Q. What is the shelf life of Prestone^® Antifreeze/Coolant?
A. If the product is still in the original sealed container then it has a shelf life of many years. If the product has been opened and has not been diluted with water then it also has a shelf life of many years.

Q. Does Prestone^® Antifreeze/Coolant contain phosphates?
A. Some European automobile manufacturers request that a phosphate-free antifreeze be used in their vehicles. This issue is related to the extremely high mineral content of the water in Europe. If you were to mix an antifreeze that contained phosphates with the type of water they have in Europe, it may produce deposits that can settle in the cooling system and promote corrosion. However, in North America we do not have this type of water problem. Typical North American coolants have contained phosphates (which is part of the corrosion inhibitor package) for many years. Therefore, the question of phosphates is a non-issue here in North America. Prestone^® Antifreeze/Coolant is completely safe for use in both foreign and domestic vehicles. For those consumers who would feel more comfortable using a phosphate-free antifreeze, our Prestone^® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant is phosphate, silicate, and borate free. This coolant uses a special chemistry and technology that extends the life of the corrosion inhibitor package so that it lasts for five years or 150,000 miles (whichever comes first), and is safe for all cars and light trucks (old or new). Prestone^® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant has been approved by General Motors under their DEX-COOL^® specifications and is compatible with other DEX-COOL^® approved coolants.

* DEX-COOL^® is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation.

Q. What is the best antifreeze/coolant concentration for a vehicle? Can I use 100% antifreeze?
A. We recommend that you use between a 50% and 70% concentration of antifreeze. At least 50% is necessary to give the adequate amount of corrosion protection, as well as freeze/boilover protection. However, we do not recommend more than 70% antifreeze. This would cause restriction of the heat transfer capabilities, corrosion protection, and freeze protection. The concentration of freeze/boilover protection of the antifreeze mixture can be checked using a Prestone^® Antifreeze Coolant Tester.

Q. Can I use extenders in place of SCA's and vice versa with Prestone^® Heavy Duty Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant?
A. Both SCA and Extender are used to supplement engine coolants to provide a fully formulated heavy duty (HD) coolant. However, SCA's and Extenders are as different as conventional silicated HD coolant is to Extended Life HD coolants. SCA chemistry is typically based on a combination of nitrite and inorganic corrosion inhibitors, while Extenders are typically based on nitrite and organic corrosion inhibitors. The use of SCA's in Extended Life coolants or Extenders in silicated formulations will negate the benefits of the additive and could jeopardize the cooling systems life.

Q. What automobile industry specifications do your antifreezes meet or exceed?
A. Prestone^® Antifreeze/Coolant meets or exceeds the performance requirements of the following specifications:

• ASTM D3306
• SAE J1034
• GM 1825M
• Ford ESE M97B44-A
• Chrysler MS7170
• General Services Administration CID A-A-52624

Prestone^® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant meets or exceeds the following industry standards and specifications:

• GM 6277M
• Ford WSS-M97B44-D

When tested in ASTM D 1384, D 4340, D 2570, and D 2809, Prestone^® Extended Life 5/150 Antifreeze/Coolant will meet the chemical, physical property characteristics and performance requirements of the following standards and specifications:

• GM 1825M
• GM 1899
• Ford WSE-M97B44-A
• Ford ESE-M97B44-B
• DaimlerChrysler MS 7170 and MS 9769
• General Services Administration A-A-52624
• ASTM D 3306
• SAE J 1034
• ASTM D 4985

Prestone^® LowTox^® Antifreeze/Coolant meets or exceeds the performance requirements of:

• ASTM D5216

It also meets the corrosion protection requirements of:

• ASTM D3306
• ASTM D4985
• GM 1899
• GM 1825
• ASTM D1384
• ASTM D4340
• ASTM D2570
• ASTM D2809

Q. What about topping off with Prestone^® Heavy Duty Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant?
A. Topping off with conventional silicated antifreeze/coolant in a system protected with Extended Life antifreeze/coolant is not recommended. Topping off with a small amount (less than 15% of total cooling system capacity) of conventional antifreeze/coolant will not upset the ability of the Extended Life antifreeze/coolant to protect the cooling system. Continued topping off with conventional silicated coolant will over time dilute the Extended Life antifreeze/coolant enough for it to become a silicated formulation. Heavy Duty cooling systems should be routinely checked for antifreeze/coolant leaks at regular service intervals. Any worn or leaking components should be repaired or replaced.

Q. How do I flush my cooling system and install a fresh fill?
A. Using a chemical flush prior to the fresh fill of antifreeze/coolant is an effective way to remove deposits from the cooling system. Prestone^® offers several flushes that are designed for everything from routine maintenance to lime or rust scale. All of these cleaners are compatible with the cooling system components of any vehicle. We recommend the following: Use Prestone^® Super Flush for routine maintenance. Use Prestone^® Super Radiator Cleaner to remove corrosion and lime scale. If the directions on each of these cleaners are followed correctly, the end result will be an empty radiator and mostly water in the engine block and heater core. At this point, use a mix of 50% to 70% Prestone^® Antifreeze/Coolant and water. This is easily accomplished if you know the capacity of the cooling system. Example: If the owners manual of your vehicle indicates that the capacity of the cooling system is 8 quarts, then you need to install 4 quarts of pure antifreeze. Note: Once the desired amount of concentrated antifreeze/coolant has been installed, the cooling system must be topped off with water to ensure a complete fill. Prestone^® products also offers a Flush N' Fill Kit for backflushing the cooling system. This kit fits some cars and most light trucks. This backflush will remove more deposits than the chemical cleaner alone. If you are able to access the inlet heater hose on your vehicle, we recommend that you use one of the cleaners and then backflush the system.

Q. I have a leak in my cooling system; you offer several sealers. Which one should I use?
A. We offer cooling system sealers in several forms: liquid, powder and pellet. All of these sealers are high performing products. However, we offer them in various forms and in different strengths to give the consumer several options. We have found that many consumers are only comfortable using one specific form of sealer and that this form varies from consumer to consumer. Also, the size of the leak opening and the leak rate dictate which sealer to use. Of our high performing sealers, Prestone^® Super Sealer seals the largest leaks, while the others are more appropriate for handling the more frequently encountered small to medium leaks.

Q. I'm constantly hearing about octane booster products. You say 0 to 60^® can boost my octane by up to 10 points. What's a point and how does it relate to my car's performance?
A. The term "points" is commonly used in the automotive industry when referring to the octane increase a product offers. This is different from the figures shown at your local gas pump, where the octane "rating" of a gasoline is measured in "numbers". This can sometimes create confusion as to how "points" translate to "numbers". The following calculation can be used to translate points to numbers:

1 octane point = 0.1 octane number

Increasing the octane of gasoline has several positive effects on automobile performance. A higher octane gasoline will allow a car to run smoother by reducing knocks and pings, which ultimately restores lost performance.

An example of this might be:

Common regular unleaded gasoline is rated at 87 octane at the gas pump. If you treat that gasoline with an octane enhancement product that claims a 5 "point" increase, then the end result will be a gasoline that has an 87.5 octane rating. In this example, the octane enhancement product provided 5 "points", which is equal to 0.5 octane numbers.

Prestone^® 0 to 60^® Booster provides 10 points of octane increase, which will increase the octane of regular unleaded gasoline by a full number. In this case, an 87 octane rated fuel would go to 88 after treatment with Prestone^® 0 to 60^® Booster.