs.

I see the exact same argument on the BMW and Volvo forums. All of them swear by the ultra special dealer coolant because they have aluminum cyl head or aluminum block. Read the back label of your nearest Prestone bottle. You see the words 'aluminum safe' somewhere in there. And no, you don't drive your Mercedes more than the average honda or toyota driver. In fact I'm willing to bet there are a lot more 300k+ mile hondas on the road than Mercedes. But if it helps you sleep better at night knowing that you have Mercedes branded coolant in your engine more power to you. I'll be sure to let you know when my cheap green walmart coolant causes an engine failure.

?
http://www.********.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=201&partnum=571351&a=FR201-571351

"aluminum safe". Sure, that means a lot if all I'm worried about is aluminum. I'm guessing you're not an Engineer or a Chemist, ... and BTW Mercedes also mentions in that article: "<snip>the Mercedes-Benz
recommended hybrid type? If you buy your
anti-freeze from an aftermarket source, use a
reputable brand that meets current Mercedes-
Benz formulation, typically labeled a G-05
coolant."

No problem with aftermarket, as long as it is G-05, I haven't bought a jug from a dealer in a decade since I can buy the Zerex G-05 a mile away.

There are many properties to a coolant beyond simply protecting aluminum from electro-galvanic corrosion, consider cavitation pitting for example.

I'm sure you are an Engineer or a Chemist and you know a lot more about coolant than I do, no argument there. I'll stick to the cheap stuff just like every other too cheap to know any better 15+ year old Mercedes driver (i change it every 2 years). You can use whatever you think is best. When my engine fails you'll be the first one to hear about it.:D

Like I said: you can live a long time on Big Macs and soda, doesn't prove much.

Your engine will likely be fine on Prestone or whatever, at 15+ years old if it has been maintained fairly well, something else will likely kill it first. I don't mean to sound like there's some higher power that has sent down coolant specs on stone tablets and we'll all be condemned to U-pick yard servitude if we don't comply, just that there is at least some logic and chemistry to the use of one coolant vs another. Look at GM and their recommendations of deathcool, that worked out well ROFL.

I also run my Cat on Cat coolant and extenders, just easier IMO to go with the OE or OE-spec products than to spend lots of time researching what is equivalent.

Coolant thread - the new oil thread.

So it would seem. Mark