TOPPING UP MY COOLANT

Post by **mininut** » 13 Oct 2006, 21:01

I need to top up my coolant level in my 1990 1.9 watercooled. Do I need to use the proper VW antifreeze with the anti-corrosion additive? If so can anyone tell me the correct name for this antifreeze and is it available from VW main dealers. My wedge has got a full service history, the first 80% being VW. Can I assume that it has had the correct antifreeze in it. Does the coolant ever need draining or is it in for life?
This is the first T25 I have owned so I'm still a bit wet behind the ears!!! Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

Post by **Fritz** » 13 Oct 2006, 21:26

Mininuts,,,,,,,If I was you the first thing I would do is buy a cheap antifreeze tester to check the strength of the coolant you have before topping up.

Or simply replace the whole lot with the VW stuff (G12) or any Phosphate Free antifreeze from any good supplier (even Halfwits sells it) at about a quarter of the price of OEM antifreeze.

But you will find most vehicle manufacturers now sell Phosphate free antifreeze as most engine conponents these days contain some sort of alloy, and this is supposed to prevent corrosion.

Regards

Fritz,,,,,,,,,

PS, don't forget the 50/50 mix of the coolant is most important.

Post by **kevtherev** » 13 Oct 2006, 23:08

G012+............. £4.99 per 1.5ltrs by us....the coolant should be changed every two years....

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 14 Oct 2006, 08:55

the G12+ spec is TL 774-F
G12 is TL 774-D

look for these on the bottle, but just to give you an idea when I last looked into a replacement
http://www.commaoil.com/Product%20Pages ... redmix.htm

comma xstream red meets it but is more expensive than G12+

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/880/mia/ ... pid/715963

£12.99 for 5 Litres ready mixed so would cost £51.96 to totally refill, as oppsed to about £30.00 from GSF. However it is premixed there is some debate as to whether its a good idea to put tap water into your engine as it contains chlorine (usually) which can aid the corrosion of your engine.

Post by **Bowton Lad** » 14 Oct 2006, 10:55

[quote="Hacksawbob''] However it is premixed there is some debate as to whether its a good idea to put tap water into your engine as it contains chlorine (usually) which can aid the corrosion of your engine.[/quote]

United Utilities (North West Water) use Sodium Hyperchlorite (bleach)
to purify drinking water. The actual percentage in the drinking water is very low & strictly adheres to health & safety guidelines.

If tap water is safe for human consumption then surely it must be safe to
put into a motor vehicle engine? I recently went on a visit to Rivington Water Treatment Works near Bolton, that's how I found out about bleach having replaced actual chlorine in the water. They actually manufacture
the bleach on site by mixing crystals with water & then adding it in specified amounts to the drinking water.

Post by **mininut** » 15 Oct 2006, 19:27

Thanks guys for the info. I'm now a lot wiser. Just didn't realise how helpful this site is.
Cheers.

Post by **MacAoidh** » 15 Oct 2006, 22:15

Should I use spring water? There's a spring just near here.
(Serious question!)

Post by **toomanytoys** » 16 Oct 2006, 11:40

If you have a leak and are topping up... use a normal good brand type.. witht he age of these vehicles its sensless putting in the expensive vw stuff.. it will not fix 15 + years of prevoius owner non change incorrect coolant..
Just change it every 2-3 years... or when another pipe leaks/breaks..

I would only use the vw stuff if I had a new vw engine and had installed a new rad etc.. the system would need to be very clean to take advantage of the long life... or it will just get contaminated.....

Spring water could be ok if low in phosphates and calcium... if you live in an area with hard water (ie kettle furs up) then dont use the tap water etc... use demin water... (like for batteries) or just buy the ready mixed stuff.

Post by **Hacksawbob** » 16 Oct 2006, 12:29

Spring water may contain all sorts of contaminants and suspendid 'solids' depending where you live. Scottish water quite often has peat dissoved into it which imparts a TCP like or chlorophenolic taste to some whiskys. But very bad for brewing beer. Water in a chalky area is going to have you guessed it calcium carbonate (take a look in your kettle for scale) Granite areas with rainwater run off I understand to be the purist water but even then a filter may be a good idea to remove bits of dead sheep and the like.

Steve Sodium Hypochlorite is bassically a chlorine based disinfectant. where we live, Bolton way we get cracking water I get a quality report as I asked for one, they send it every 6 months or so. It brings it home to you how good the water is when you travel around esp London has dreadful water (at least it did 6 years ago!) However it doesn't follow that potable drinking water is suitable for coolant application. Although as the same water will be circulating round your engine and not a fresh supply all the time it is unlikely that there will be a "build up" of scale and once the free ions (say chlorine) in the water have reacted with whatever they are going to react with that will be them spent. If you are frequently topping up it may be a differeent story.

In a similar vein (Simon may be able to correct me) but I think that oxygen used for medical applications does not need to be as pure as oxygen in some industrial applications.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 16 Oct 2006, 15:04

Forgot about the peat... just remembered that in the IOM I used the water out the tap in the bus.. ketle never fur'd up in 5 years... but occasionally.. the bath water would look like tea....... one time it came out black.. and I mean black...... (problem at the victorian waterworks!!!)

Oh, yeah.. "medical grade isnt always the best stuff.... and that goes for a lot of the gear....