Green coolant?

A

aggravated

I just bought a 2017 CX-5 Touring with 80,000 miles on it. This vehicle has the SKYACTIV-G 2.5 engine.

The first coolant change on this vehicle isn't due for quite a long time, but I noticed that the existing coolant is bright green. Is this the OEM fluid? If so, I'm surprised to see it this color.

I'm simply trying to determine whether the previous owner changed the coolant and put the wrong type in there.
 
My 2016 and 2020 came with green coolant. You should use the Mazda specified coolant as the formulas impact water pump seals and all gaskets.
 
Per 2017 CX-5 owner's manual, FL22 coolant is recommended.
1671765460472.png
 
To be clear, I'm not asking what coolant to use; I was just seeking to verify if green coolant was a definite indicator that the wrong coolant had been used by someone who serviced the vehicle before I bought it. (I had been expecting a pink coolant, not green.)

And the answer is no -- green coolant is expected. Case closed. Thanks.
 
aggravated said:
To be clear, I'm not asking what coolant to use; I was just seeking to verify if green coolant was a definite indicator that the wrong coolant had been used by someone who serviced the vehicle before I bought it. (I had been expecting a pink coolant, not green.)

And the answer is no -- green coolant is expected. Case closed. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t say the factory coolant looks like “bright” green like the Prestone in old days. With 80K miles, the factory coolant should look “dark” light-bluish in color. The key is “dark”, definitely not “bright”.

On fresh coolant, Mazda’s OEM FL-22 coolant looks light bluish or some greenish in color. Toyota’s coolant is pink.

IMO, if your coolant looks “bright” green, it isn’t the factory coolant, and most likely it’s a wrong type.
 
I wouldn't worry over it too much. There's a Mazda TSB that can be found on this site that clearly states that the old fashioned stuff is completely compatible with the new FL22. The main difference is the service interval is halved from 10 years with the FL22 down to 5.
 
theblooms said:
I wouldn't worry over it too much. There's a Mazda TSB that can be found on this site that clearly states that the old fashioned stuff is completely compatible with the new FL22. The main difference is the service interval is halved from 10 years with the FL22 down to 5.
Click to expand...
On the other hand, in CX-5 owner’s manual:

The engine coolant change schedule is:
Replace at first 192,000 km (120,000 miles) or 10 years; after that, every 96,000 km (60,000 miles) or 5 years.

And the remark:
*2 Use of FL-22 is recommended when replacing engine coolant. Using engine coolant other than FL-22 may cause serious damage to the engine and cooling system.

The key to me is you don’t “mix” the factory FL-22 coolant with different types. Without knowing the maintenance history, who knows if the cooling system of that CX-5 had been properly “flushed” before refilling with the “bright” green coolant? Especially there’s no cylinder block coolant drain on the engine, mixing the much cheaper “bright” green coolant with plenty of old FL-22 which is not easy to flush out is highly likely. Then the question remains, why the previous owner would bother to replace the factory coolant before 80K miles?
 
Dark green is the color I see of the FL22 factory fill coolant in my various Mazda's. Bright green would be wrong IMHO.

Maybe someone just filled up the reservoir tank with universal coolant and it hasn't mixed in the system yet? I wonder if the fluid actually inside the radiator is dark or bright green?
 
With all that said, probably more important than anything else: when replacing the coolant with whatever you choose, don't use tap water when doing your mixing. When you're mixing coolant, pay the 99¢/gallon from Walmart, the grocery store, or wherever and buy some distilled water.

The https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) compliant, and it's way cheaper than any other FL22: $25/gallon for concentrate. Add the extra dollar for distilled water, and you got two gallons of ready to go coolant for only $26. Can't find it cheaper anywhere else!
 
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yrwei52 said:
I wouldn’t say the factory coolant looks like “bright” green like the Prestone in old days. With 80K miles, the factory coolant should look “dark” light-bluish in color. The key is “dark”, definitely not “bright”.

