Anti-freeze

[Madmax]

Don't most people use anti-freeze anyway even if it's not winter? How do i check for anti-freeze & what type would
a 2.0 GTI take, i'm guessing i'd have to drain the old one out first?

Cheers.

[Mikester]

this is a very good post, i was thinkin i might need to drain the old, how do i do so??

[Mikester]

BUMP

[ub7rm]

You should use G12 coolant which is a VW product.  Its an antifreeze and corrosion inhibiter in one.  If your coolant looks red then this is what you have at the moment and you shouldn't mix it with any other antifreeze or even water unless its an emergency.  You can test your antifreeze levels with a hygrometer (sp?) which you should be able to get from halfrauds etc.  If you don't have G12 in your system its worth draining and refilling with it as it has corrosion inhibiter in it which you don't get with water / most other antifreezes....

[Ridg]

regards to draining the system, there is allegedly a drain tap on the bottom hose of the radiator.

if you can find it this is the best way to drain the system or remove the bottom hose (you'll have to jack the car up to do this)

NB anti-freeze is an irritant and toxic it will f**k your paint up too

also if you going to use anit freeze that you have to mix make sure you do it with deionized water, the golf takes about 3 liters to fill the system.

when you come to fill the system, fill the expansion tank give the hoses a squeeze as this gets the air out, top up the expansion tank (rinse and repeat till you're at the fill level)

run the car till the radiator fan kicks in (on the drive) leave on idle till the fan cuts out, leave the engine to cool, top up system

keep an eye on the dash though as if you don't have enough in the "STOP" warning will come up.

[Madmax]

Cheers fellas, will have a look. Thanks for the info.

[Mikester]

G12 Collant for a Mk3 aswell?

[ub7rm]

I think so...........

I know there is such a thing as G11 coolant, which suggests that its a predecessor to G12 but I don't know when it stopped being used.  I think the golden rule is not to mix them with anything other than what you have.  I would imagine G12 would be fine in any car as long as the system was flushed before using it as I think gunk can precipitate out of G12 if its mixed with anything else.  Again I could be speaking from my arse but I believe G11 is blue.

[Mikester]

g11 is blue and was replaced becuase it didnt like aluminium i think since i looked it up.

But it says anymore than 65% mix of G12 will make it clogg up. so 50/50 and must top up with a mix and not straight water.

[ub7rm]

Ah haa....... well you learn something new everyday!  Just as well I haven't had to top up my coolant in the last 2 years!