Thread: Silicon Radiator Hose Issues Could be Related to 2-EHA Coolants

Looking for some more compatible coolants for the G20 and my Subarus and came across this interesting article:
Issue Many Are Ignoring: Most Coolants Contain 2-EHA (which 'eats' silicone) - RX8Club.com

This reminded me of our guys having disappearing coolant when they switched to silicon hoses, coolant type could have been part of the culprit.

Silicone Radiator Hoses: Not for the Street > MotoIQ - Automotive Tech, Project Cars, Performance & Motorsports

Until I hear otherwise, that's my Go-To article on silicone hoses. Unless some manufacturer states specifically that they have a compound that is not porous and will not lose water, then keep checking coolant levels regularly if you are driving with these on a street car.

Track cars will have their fluids checked on frequent intervals anyway, so no point in mentioning that there.

My understanding was that being porous related specifically to water loss, and had nothing to do with the coolant involved. But if come coolants are eating away at the silicone, then that's also a serious, but separate, concern.

Yup I'm not a fan of them period. This is why I said part of the culprit and not the only culprit.

I'm now trying to find what Nissan recommends, My Subarus say NON-SILICATE, NON-PHOSPATE, which it seems like Peak Global Lifetime fits the bill. Wondering if it would be sufficient for the G20 too.

How old is that article now?

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Age of the article doesn't matter honestly, just about all coolant manufacturers still use 2-EHA's. Prestone's new version, Cor-Guard, doesn't explicitly say 2-EHA's on it anymore, but folks at BITOG are saying it still has 2-EHA's.

Looks like I'll be switching to Peak Global Lifetime for all of my cars...

Could always try the Nissan blue extra long life coolant. I don't think it has any 2-EHA. It is 50/50 premix and comes in all Nissans after 2009. I run it in my 86 300ZX Turbo.

My comment was more aimed at motoiq's article

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It's 2-EHA free and probably phosphate rich (keep away if you have brass in your coolant). I have some brass Tee's for turbo so I'll stay away from phosphate rich coolants.

Alternative that is very close to OEM is Zerex Asian vehicles, unfortunately it's premixed only too.

Problem with premixed is, it makes it damn near impossible to properly flush the engine with distilled water without removing the block's drain plugs. With concentrate you can flush and leave some distilled water in and be fine, just remeasure the mixture after a few days of driving.



Ohh gotcha, though I don't believe Silicon hoses changed all that much easier in last 7 years (I still hear about people loosing coolant with them).

Exactly right. People are still having coolant loss with silicone hoses because the water molecules can pass through the material. The type of antifreeze is irrelevant to that fact.

Now, there may well be other factors for requiring a different type of antifreeze such as Vadim pointed out that have nothing to do with the hoses, but are causing damage to seals or other parts within the system. If you use an antifreeze that eats at the silicone hose, then that's scary shit right there.

Well my radiator is OEM brass and the blue stuff has been in there since Dec 2011. No issues yet.