On fresh coolant, Mazda’s OEM FL-22 coolant looks light bluish or some greenish in color. Toyota’s coolant is pink.

IMO, if your coolant looks “bright” green, it isn’t the factory coolant, and most likely it’s a wrong type.
Click to expand...

In both of my Mazdas (2016.5 CX-5 GT purchased brand new and 2016 MX-5 Club purchased used w ~11k miles) both had green coolant, bright green. The MX appeared to have had the coolant topped off with something other than OEM FL22 because the coolant reservoir was somewhat 'milky' looking. I'm just anal enough to have drained the coolant system in the MX and replaced it with this, which is VERY bright green.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Buy RAVENOL J4D2092 HJC FL22 Coolant Antifreeze Concentrate (Hybrid Japanese Coolant) (5 Liter): Antifreezes & Coolants - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

The above is no longer available but I have a bit left for topping as needed.
 
theblooms said:
With all that said, probably more important than anything else: when replacing the coolant with whatever you choose, don't use tap water when doing your mixing. When you're mixing coolant, pay the 99¢/gallon from Walmart, the grocery store, or wherever and buy some distilled water.

The https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) compliant, and it's way cheaper than any other FL22: $25/gallon for concentrate. Add the extra dollar for distilled water, and you got two gallons of ready to go coolant for only $26. Can't find it cheaper anywhere else!
Click to expand...
This https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) you mentioned certainly is a nice find for a pure antifreeze coolant. But I don't see anything on specs saying it's the FL-22 compatible. And the compatibility chart for Mazda vehicle says from 1990 and up. Mazda was using a different type of coolant until around 2012 (?) then switched to FL-22 after the SkyActiv engines released.
 
yrwei52 said:
This https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) you mentioned certainly is a nice find for a pure antifreeze coolant. But I don't see anything on specs saying it's the FL-22 compatible. And the compatibility chart for Mazda vehicle says from 1990 and up. Mazda was using a different type of coolant until around 2012 (?) then switched to FL-22 after the SkyActiv engines released.
Click to expand...
The Mazda TSB on coolants says that all of the older Mazda vehicles that used to use the good old green are also fine to use the new FL22, as FL22 and old stuff are compatible with one another. That's why the label on the Peak reads the way it does.
 
Conrad 16.5 said:
In both of my Mazdas (2016.5 CX-5 GT purchased brand new and 2016 MX-5 Club purchased used w ~11k miles) both had green coolant, bright green. The MX appeared to have had the coolant topped off with something other than OEM FL22 because the coolant reservoir was somewhat 'milky' looking. I'm just anal enough to have drained the coolant system in the MX and replaced it with this, which is VERY bright green.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Buy RAVENOL J4D2092 HJC FL22 Coolant Antifreeze Concentrate (Hybrid Japanese Coolant) (5 Liter): Antifreezes & Coolants - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

The above is no longer available but I have a bit left for topping as needed.
Click to expand...
Yes, if the coolant looks milky, I definitely would do the same!

So the Ravenol FL-22 concentrate coolant you have looks "bright" green, does it look like the Prestone coolant we used in old days?
 
theblooms said:
The Mazda TSB on coolants says that all of the older Mazda vehicles that used to use the good old green are also fine to use the new FL22, as FL22 and old stuff are compatible with one another. That's why the label on the Peak reads the way it does.
Click to expand...
When I was at my Mazda dealership, the parts dept. has 2 different types of OEM coolant for sale. One is FL-22 for newer Mazda vehicles; the other coolant is for older Mazda vehicles.
 
Older stuff is cheaper for sure (it's just Prestone, after all!), and the vast majority of people just want whatever costs the least because on a 1997 Protege, they simply don't care!

It's only people who frequent forums like this, true enthusiasts, who even know there's a difference, and only the hardest core of the hardest core will have an argument about it! (And I'm using "argument" in the classical sense, a robust debate a la Socrates and Aristotle)
 
HyFlyer said:
Dark green is the color I see of the FL22 factory fill coolant in my various Mazda's. Bright green would be wrong IMHO.
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The factory fill in my 2020 is a bright green, no doubt about it.

