That cheap coolant I swore was junk saved a blown head gasket on an old Pete

I had a 1995 Peterbilt 379 come into my shop in Des Moines about three years ago with a head gasket that was already weeping. The owner insisted on using some generic green coolant from Tractor Supply instead of the name brand stuff I always recommend. I about told him he was wasting his time and money, but he had me flush and fill it anyway. Well that truck is still running on the same gasket today with over 80,000 more miles on it, and I have to eat my words every time I see that bottle on the shelf. Has anybody else had a cheap fluid or part actually hold up better than expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly_hill27d ago

Oh man, I gotta push back on this one. I think you just got lucky honestly. Idk, using cheap generic coolant in a big rig like that feels like rolling the dice with a lot more than just a head gasket. Maybe it's just me but I've seen too many horror stories with cheap coolant causing crud buildup in the cooling system or eating away water pump seals over time. Yeah it might hold a weeping gasket for a while but I'd rather spend the extra 20 bucks on the real stuff and not worry about what else is getting damaged inside.

richardknight27d ago

Kelly, you're probably right about the long term risks with cheap coolant. But there's something to be said for those weird times when the junky stuff just works. That Tractor Supply coolant has a specific additive package that can actually seal small leaks over time. I've seen it happen a few times now and it's hard to argue with results in the moment. Not saying I'd use it in my own truck, but sometimes the cheap stuff finds a way.