antifreeze, timing belts and other horrid things

I have read the post about the honda antifreeze controversy. I went to the
Honda dealer in Fairbanks and they don;t even carry the red stuff. They told
me they use plain old green antifreeze and have for years even in the new
Hondas when the are winterized. Still I am wondering why Honda would say to
use their particular brand???? I've read that the orange Dex-cool will
corrode brass and copper???? but is OK for aluminum.!!??? WHat's the
deal??????????????
I know in boiler systems, (like in homes) that the boiler coolant needs to
be checkd for acidity and low temp protection, just like in a car... and
that if it gets acidy it can corrode the cast iron ina boiler...Boilers have
copper and cast iron in them...

I also know I ran pure water in a boiler for 18 years and finally drained it
to replace the heat exchanger and the inside of the boiler was clean as a
whistle...still I refilled with antifreeze in case the power ever goes off
and every thing freezes up.

ANyway back to the Honda antifreeze . How can I get genuine Honda antifreeze
here in Fairbanks????

Also, one other question, I asked the HOnda dealer how much to R&R the
timing belt. I told them I didn;t want to attempt it myself for fear of
getting the belt off one tooth and damaging the valves.(though I have
changed
timing belts on TOyota tercels.) Ironically, the service manager looked
funny and then told me they( the dealer just haad that very problem. THe
Honda dealership mechanic just changed the timing belt , got it a few teeth
off and trashed the valves before he figured it all out. Now the dealer is
trying to figure out what to do. Needless to say I left the dealer not
impressed at all.
I found another"hole in the wall type" shop who says they will change the
belt for me. I asked them
to change the water pump, seals, tensioners and all the belts and hoses at
the same time they are in there.... this is a 1993 Civic EX with 57,000 but
I don;t know the history of the car too well... Any advice or maybe I should
go back to my detroit hunk of iron, a 1974 GMC 3/4 ton that I have driven
for 157,000 miles...... "Froze-up in Fairbanks"..

 

Then they're bozos.

Ask them to sell you the Honda Genuine brand. See what they say.

 

I talked to the parts guy and explained that I had read only to use HOnda
brand antifreeze. The parts man at the HOnda Dealer in Fairbanks Alaska,
told me that he has been there a long time and that they ahve never used
honda brand antifreeze and that in fact they by prestone green antifreeze
and have been using that to winterize hondas for years........That's what
the man told me. I think I would prefer to use what honda recommends unless
I can determine otherwise....not knowing all the reasons why one shouldn;t
use prestone is bothersome as well......