my car has 65k and it is as pink as day 1.
i did change it last February, but the old stuff was still pink.
how many miles are on it?
if you have 60k on it or it looks that bad, flush and change.2 to 3 years is the norm, i go further with the new stuff.
JaytheSnork has the writeup on flushing it out,http://www.blauparts.com/vw/vw_fluid/vw_antifreeze_anti_freeze_fluid.shtml has more info on their page with the antifreeze.

 

What's with all the removing hoses and compressed air stuff?


I'm going to use this writeup - whenever I get to it. Hopefully soon.

http://www.taligentx.com/passat/maintenance/coolantflush/



I've never done one before. To me antifreeze was always a lifetime product unless you needed to top it off. But mine appears to be a mix of who knows what - with tan crud on the overflow tank (bought it that way). So I'm doing it soon, complete with G-12 and a new overflow bottle. Both of which I already have.

 

could be your oil cooler too.

 

Is it leaking into the engine block and mixing with something?

 

Clear coolant, aka water, will end up a rusty hue after a few months. VW G12 coolant is pink. With your color problem, be concerned that you do not have freeze protection.

 

Draw some of the coolant out of the expansion tank and into a clear glass (not plastic), but real glass. Take it out in the daylight and observe the color, and any contaminants floating around. Test it with an antifreeze tester - normal should be around -34F which is a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water. You can vary this 10% up or down if your climate demands.

Only use G12, unless you have done a complete flush of the cooling system. Then "certain" other coolants are acceptable, but G12 is still the coolant of choice.

 

I've only used G12, and there's no coolant in the oil, but my coolant tank is all brown and crusty. I think it's from the leaky coolant flange.

 

The tanks discolor with age. Mine looks brownish/orange from the outside. If you remove the cap and peer down into the tank, even the coolant sometimes looks ugly, especially depending on the lighting. However, when I draw it out as I described in my earlier post, and test it, it's just fine.

 

when preparing your 50/50 mix, be sure to use distilled water, not tap or spring.

If there are no leaks, the coolant really should last longer than any component it flows through. If you aren't seeing crystal clear coolant, then something is awry.

 

Thanks for the response. I'll try the coolant test here this weekend.

Perhaps my indy mechanic used water instead of G12 after my timing belt. Then again, maybe I'm seeing a rusty color since it's in my discolored coolant resivor. I'll pull some out and check it.





Crongrats to the Phillies for winning the stickball championship.

 

Then again, maybe I'm seeing a rusty color since it's in my discolored coolant resivor.

This was my issue before I swapped tanks and got a flush last year. My original tank looked like an old 70's school wall ...... nasty opaque yellow. Coolant was still pink-ish.

 

Yeah I raised my eyebrows when I saw that you said the coolant was clear? It should never be clear. It there is just water in there then it's probably rusting something, get that G12 in there! :thumbup:

 

Let me clarify...when I say clear, I mean it should be pink (or orange, if you have the new stuff) but it should be crystal clear. No sediment, no gunk, no YooHoo. Pink or orange colored, but completely clear.

 

Yall probably know this, but you can pick up a new expansion tank for $30 or $35, then you don't have to put up with that dirty piss plastic, rusty, crappy orange color tank, at least until the new one starts to do the same thing in a few years

 

I seem to remember that the pentosin stuff is safe to pour down the drain. It's in a thread here somewhere. Not condoning that act though.

 

I seem to remember that the pentosin stuff is safe to pour down the drain. It's in a thread here somewhere. Not condoning that act though.

But if it's been mixed with non-enviro friendly stuff... :hmmm:

 

Propylene Glycol-based coolants (G12 is not one of them) are not super-toxic if ingested (unlike Ethylene Glycol, which is quite deadly. G12 is Ethylene Glycol.)

However, neither Propylene or Ethylene-Glycol coolants are likely legal to pour down the storm drain as the coolants are probably contaminated with other things that you don't want in the groundwater.

Whether or not you can pour them into a sewer system depends on your jurisdiction. Some places allow it, others don't. You would have to call the local water department for information.

To be safe, a lot of auto shops will let you dump your used fluids there (especially if you use the shop for other work.) Otherwise, your county HazMat day will surely take them.

SirWired