[blakersE30]

hi all,

i rec'd my new, larger fuel injectors from PP (yay!), and note that I'll be draining coolant to get them replaced ....

soooooo, might as well do a radiator flush/refill.

question is .... what kind of coolant to use?

i presume my radiator is ALUMINUM inside that plastic shell (can someone verify?), and that PHOSPHATES are *bad* re: corrosion.

after digging around on the web, there all all sorts of discussions abt pH ("use MBUSA's cuz it's ph=7-7,5 rather than 8-8.6"), additives, etc.

questions:

(1) is the BMW coolant ($13-22/gallon!) necessary recommended?

(2) is a 3rd party (Zerex, Prestone, etc.) phosphate-free, extended life a better choice?

(3) what abt these DEX-COOL/G-05 "new" coolants, that are ethylene glycol + organic acid compositions? they seem to be recommended (sometimes REQUIRED) for newer models, but what abt the trusty ol' E30?

(4) is deionized/distilled/tap water an issue?

(5) since I've always had flush/refill done at a "Jiffy Lube", what've they been typically putting in?

(6) does ANY of this really matter ...

thx,

richard