There's reason to believe that Mazda changed suppliers somewhere along the way. Ravenol FL22 lists Motorcraft Specialty Green as a compatible coolant which happens to be dark green:


It's plausible that Mazda's FL22 was at one time this Ford / Motorcraft product (or a similar Ford predecessor). After all, FL22 was a Ford concoction or one jointly developed with Mazda. I'm not seeing anybody else producing a dark green product in the ethylene glycol / silicate free class of products. If this conjecture is correct, it begs the question of who's the guy putting bright green coolant in Mazda jugs today?

yrwei52 said:
Mazda was using a different type of coolant until around 2012 (?) then switched to FL-22 after the SkyActiv engines released.
Click to expand...
Here's a post from 2005 where a guy is talking about FL22 for his Mazda5, pretty deep in the Ford days:

What is FL22 antifreeze?

Wow, its been hot and dry here in San Diego the last few days. I must say with the windows tinted the AC (w/low fan speed) has had no problems keeping the cabin comfortable. ....anyway, I plan on change my oil this weekend so I was snooping around under the hood tonight and noted several...
mazdas247.com mazdas247.com

The FL22 designation is at at least 17 years old, ancient history in automotive years.

Tomescu said:
Per 2017 CX-5 owner's manual, FL22 coolant is recommended.
View attachment 314748
Click to expand...

Mazda recommends FL22; they do not require it. That you may cause serious damage using something else is kind of obvious since you could use a non-compatible product. There are compatible products that don't say FL22 on the label. Mazda is more direct in talking about using Mazda branded motor oil and (almost) nobody buys that recommendation: "Mazda Genuine Oil is used in your Mazda vehicle. Mazda Genuine 0W-20 Oil is required to achieve optimum fuel economy."

Back in 2016, Mazda provided this TSB:


Note the following:

"FL22 coolant is compatible with current (Green) ethylene glycol coolant."

There are several solid substitutes that don't have FL22 on the label. If you want to mimic Mazda's FL22 55/45 mix then then buy a compatible concentrate.

For example, @theblooms discusses Peak Asian Green concentrate in post #9. That works for a 55/45 mix. I've used Peak 50/50 premix for a couple of ounces of top off--it checks all the boxes. You could use that Motorcraft Specialty Green discussed above which comes in a concentrate.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yeah, I plan on using Zerex Asian when the time comes, but didn't want to admit it, because I don't want to hear the doomsayer diatribes.

And now I have to unsubscribe from my own thread, so I don't get 7,500 emails for replies telling me "YOU'RE INSANE!!! YOUR ENGINE WILL MELT!!!" or "The fluids aren't compatible, you idiot!!!" or "THINK OF THE WATER PUMP SEALS, YOU LUNATIC!!!"
 
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aggravated said:
Yeah, I plan on using Zerex Asian when the time comes, but didn't want to admit it, because I don't want to hear the doomsayer diatribes.

And now I have to unsubscribe from my own thread, so I don't get 7,500 emails for replies telling me "YOU'RE INSANE!!! YOUR ENGINE WILL MELT!!!" or "The fluids aren't compatible, you idiot!!!" or "THINK OF THE WATER PUMP SEALS, YOU LUNATIC!!!"
Click to expand...
You better book your flight out of the country as soon as possible.
 
aggravated said:
Yeah, I plan on using Zerex Asian when the time comes, but didn't want to admit it, because I don't want to hear the doomsayer diatribes.

And now I have to unsubscribe from my own thread, so I don't get 7,500 emails for replies telling me "YOU'RE INSANE!!! YOUR ENGINE WILL MELT!!!" or "The fluids aren't compatible, you idiot!!!" or "THINK OF THE WATER PUMP SEALS, YOU LUNATIC!!!"
Click to expand...
The Zerex Asian green checks the right boxes. Be forewarned: If you disclose using a 50/50 premix instead of 55/45, you will have committed a second crime against humanity. ;)
 
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