The John Deere Cool Gard 2 is a reliable coolant specially designed for heavy-duty engines. It protects engine parts against corrosion, foaming, and cavitation.
But what if you want an affordable and quality alternative to JD Cool Gard 2? Luckily, several brands are known to produce efficient John Deere Cool Gard 2 equivalents. Some of the best coolants you can go for include Peak Global Extended Life, Shell Rotella ELC, Havoline GHC Pre-Mix 50/50, and Zerex G-05 Antifreeze/Coolant.
Below we’ll discuss John Deere Cool Gard II alternatives to help you choose the best option for your engine.
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John Deere Cool-Gard 2 Equivalent
The Cool-Gard 2 is available as a concentrate and pre-mix version. When using the concentrate version, mix it with distilled or low-mineral water for proper protection.
On the other hand, the pre-mix version is a ready-to-use coolant. It contains a 50/50 blend of JD Cool-Gard 2 concentrate and demineralized water.
When choosing your ideal alternative to Cool-Gard II, always consider which version works best for your engine. JD Cool Gard 2 equivalents are also available in concentrate and pre-mix form. So, let’s look into these coolants.
Peak Global Extended Life
As its name suggests, this coolant offers extended or lifetime protection to your John Deere engine. It’s a high-quality John Deere coolant equivalent that can work in any engine regardless of the region.
The coolant is ideal for all light- to medium-duty trucks and automobiles in America, Europe, and Asia.
The Peak Global Extended Life is a pre-mix coolant, so you don’t need to mix it with water. With the gallon of 1 liter, you can start using the antifreeze right after purchase. The coolant also comes with the manufacturer’s guarantee of lifetime protection.
The non-2-EH formula allows for a silicate- and phosphate-free antifreeze. Your engine gets adequate protection against rust and corrosion. Moreover, it has excellent thermal protection at minimum temperatures of up to -34°F.
Peak Global will also retain its characteristics if you change the top-off colors. So, you can change it to yellow, red, green, blue, or orange without worrying about altering its properties.
Prestone Dex-Cool
Prestone Dex-Cool is another efficient John Deere Cool Gard 2 equivalent that guarantees rust- and corrosion-free engines. It’s ideal for all vehicles that use Dex-Cool coolant. Moreover, you can use it in automobiles with aluminum radiators.
The coolant is a pre-mix product that is ready for use upon purchase. You can add it directly from the bottle to the engine parts to benefit from extended life protection. Generally, Prestone Dex-Cool offers protection for up to five years (150,000 miles).
This coolant is an excellent antifreeze. It will keep your engine intact in hot and cold climates. And when it comes to efficiency, your engine parts require a small amount of this coolant per usage. Prestone Dex-Cool is, therefore, a lifetime investment for your auto.
Havoline GHC Pre-Mix 50/50
Havoline GHC Pre-Mix 50/50 is an excellent and affordable John Deere Cool-Gard 2 equivalent. It’s a ready-to-use pre-mix coolant providing corrosion and freezing protection to engine components.
This coolant is an effective heat-transferring fluid for cars, light trucks, and industrial engines. It has potent additives to help boost its performance on engine components.
When choosing coolants, checking whether they have harmful chemicals is advisable. Thankfully, the Havoline GHC Pre-Mix is free from chemicals like phosphates, nitrates, borate, and amine. You can rely on this coolant if you prefer keeping the environment safe.
The ethylene glycol present in this coolant makes it perfect for internal combustion applications. And thanks to its silicates and carboxylates, this coolant will offer outstanding protection against corrosion.
However, the Havoline GHC Pre-Mix has one limitation. It won’t help protect potable water systems from freezing.
Zerex G-05 Antifreeze/Coolant
Zerex G-05 Antifreeze/Coolant is an OEM-approved coolant from Valvoline. It’s a ready-to-use product that protects engine components from freezing (-34°F) and boiling (265°F).
The coolant works in most auto engines, from Mercedes-Benz to Ford to Chrysler. It will also support light trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. When added to the correct amount, Zerex G-05 guarantees up to 150,000 miles (5 years) of protection against freeze-ups and boil-overs.
The coolant’s long-life chemistry comprises Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) and pure ethylene glycol. These products protect against deposits, corrosion, and leaks that might cause engine failure.
A common difference between JD Cool Gard 2 and Zerex G-05 is the use of additives. Zerex G-05 uses nitrites additive to protect cylinder liners against cavitation. Additionally, this additive prevents scaling and accumulation of hard water deposits.
You can rely on this coolant to clean the cooling systems, particularly water pumps, and radiators. Unfortunately, Zerex G-05 has the following downsides:
- You can’t mix it with a red or blue coolant for your BMW, Mazda, and Honda cars.
- It doesn’t have organic additive technology.
Shell Rotella ELC Antifreeze/Coolant
If you’re looking for the John Deere Cool Gard 2 equivalent in a concentrated form, the Shell Rotella ELC is a great option. The coolant provides high performance and extended protection to any heavy-duty diesel engine. You can use it in cars, trucks, and any agricultural machinery.
The coolant uses corrosion inhibitor technology to protect metals such as iron, copper, aluminum, and brass from corrosion. Its heat transfer properties help in protecting engines against overheating. Your engine can keep running cool without worrying about freezing and boiling.
Using low-quality coolants can result in high maintenance costs. Fortunately, the Shell Rotella ELC’s low-dissolving solids protect your water pump seals, hoses, and cylinder liners. By improving the life of these components, you’ll spend less on maintenance or replacements.
Shell Rotella ELC doesn’t have harmful chemicals and supplemental coolant additives. It provides extended protection of up to 600,000 miles (12,000 hours).
Sierra Antifreeze + coolant
If you’re looking for a premium coolant in concentrate form to act as Cool-Gard II equivalent, go for Sierra Antifreeze + coolant. This coolant from Peak protects engines against corrosion, freeze-ups, and boil-overs. It also maintains excellent heat transfer properties.
Unlike Cool Gard 2 and the above equivalents, Sierra Antifreeze + Coolant uses propylene glycol (PG) instead of ethylene glycol. PG is a less toxic antifreeze and safer for the environment. You can rest assured of using a coolant that prevents accidental poisoning of people and pets.
When you buy this coolant, you must add distilled or low-mineral water to dilute it.
Triax All Fleet ELC Coolant & Antifreeze
Triax All Fleet ELC Coolant & Antifreeze is another concentrate coolant you can use as an alternative to Cool-Gard II. It’s one of the best coolants for heavy-duty engines. It protects your engine against deposits, corrosion, and scaling while on-road or off-road.
The coolant provides additional protection to cylinder liners thanks to its Organic Acid Technology (OAT), Molybdate, and advanced inhibitors. When using it on engines, you don’t need the addition of Supplemental Coolant Additives (SCAs) to reach its maximum potential.
Triax All Fleet ELC is free of silicates, borates, and amines to ensure long-term protection and low maintenance costs. The coolant protects engines for up to 1,000,000 miles (8 years or 20,000 hours).
Bottom Line
Hopefully, the list above has your ideal John Deere Cool Gard 2 equivalent. Before choosing these coolants, check their specs to know if they’re compatible with your vehicle. You can visit the manufacturer’s website to check if your preferred alternative to Cool-Gard II meets your engine’s specs.
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