Date:         Wed, 16 Jul 1997 12:52:30 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         uvx196@juno.com (Jim Thompson)
Subject:      Re: What coolants are ok?

Brands of Phosphate-Free Coolant I've run across while on the list
include:

Autobahn - This is the factory stuff.  It's also the most expensive too
($11 to $12 per gal., maybe more).

Sierra - One of the first Phosphate-Free Coolants to hit the aftermarket.

Zerex Extreme - This one's been a little hard to find.

Prestone 4/60 - Discontinued and superseded to a newer label called
Prestone 5/100

In a recent engine swap, I went ahead and used the Prestone 5/100
purchased at Wal-Mart.  About $7 per gal.  Recommended by a long-time
Water Cooled only Ve-dub mechanic I've known for over 20 years and I
usually follow his advice when I get stumped on something or other.

There was one posting recently from a listee claiming to use regular
Prestone for quite a awhile in their Wasser with no apparent ill effects.
 In society, there will always be a few risk-taking non-conformists out
there.  That's what makes life so great, right?  Well, more power to them
too.

Jim
84 Westy 2.1
62 Beetle (Father was original owner)
90 Fox Wagon
Sherwood Automotive * The Old Volks Home (oldvolkshome1@juno.com) (916)
221-5342

On Wed, 16 Jul 1997 07:26:58 -0500 Byron Spears <bspears@erols.com>
writes:
>Hi!
>
>Someone a couple of days ago asked what brands of coolant are cool for
>Vanagons ("phosphate-free").  If anyone answered, I missed it.
>
>Yesterday I went to K-Mart and looked at Prestone (that's all they
>had!).  I remember reading a month or two ago that someone was going
>strong with Prestone.  Prestone was kind enough to list their
>ingredients:  ethelyne glycol, water, and "proprietary" additives. 
>Period.  No "phosphate-free" marker on the jug. . . .  No hint at the
>formulation of their "proprietary" stuff.
>
>I have been running on h2o alone for a month or two, since I burst a
>hose during a creeping commute to the nation's capital.  Replacing the
>coolant will be my first serious task on my new '87 GL.  I have the
>Bentley manual. . . .  
>
>Advice?  Ideas?  Thanks!!!
>
>
>Byron Spears
>Clinton, Maryland
>'87 GL Weekender
>no name yet
>