Does my (3 year) old coolant look like Motorcraft Gold coolant?

[Josh B]

Here the county dump takes all sorts of oil in one tank, coolant in another tank, cardboard in a certain dumpster, general household trash inthe big dumpster. Typically $4 bucks for a pickup bed full. So every 2 weeks is a dump run.

Yeah, mine's a 70 mile round trip to another county, still try to go every 2 or 3 months.
April they're supposed to have a Spring clean-up dumpster not far
At the dump I park and unload from a ramp Above the dumpsters, at the local one I'll have to put evertying Over the sides of it

 

[James Morse]

Yeah I think auto parts stores are supposed to take it. Or else I just put it in the trash (vs recycle). I figure there is so much really bad stuff in landfill trash it hardly makes a difference.
Doesn't it degrade over time?
Some people spray it on weeds, I tried a little with limited success. I'm always fighting the English ivy that grows on fences (or anywhere it can). When I moved here it was coming up the side of the house where it was at the second story (basement is 'first', there) and actually pushing into the window frames. I got rid of all that.
But there are a lot of critters so I don't like the idea of spraying it around anyway.
Main thing is, when I'm messing with antifreeze I make real sure the dog isn't around and I don't leave pools of it lying on the driveway etc because afaik it's sweet, dogs will drink it, then they will be sick/die.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Pretty sure that a bittering agent is added to antifreeze. Just tested it yesterday and sure as hell didn't want more. It was sweet at first but a distinct bitter aftertaste. Landlord was concerned about antifreeze leak and her animals.

 

[Curious Hound]

Pretty sure that a bittering agent is added to antifreeze. Just tested it yesterday and sure as hell didn't want more. It was sweet at first but a distinct bitter aftertaste. Landlord was concerned about antifreeze leak and her animals.

We really appreciate you "taking one for the team" and tasting it for us. It's been nice knowing you.

 

[James Morse]

Maybe they are putting something in it now. Probably some kid drank it and they got sued?
Makes ya wonder how we ever survived.

 

[JohnnyO]

It depends on the location. Here, we are supposed to turn it in at a central collection point and pay them for the privilege of taking it. Many auto parts stores here will take used oils like engine, transmission, and gear oils. Brake fluids, nothing is mentioned anywhere that I'm aware of. So, person's discretion. Most power steering systems use a type of oil, so it goes with the other oils to the parts store.

Check your local municipal and county government. As Sandman mentioned you can often take it to them for a small fee. Our county provides it as a service to residents for free as long as you can provide proof of residency and you are not trying to recycle 55 gallon drums of it. They also take old tires, (up to 5 at a time), electronics, paint, oil. medical sharps in an approved container in which they give you an empty in return. All free (well tax paid) except tvs cost 20 bucks per tv)

I live in the same county as @sgtsandman and it's similar here. The county recycling center will take oil for free but you have to pay them to take coolant and electronics. I dump my old coolant down the drain, and my two gallons every three years will be pretty diluted by the time it gets to the sewage treatment plant.

On my old 4.0 SOHC Sport Trac I just used plain ol' green Prestone, flushed every 50k, no issues. It did blow a head gasket at 212,000 miles and I traded it on my new Ranger but I'm sure the failed head gasket had more to do with the 212,000 miles than it did the coolant. As mentioned, because of the turbo I will use legit Motorcraft coolant when the time comes.