I have a 2013 F150 with the V6.

It has ORANGE coolant (from factory).

the manual lists replacement coolant must be

WSS-M97B44-D/D2 compatible.

There is the Motorcraft "specialty orange" coolant.

and there is the PRESTONE DEXCOOL prediluted (which does adhere to the FORD SPECS).

SO, what is the MODERN day take on this? Before I get blasted, I don't want to hear any PREVIOUS/PAST nightmare stories of DEXCOOL.. .I can google those all day.

If my F150 user's manual requires ORANGE coolant, what is the REASON (CURRENT DAY), that I should not just buy this and top off?

 

82 views to date, and no one else has ORANGE coolant in their F150???

 

Why do you need to add coolant to a truck that new?

The new anti-freezes are all a little bit different from each other. I wouldn't take a risk of messing something up and just use what's in the owner's manual from Ford. Either hit the dealership of buy it online.

 

I went to my local dealership to get some Motorcraft "specialty orange" coolant. They didn't have any in stock. So the parts manager did about 15 minutes of research and then he told me it was ok to use Dexcool. I did top it off with prediluted Dexcool about 1.5 years ago and haven't had any issues.

 

Wow.. The Motorcraft Orange AF on Amazon is $26/gallon!! And that's the 50/50 mix.. Don't see it in the concentrate..

Wonder what it costs at the dealer??

It's supposed to go 100,000 miles or 6 years, but I might do a rad drain and fill after 3 years? I ain't gonna put anything that says "Dexcool" in it.... Just because I have read all the posts on it... If my truck specs Orange Motorcraft, that's what it's going to get..

Mitch

 

Use the correct spec MC coolant and all will be good. My wife's 2011 Fusion uses a pine green colored coolant, and I will not use anything but the correct MC coolant in it.

 

Ironically, Prestone DEXCOOL 50/50 and Motorcraft Orange Specialty Coolant are the same forumla....

Both are WSS-M97B44-D/D2 spec'ed....

Ford/Motorcraft can't call it DEXCOOL as well, because that's a GM copyrighted term, so FORD calls it "ORANGE SPECIALTY".

 

I think more and more people are finding this out.

People generally go whacko when they hear "DEXCOOL" because it was a GM nightmare. and actually "DEXCOOL" is just a term that GM coined.

the "specialty orange" coolant is almost the same formulation.

 

Whatever it's called, I'll just use the Motorcraft ***** and call it good...

Mitch

 

The biggest problem was GM decided to cheap out and use gaskets that were allergic to the coolant. DEXCOOL ate two sets of intake manifold gaskets on mom's Grand Prix and the intake gaskets and heater core on my brother's S10. Then if someone didn't know better and put the regular green stuff in there it would all turn to gunk.

 

Ford switched from G05 to dexcool for some rason on their trucks. You dont need motorcraft coolant anymore than you need motorcraft oil. Dont let them nickle and dime yo to death. Any silicate free orange dexcool is fine.

 

What would happen if you completely flushed it out and used conventional green coolant? I know you couldn't safely run it 6 years/100k but what damage could it do if you kept it clean and changed?

 

That happened in 1 model year. The G05 by Zerex was clear as I remember, then having to buy new coolant on another model year. $$$$$.