So I just put in a new radiator and am about to fill it with coolant I picked up at a Nissan dealership about two years ago. IIRC I had originally bought the one-gallon bottle intending to perform a radiator flush, but never got around to it.

Should I buy a new bottle or will my two-year-old bottle of antifreeze still be, essentially, as good as new? The coolant is Nissan Genuine Engine Coolant L248SP. I'm about to search for the MSDS to see what I can find out but I'd like to know what y'all think.

 

You're good ... use it up.

No real documented shelf life on coolant in the original sealed container.

The manufacturers just say, "many years".

 

I don't think that stuff ever really goes bad.

 

as long as there was a lid on the container its fine

 

How long was that crap you bought sitting on the shelve???? Use it man It ain't Milk!

 

Shake it up real good because the chemicals and additives settle out on the bottom.

 

I have never in my life heard or read anything in any manufacturer literature that indicates that coolant will experience separation and therefore require remix.

Where did that recommendation come from?

 

From the 4+ year old Prestone antifreeze on my garage shelf.

 

Well, it certainly couldn't hurt. If the Nissan-branded bottle explodes after I give it a good shake, you'll be hearing from me. Or you won't.

 

 

Coolant, yes. It's just water.

Opened Oil (mainly brake fluid), no.

 

You're kidding, right?

 

wat? coolant is glycol, you mix straight coolant with water but coolant and water are 2 different things

 

i read this in some survivalist board :

Many years ago, I owned a business that used an old 1 ton truck to haul water. During the off season, the truck set, and one winter someone stole the radiator.
Across the way, there was an old junkyard, owned by a friend, who just collected old interesting cars,trucks,heavy equipment. Very seldom would he sell, just collected.
Anyway, I approached him about buying one of the radiators out of an old truck. He said that'd be fine but to be sure and save the antifreeze. Now this truck was about 20-25 years old at the time, and the antifreeze was still green, and had been doing it's job, the whole time, sitting there with the truck up on blocks.
Read more at http://www.survivalistboards.com/sho...QhYpAGevF5X.99

 

many vehicles still run on factory fluids from neglect. my 88 Hardbody was running on everything original but engine oil i believe when i bought it. trans oil and diff oils were like black tar but it still ran fine, and i believe the coolant and everything else was original

 

so ur saying ur car is 1988, and the coolant has never been changed? but oil changed obviously as thats the main part.

if so damn coolant sure can stick around for quite some time.. lol

 

yep it was a 88, think it was used as a commercial truck then someone dumped it in a field and i fixed it up. wasnt cared for that well, took 30 minutes of yanking with a 4ft breaker bar to get the trans drain bolt out because it was never removed. same with the diff drain but that never came out so i vacuumed the fluid. both oils were like thick black tar, it was disgusting. i changed the coolant and everything after, when i blasted out the heater core a bunch of white stuff came flying out.

coolant shouldnt separate or anything really, obviously it needs to be changed every once in a while but in an apocalypse scenario 20 year old fluids can still function

 

Shocked it wasn't clogged or rusted through.

 

the rad fins were rusty but the whole drivetrain never leaked a drip of any fluid, never overheated even with the fan shroud missing so i left the rad as is. that thing was probably the best vehicle ive ever owned, never gave me any trouble. the body just never held with sitting on rotted farm land for many years, floorboard had holes allover and the frame was rusty

 

damn if that 88 wasn't cared enough and the owner didnt do crap to it, shows that cars can run without care, but obvious rule is always keep maintanence good. but just pointing out the fact.. some people dont take care of the car and yet still runs. without changing fluids and stuff.

also how many miles was on the truck? even though its a 88.

 

the frame broke on me when it hit 245,000km last April. still ran and drove fine but nobody was willing to fix the frame because of liability so i had no choice but to scrap it. it hit -50c here last year and i parked it outside all day, started and got me home while many peoples cars wouldnt start in that. to top it off a couple months before someone slid through a yield sign and hit the front end on it, nothing broke and it kept going lol. i got stuck in deep snow a few times spinning my tires for 45 minutes, god knows what else and it never complained. that thing was like a brother to me lol

 

lol jeez, that truck must be a tank or somthin!