Should I attempt a coolant change myself?

Post by **dublicious** » 04 Sep 2007, 06:53

Lo Guys,

Wanting to the flush and replace coolant to G12 as it has some horible blue stuff in at the moment from last service. Reading through the haynes it sounds like a pain to do on my driveway. Would I be advised to book into VW and pay the £94 they want for doing it?

Just don't want to get in a pickle then can't drive it.

Cheers,

J

Post by **jamesc76** » 04 Sep 2007, 07:00

When you say horrible blue stuff, thats trade coolant mines full of it and has been for years, its perfectly fine stuff as long as you change it approx every 2 years (starts loosing its anti corrosion properties) as you should do on a service!

Post by **toomanytoys** » 04 Sep 2007, 07:21

Modern antifreeze should do 3 -4 years without issue.. as long as it is changed every now and then and isnt topped up with tap water, it shouldnt be an issue..

I can see little piont if putting the G12 in the system as any corrosion will have happened and it wont "repair" it..

But 94 quid.. sounds cheap for them to do.. if you can get them to stick to the price.. I would let them do it.... G12 isnt (wasnt!!!!) cheap and it takes 18L of coolant... I reckon they will try to "adjust" the price... when they realise...

I have been using "ordinary" coolant for 7 years... the engine was rebuilt 5 years ago and had new studs in it... when I had to pop a head off, there was no corrosion on the studs and it has covered over 130k km and also been stood for 1 year... the other parts are just as rusty as they were.. (barrels, steel coolant pipes...etc etc...

Post by **g60steve** » 04 Sep 2007, 08:00

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/forum ... =5012&PN=2

Tried and tested method wrote by a bloke that's does coolant changes as part of his daily job and he's never once had to mess about with jacking vans up or parking them on an incline to get the air out.

Post by **PEET** » 04 Sep 2007, 08:38

And i can vouch it works! I've been anal bout this and changed it every 2 years and followed these instructions after cursing /laughing/crying at the Haynes manual way...!

Post by **T3teedub** » 04 Sep 2007, 14:03

I also recommend the BrickYard method. It works.

Post by **beno** » 04 Sep 2007, 15:13

Is it just me or does that link to the brick yard not work right?

Ben

Post by **T3teedub** » 04 Sep 2007, 16:01

Works ok here. You must try harder

Post by **T3teedub** » 04 Sep 2007, 16:02

Works ok here. You must try harder

There's a nasty echo in here

Post by **dublicious** » 04 Sep 2007, 17:51

Cheers guys, the brickworks method sounds much better than the haynes way. I wonder if he would flush the system the same way as haynes.

Reason for changing is I had to top up the coolant with water as the filler tank behind the number plate was bone dry, mind I need to check again if it actually took the water into the system! Plus I like to know where I am at and knowing the coolant in there makes me happy, sad or what?

funny thing happened with VW, the price was a fixed price at £94 inc vat and new coolant but he suddenly realised that it wouldn't go into the work bays being a hightop, doh.

Thanks again,

J

Post by **dublicious** » 04 Sep 2007, 17:57

Oh right, is there a quick and cheap way of checking the mix of the coolant and to see if this containing anti corrosion props?

VW told me that once G12 is in the vehicle you never have to change it again, surely that is bollox.

jamesc76 wrote:When you say horrible blue stuff, thats trade coolant mines full of it and has been for years, its perfectly fine stuff as long as you change it approx every 2 years (starts loosing its anti corrosion properties) as you should do on a service!

Post by **g60steve** » 04 Sep 2007, 18:00

Have a read.

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/VehicleSpec ... freeze.htm

Post by **dublicious** » 04 Sep 2007, 20:55

nice one fella, brickyard to the rescue again

g60steve wrote:Have a read.

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/VehicleSpec ... freeze.htm

Post by **g60steve** » 04 Sep 2007, 20:57

No worries...it's easily overlooked because most people go straight to the forum when there's loads of useful info on the erm information page....same as on here with the Wiki...very useful.

Post by **dublicious** » 04 Sep 2007, 21:04

Yep I am bad for that, sorry all.

g60steve wrote:No worries...it's easily overlooked because most people go straight to the forum when there's loads of useful info on the erm information page....same as on here with the Wiki...very useful.