David, flip the jug over and take a look at the ingredients list. Many that do not specifically say "phosphate free" are indeed free of phosphates. Prestone "Extended Life" for instance does not contain any phosphates...but it also does not say that on the front label. More than anything; however, it boils down to the type of water you are mixing it with. If you mix phosphate containing antifreeze with hard water (waters high, for the most part, in dissolved Calcium and or Magnesium) phosphates will destabilize at high temperatures and actually precipitate out these minerals leaving deposits in your system. This is just a function of phosphates at high temps. It is actually sort of an odd reaction - at lower temps, phosphates are used in the water industry (not only for corrosion protection as it is here) but also to sequester dissolved iron and manganese, i.e. keep these minerals in solution so they do not precipitate out on your nice white bathtubs and the like. The short version of this long-winded email is that our Euro cars call for phosphate free because the water in Europe is higher in hard water minerals like Calcium and Magnesium, and metals like Iron and Manganese as well. I'd still certainly go with phosphate free, but I think labels have changed in recent years because it is not much of an issue for us over on this side of the pond. -Ben
> Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 13:13:46 -0800
> From: covrambles@YAHOO.COM
> Subject: Recommended coolant
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
> What is the recommended coolant now? All I see in the
> stores is Prestone or Peak and neither say
> "phosphate-free".
> The last time I changed it (5 years ago) I put in some
> long-life orange stuff (I forget the brand name) but
> now I can't seem to find it.
>
> - David ('87 Wolfsburg)
>
>
>
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