Pagoda SL Group

W113 Pagoda SL Group => Drive train, fuel, suspension, steering & brakes => Topic started by: Pawel66 on March 07, 2025, 20:55:12

Title: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: Pawel66 on March 07, 2025, 20:55:12
For what it is worth: I have learned this morning, at the parts counter at the Mercedes dealer, that the blue coolant is now discontinued at Mercedes. They had blue and red line, they now have only the red line.

No topping up, blue needs to be replaced with red.

I am enclosing picture with labels with norm PN, etc.
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: WRe on March 08, 2025, 07:46:14
https://operatingfluids.mercedes-benz.com/sheet/310.1
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: zoegrlh on March 08, 2025, 12:57:02
So when our Pagodas were built, no such thing as blue and red. I think you can still get blue in the states at auto stores, under European blue blend.
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: John Betsch - "SADIE" on March 08, 2025, 14:47:05
A local Foreign Car Repair shop uses the attached pictured BMW antifreeze in all his repaired cars.  He considers this to be the best.  Has anyone tried or used this in their cars?
JB
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: Pawel66 on March 08, 2025, 17:37:47
https://operatingfluids.mercedes-benz.com/sheet/310.1

Do you see anything there that would suggest we should not use the red (or pink) coolant in our cars?
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: Jonny B on March 08, 2025, 17:38:49
The blue coolant is available in California auto stores, and has European blend indicated.
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: WRe on March 08, 2025, 18:44:17
Hi
on the Internet you can find the following about the colors of radiator antifreeze:

"Radiator antifreeze is available in red, blue, green, yellow-orange and other colors. These colors are an indication of the ingredients, of the type of antifreeze. However, there are no binding rules as to how radiator antifreeze must be colored by the manufacturer. For example, there is also white radiator antifreeze.

Three different technologies are currently used for antifreeze. Radiator antifreeze is divided into OAT, Si-OAT and hybrid radiator antifreeze.

OAT radiator antifreeze is silicate-free and usually reddish in color. These antifreezes are for vehicles with an aluminum engine or radiator.

Si-OAT radiator antifreeze contains silicates and is blue or bluish-violet in color like Mannol antifreeze AG11. The antifreezes combine the advantages of silicate-containing and silicate-free radiator antifreeze. Volkswagen Group vehicle brands are filled with this type of radiator antifreeze.

Hybrid radiator antifreeze is usually offered in a yellow or orange color. Hybrid radiator antifreeze contains silicate. Mercedes and BMW use this type of radiator antifreeze for the initial filling."

I currently use Ravenol Alu-KühlerFrostschutz G11 and it is yellow, slightly greenish.
...WRe
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: TJMart on March 08, 2025, 19:50:20
I just ordered antifreeze from the Classic Center thinking I would receive the blue Mercedes one and received
Zerex G48.
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: John Betsch - "SADIE" on March 08, 2025, 19:54:26
HAVE WE ANY CHEMICAL ENGINEERS AMONG US?

JB
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: Pawel66 on March 08, 2025, 20:18:50
Hi
on the Internet you can find the following about the colors of radiator antifreeze:

"Radiator antifreeze is available in red, blue, green, yellow-orange and other colors. These colors are an indication of the ingredients, of the type of antifreeze. However, there are no binding rules as to how radiator antifreeze must be colored by the manufacturer. For example, there is also white radiator antifreeze.

Three different technologies are currently used for antifreeze. Radiator antifreeze is divided into OAT, Si-OAT and hybrid radiator antifreeze.

OAT radiator antifreeze is silicate-free and usually reddish in color. These antifreezes are for vehicles with an aluminum engine or radiator.

Si-OAT radiator antifreeze contains silicates and is blue or bluish-violet in color like Mannol antifreeze AG11. The antifreezes combine the advantages of silicate-containing and silicate-free radiator antifreeze. Volkswagen Group vehicle brands are filled with this type of radiator antifreeze.

Hybrid radiator antifreeze is usually offered in a yellow or orange color. Hybrid radiator antifreeze contains silicate. Mercedes and BMW use this type of radiator antifreeze for the initial filling."

I currently use Ravenol Alu-KühlerFrostschutz G11 and it is yellow, slightly greenish.
...WRe

Ok, our engines are cast iron, aren't they? If so, the red coolant being for aluminum engines might not be the right choice. Blue feels better based on this description...
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: ja17 on March 09, 2025, 04:37:13
I went to the local MB Dealership the other day to get some pagoda coolant with the MB star on it. To my disappointment, they handed me some Zerex at the inflated MB coolant price! I declined and went down to the local NAPA store and picked up the same thing for much less. Since then I have bought some of the older formulations on Amazon. The price was good and the shipping was free with Amazon Prime.
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: Pawel66 on March 09, 2025, 18:14:33
I did some additional reading and, even though most of what was written was a true science-fiction to me, I concluded that the red coolants are more aimed for aluminum engines while the blue ones are recommended for cast iron block and aluminum head engines.

I will return the red coolant, I ordered blue Febi. The Valvoline brand mentioned above is not available here.

Apparently this is cost optimization on Mercedes part, they might have concluded that most of the engines they are servicing are aluminum engines.
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: zoegrlh on March 10, 2025, 12:44:38
Yes I think that is true that most of the engines the MB is servicing are aluminum. I know for a fact that our MB dealers here in Virginia will not service our Pagodas. They have no techs that can do it , they are all young and only know how to service new cars via computers.  So yes “blue” is the way to go. 
Title: Re: Red Coolant Only at Mercedes
Post by: guyke on March 11, 2025, 20:43:59
G48/G11
Both are the best Coolants for pagodas