Hey all, I’m in the middle of replacing the water pump and chain on my 2014 with the 3.5 engine. The pump I took out has a ‘13’ stamped on it, and the new one has a ‘24’. Turns out, that’s the year it was made. Anyway, I’ve got 225,000 miles on it. This is the original pump, and I’ve always used orange coolant, so I’m thinking of putting orange back in. I used Motorcraft parts, and I’m glad I caught the seal issue in time. What do you all think, should I stick with orange or change to yellow?
That’s awesome! Your high mileage with the original water pump makes me feel better about my 2011 with 175,000 miles. I try to baby it with regular oil and fluid changes. Hopefully, it holds out for a while longer!
@Chao
Haha same here! I’ve got a 2011 with 185,712 miles, and I’m still on the original water pump.
Why go with orange again? You should be using yellow now.
Why switch though?
Hollis said:
Why switch though?
The new yellow HOAT coolant is an upgrade from the old orange OAT. It’s got additives to protect against corrosion better, has a longer service life, and is more compatible with different engine parts. I can’t think of a reason to stick with the old stuff.
Hollis said:
Why switch though?
I didn’t know that! I just put yellow in my car last week, glad I did now.
Yeah, I’d go with yellow. It helps lubricate the seals better than the orange, which can help prevent them from going bad.
I’m at 235,000 miles, still running the original pump and chain. No issues so far!
Logan said:
I’m at 235,000 miles, still running the original pump and chain. No issues so far!
When I opened it up, the primary chain was still tight. My daughter convinced me to replace the primary chain and guides, but they were still in good shape. I left the secondary chains alone.
Logan said:
I’m at 235,000 miles, still running the original pump and chain. No issues so far!
Good call. Better safe than sorry. Once my pump goes, my Explorer’s either getting a reman engine or it’s headed to the junkyard.
Shouldn’t you be using yellow now?
Zuri said:
Shouldn’t you be using yellow now?
Both orange and yellow are still recommended. Since I took out orange, I’m putting orange back in.
Zuri said:
Shouldn’t you be using yellow now?
From what I remember, the orange coolant was what caused early wear in the first place. It had a lot of contaminants that corroded the system. Yellow is the fix Ford came up with. The fact that you still had orange means the system wasn’t serviced by a dealer. I’d recommend switching to yellow.
Zuri said:
Shouldn’t you be using yellow now?
Yeah, I’d definitely go with yellow. It’s better at preventing corrosion, especially with the water pump.
I’ve seen the TSB on yellow, and I get why it makes sense to switch.
I replaced my water pump at 125,000 miles on my 2013 as a precaution. It was starting to leak a little, but honestly, the pump was still fine. I probably would’ve been happier spending that money on fixing my A/C or backup camera though!
You really should be using Motorcraft yellow now.
I’m just waiting for mine to go. Still running the original pump at 166,000 miles, but I’ve had the coolant changed a few times.