Should I be putting antifreeze in my VW

[wbmkk]

I have a 1989 T25 TD California (water cooled) and have never actually put in any coolant in the van.

Having just topped up the antifreeze in my main car, made me think .. I've never added anything to the water I put in my van's coolant expansion tank.

If I should add coolant, which one is best ?

I don't use the van very often and it's nearly the end of winter, but we can still have a few more cold nights on the way.

thanks !

[lodgey62]

You really must get the antifreeze to water ratio checked and adjust accordingly. Wouldn't you feel sick if we had a big freeze and it knackered your engine

[Winchweight]

Not only that, coolant contains a corrosion inhibitor that stops the engine rusting from the inside out! I had an old car where the core plugs blew due to the previous owner not using coolant.

[Ian Hulley]

Maybe this is just me but I would perform a major service asap and get all your fluids (engine oil, anti-freeze, brake/clutch fluid) done to a known-good starting point ... that way you know that with pink G12 anti-freeze you will be fine for X amount of years. It's the very least you owe your camper for all the pleasure it will give you in return. (and saves you from financial embarrassment further down the road)

Ian

[R0B]

Can't you stick any antifreeze in an oil burner? It does not need to be G12 methinks.

[clift_d]

Can't you stick any antifreeze in an oil burner? It does not need to be G12 methinks.

No - I think you need to use a G12 with diesels as well. Coolant specs etc are in the wiki.

As others have said, the coolant is not just an antifreeze, but also a corrosion inhibitor. You need to ensure that the concentration / dilution is as per manufacturer's guidance, as the heat transfer and corrosion protection performance can be compromised otherwise - if you dilute too much or too little then it doesn't work as well. My understanding is that some of the newer coolants have a replacement cycle of every five years, although VW's original recommendations were to replace every two years.

[R0B]

In that case all diesel engines must need to use G12.WBX engines need it to stop the head bolts from corroding. Diesels are a different matter.What about the diesels that folk replace their JX/CS/KY engines with,I'm pretty certain they didn't start life with G12 in them.

[Ian Hulley]

although VW's original recommendations were to replace every two years.

Most WBXer owners can only dream of having anti-freeze in for 5 years ... there's normally something that will necessitate it's 'removal' every couple of years Personally I use Comma Blue 'Frostmaster' or whatever it's called these days, and have done for many years. Possibly because when I was doing 20,000 miles per year I'd be changing a pump every couple of years or a hose .... now all the hoses are new, the pipes are stainless and I'm doing far less miles I guess I really should swap over to the pink .... possibly.

Ian

[lloydy]

basically if you have blue, stay blue, if its pink/purple then stay with the G12, 13 ++ ect

[clift_d]

The newer OAT based coolants G12 G12+ G13 are much better at inhibiting corrosion in engines with alloy components than the older Borate based G11 coolants. I don't think I'm wrong in understanding that the head on the waterboxer diesels is aluminum alloy, in which case surely an OAT coolant would be a safer bet, even if it wasn't what VW originally specified. Particularly when places like Eurocarparts are offering G12+ concentrate at roughly £1.80 per litre.

[lloydy]

Pink / purple is better but I'm 99% sure the early G12 isn't compatible with the blue G11 so you have to totally flush the system out . G12 onward is compatible with each other

[clift_d]

Surely best anyway to flush the system out completely if the coolant hasn't been changed for ages?

[Ian Hulley]

Surely best anyway to flush the system out completely if the coolant hasn't been changed for ages?

Which is what I said.

Ian.

[lloydy]

did I say it wasn't?
All I'm saying is you can't mix the two. I'm on G13 I think but my coolant system is all new. It's safer to stick to the type you have in there. Or state quite clearly to the person your recommending to upgrade to G12 onwards that they make sure they totally clean the system out 1st.

[R0B]

I never realised the diesels were waterboxers.

the head on the waterboxer diesels is aluminum alloy