Different colour/types of coolant

[El Padrino]

I noticed my coolant level was just above the minimum level, so purchased some genuine Volvo coolant to top it up. The coolant colour in my car (98 V70R) is pink, whereas the genuine Volvo coolant is green. After a quick search, I found articles saying not to mix different colours of coolant as they'll be different specs. Then some articles which say the colour is irrelevant, as long as the spec is the same. Is this correct?

I've booked the car in to have it inspected. There isn't any signs of it being a blown head gasket and I can't see any leaks, but there must be a leak somewhere. She's not overheating and the coolant reservoir was replaced with a new genuine Volvo one back in April 2023. So far, I've just topped it up with distilled water. I hope the Volvo indy I use has been using the correct type of coolant.

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated as always.

[Geozyg]

I find this site very helpful, you can search for the correct one by registration for your car and they follow the unofficial but standard colour coding.

No don't mix colours.

https://www.commaoil.com/

[4x4]

Volvo coolant used to be pink/red but they changed to green way back before your 1998 was built. Top up the expansion bottle with distilled water for now (short term) and have the entire system flushed and filled with the correct green. Also make sure you have a genuine Volvo green cap fitted to the expansion bottle as the original grey caps are prone to fail


I have a grey cap with the valves/inners of a green cap to keep the original look and safety of the updated cap

[ITSv40]

As 4x4 says. Currently you know the top up coolant is genuine Volvo, but there is no telling what the coolant is that is in the car. Flush the old out and refill with known genuine.

[El Padrino]

Originally Posted by 4x4

Volvo coolant used to be pink/red but they changed to green way back before your 1998 was built. Top up the expansion bottle with distilled water for now (short term) and have the entire system flushed and filled with the correct green. Also make sure you have a genuine Volvo green cap fitted to the expansion bottle as the original grey caps are prone to fail

I have a grey cap with the valves/inners of a green cap to keep the original look and safety of the updated cap

Thanks 4x4, I have the green cap on an OEM expansion tank that was replaced back in April this year. Having the car looked at next week.

[850timj]

That's good. As others say, if you have added volvo green to pink that was in there, then get it drained, flushed and refilled with Volvo green. Colour is definitive but generally, pink is for OAT longlife and I think the green is different chemicals. Main think is that the corrosion inhibitors that are critical for volvo alloy engine bits may not work if different types are mixed.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by El Padrino

I noticed my coolant level was just above the minimum level, so purchased some genuine Volvo coolant to top it up. The coolant colour in my car (98 V70R) is pink, whereas the genuine Volvo coolant is green. After a quick search, I found articles saying not to mix different colours of coolant as they'll be different specs. Then some articles which say the colour is irrelevant, as long as the spec is the same. Is this correct?

I've booked the car in to have it inspected. There isn't any signs of it being a blown head gasket and I can't see any leaks, but there must be a leak somewhere. She's not overheating and the coolant reservoir was replaced with a new genuine Volvo one back in April 2023. So far, I've just topped it up with distilled water. I hope the Volvo indy I use has been using the correct type of coolant.

Your thoughts and comments are appreciated as always.

The best thing to do is buy a 4 litre bottle of volvo coolant which is very reasonably priced AND lasts for many years , there is NO change interval specified by Volvo. In practice it lasts forever in a clean leak-free engine, the original Green coolant is still in my 1988 343.

Volvo never used Pink coolant, I first started working on them in 1972 !