Date: Mon, 8 Jul 2002 17:01:17 +0100
Reply-To: Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject: Re: The Real Reason for Phosphate Free Coolant?
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No, water with a high mineral content is not 'lousy' - in fact hard water
with a high Magnesium and Calcium content, where it is found (in chalk
districts, say the London basin) is considered good for preventing heart
disease whilst soft water as in the West Country (not the Wild-West ) is
considered better for preventing kidney stones (for instance) - swings n'
roundabouts. So judging by coronaries, maybe your water is lousy - who
knows?
I'm sure the water varies as much here as there and really wouldn't take
http://www.peakantifreeze.com/faq.html#B as gospel on that, Europe consist
of wide a range of rock and geological strata - no doubt there is some truth
in this, but there's probably more too it - my VW man here in the UK, says
don't bother with falafaling about with AF specs, just ensure you maintain
50/50 at all times and change it annually.
Maybe one day we'll find out the whole story about this Phosphate thing - or
maybe we won't. It is however a fact that Wasserboxers here do not suffer
anything like as severe internal corrosion as there - these problems have
raised their heads many decades ago with some earlier alloy engines but not
now. Maybe we started earlier on the route to alloy heads and then alloy
blocks, a wise man would not ignore these facts and look at the history of
things - despite US History books and web archives often having a goodly
dose of tunnel vision, if not just bare-faced 're-interpretation' - Europe
is not exactly technologically backward!
From the Peak article
It is important to read your vehicle owner's manual, as some European car
manufacturers require a phosphate free antifreeze for warranty purposes. For
these applications, Old World Industries offers PEAK® Extended Life
Antifreeze and SIERRA®, the Safer Antifreeze.
I would suggest this is read very carefully, and also consider if the facts
about high mineral water are true, why then severe corrosion problems occur
in the US - could it be that high mineral water occurs in US too, and
requires the same spec. AF as in Europe - and doesn't get it...
Clive Smith
'88 Syncro Transporter 2.1
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jay L Snyder" <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 4:37 PM
Subject: The Real Reason for Phosphate Free Coolant?
> I always wondered why VW specified phosphate-free coolants when all the
> other US makers didn't. Apparently, it is due to the lousy water they
have
> in Europe. Read from the PEAK website below.
>
> Jay
>
> http://www.peakantifreeze.com/faq.html#B
