Date:         Fri, 1 Aug 2003 12:37:50 -0700
Reply-To:     Harald Rust <harald_nancy_vw@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Harald Rust <harald_nancy_vw@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      What's your vanagon antifreeze?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Forwarded from:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vw-camping/
If you own a wbx vanagon, you are probably
familiar with the ongoing controversary about
which antifreeze is best.
The dealer recommends the blue Autobahn at $20/gallon.
It makes it expensive to flush and refill your system
every couple of years.
It's important for the wbx to use only Phosphate-free
antifreeze. That's an absolute must.
The conventional U.S. green antifreeze is not
recommended for vanagons. It's designed for
conventional copper/brass radiator systems,
and the vanagon is mostly aluminum.
For aluminum radiators, there are various
choices of non-phosphate antifreeze.
Volkswagen now sells 2 different types of antifreeze,
the old blue antifreeze for vanagons (mystery what it
contains as rust inhibitors), and pink antifreeze
for its newer VW/Audi cars.
Volkswagen does not recommend mixing their two
pink and blue formula antifreezes.
Don't know if Eurovans use the blue or pink
antifreeze.
About DEX-COOL antifreeze
General Motors, since 1996, has been using pink or
orange Dex-Cool for use only in cars with aluminum
radiators. Dex-Cool is originally European technology.
Recently other major antifreeze companies commonly
sold in local auto stores like Prestone, Texaco
Havoline, Zerex, and Cel-Cool are selling Dex-cool
formulated antifreezes, usually for about $8 per
gallon.
Dex-Cool rust inhibitors are based on a new class
of corrosion inhibitors called organic acids.
Dex-Cool formulas are usually pink or orange,
are phosphate free and have low or no silicates.
They are considered long-life.
Dex-Cool is compatible with conventional green or
blue phosphate antifreeze without negative impact,
but is more effective for long-life if not mixed with
other antifreezes, according to a technical bulletin.
It's also compatible with VW/Audi pink antifreeze,
which might be Dex-Cool formula, but I'm not sure.
Dex-Cool should NOT be used in cars that have
copper and brass radiators, since it might not
protect them from corrosion.
My favorite mechanic (he's a factory trained
VW/Audi mechanic) is now using Dex-Cool in the
vanagons he services.
I've been using Dex-Cool formulated antifreeze
in my vanagon westy for about 3 years.
(Disclaimer: I'm not recommending any product.)
About other antifreezes
There are also some other mixes out there.
There's Japanese green, Toyota red, Korean or
European blue, and European yellow.
These are different formulas from Dex-Cool.
They are all ethylene-glycol based, but have
different corrosion inhibitor additives.
The Japanese green and red antifreezes have no
silicates, but are very different from U.S. orange
and green.
Vanagon owners, which antifreeze are you using
in your vanagon?
Harald
'90 westy

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