What coolant is best to use in a stock '88 V-8.
Been using green/blue Shell Anti freeze and distilled water, but I can't get that Shell anti freeze anymore...

 

Ethelyne glycol coolant meeting GM spec 1825-M is what's supposed to be used. is what's called for by GM. Do a survey of what's available in your area and check the manufacturer's website for what spec's those coolants meet.

If you use this, just make sure you drain and refill every two years - religiously. When this coolant gets old, the silicates in the coolant come out of suspension and start to plug up the radiator and heater core passages.

If you've ever looked into the top tank of a radiator from a neglected cooling system and seen that white hard scale, that's the silicates from the coolant.

I use Peak Long Life (not the stuff labeled Global Lifetime) because I'm typically not on top of cooling system maintenance and it's silicate-free.

 

How about this:

http://www.redpoint.com.au/product/5...nf-20l-castrol

 

OK, I just ordered this on Ebay Germany, it has the GM 1825-M approval:

http://td-images.mog-test.de/1208046/248/2160248.jpg

 

Looks like the right stuff: I see mono ethylene glycol in the ingredient list. (in Deutsche na sicher) With rust preventive. So, yeah.

I would NOT use the late model orange stuff in a traditional small block. I did that one time shortly after it appeared and won't do it again. I found that the gaskets simply won't keep it in; the intake gasket leaked, the water pump gaskets leaked, but the one that was the worst, was the cover gasket on the back of the water pump. The "orange" molecules are just too small for the old paper type gaskets to seal: the stuff just seeps right through like it isn't there.

 

I have been using this for around 10 years now with no problems.
I keep an extra bottle in the back compartment that I picked up at the sale price of $ 7.99.

= http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...ord=antifreeze

Its also made full strength if that's what your looking for.

= http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...ord=antifreeze

The first flush when I bought the car was nasty. There have been two more flushes since then including when I replaced the stock radiator with a stock replacement by" Murray" a few years ago.

Since then its nice and clean and will be changed every five years as suggested by the coolant manufacture.

 

I NEVER buy "pre-mixed" coolant... that forces you to pay $10.99 (or whatever) per gallon for distilled water. What a SCAM!!!!! I'd sell distilled water all day long for anti-freeze price if I'd been the one to find a way to get people to fall for it.

 

I would second that also because that orange stuff eats the factory seals on stock GMs and will turn to brown sludge in short order. I have replaced dozens of gasket sets on chevy 4.3Ls

I love how the honda dealer only has premixed on their special blue coolant for the low price of $25 per gallon.

 

i used distilled water and RMI-25 on my nick and put it in the TA also. i live out in the so cal desert and my cars are garaged so they don't see temps below freezing, it works really well in summer when temp reach triple digits also.