TheSamba.com :: View topic - Possibly a redundant coolant question but I searched.

Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:04 pm

I swear I searched. Since I just bought my 87 Syncro and don't know everything about it yet, I have 2 questions regarding coolant.
First is, what is the correct coolant to use?
Second, I just replaced the front defroster blower motor, so I disconnected the two hoses that go into the (duh, I can't think of the name :roll: ). I plugged the hoses with corks and when I got the box out I drained the fluid into my coolant waste bucket. I am assuming that I will need to top off the coolant to bring it back up to level, is this a correct assumption?
Thank you and if there is a thread you know of, point me in the right direction. :D :wink:

Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:53 pm

I think you're thinking of the heater core. I just finished refurbishing the heater box/blower too and ended up buying some 50/50 coolant at the FLAPS and topping off the tank. No special VW coolant here and I hope that was ok.

Thu Jan 14, 2010 11:01 pm

You'll lose a cup or two, just have the front heater valve open and rear one closed when you restart, and rev it up a little right after starting and hold for a minute, that will fill the heater core. Check the level, check it again after a drive and cooldown.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:15 am

VW recommended phosphate free antifreeze. I have always run it but I don't think it really makes much difference.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:15 am

Keep an eye on the level in the overflow tank behind the license plate door. If you only lost a pint or so of coolant the system will purge the air all by its self.
The Vanagon (at least 2.1L) cooling system works pretty well, despite what you might read.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:50 am

Wildthings wrote: VW recommended phosphate free antifreeze. I have always run it but I don't think it really makes much difference.

If you can still find a brand of antifreeze on the shelves that has phosphates in it I'd like to know which one that is. No, seriously. I find nothing but OAT (Prestone-Dexcool) and HOAT (Prestone and Peak "all-brands all-engines" type) at all my local FLAPSes.

Dexcool is a type unto itself and that's what I've used for years.

The Prestone "all-engines" specifically says no phosphates, silicates, borates, etc., which means it has to be HOAT.

Peak doesn't say so specifically (or they do but without my reading glasses I couldn't see the fine print) but they promote the "all-engines" and "mixes with any antifreeze" so it also must be HOAT.

Isn't Sierra phosphate-free as well? I don't find it for sale around here, but the prevalence of aluminum engines for what, 20 years now? has pretty much done away with phosphate-containing glycols as far as I can tell.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:55 am

Thank you all. I knew it was phosphate free for WBX, but I thought it might be something special.....Anyhow I have a case of Sierra and Peak. 8)

Singler, thank you. Man, I was tired last night, and for the life of me, I could not remember heater core.... :lol: :lol:

Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:07 am

Sierra should work fine. I seem to recall shooting GW an email several years ago when I was in a jam and asking them what they reccommended and that is what they came back with.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:16 am

Oh and Chris, thanks for the pep talk before I got started. It was not too bad of a job. Worse was I cut the heck out of my knuckles in getting the clips off the cables. Boy, there is some sharp edges in & around there.
My wife said my hands looked like I had been in a bare knuckle brawl. :lol: :lol:

Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:38 pm

peaceful warrior wrote: Worse was I cut the heck out of my knuckles in getting the clips off the cables. Boy, there is some sharp edges in & around there.
My wife said my hands looked like I had been in a bare knuckle brawl. :lol: :lol:

I left a few drops of blood on my dash also. We bleed for our vans! Or is it our wallets?

Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:39 pm

tencentlife wrote: You'll lose a cup or two, just have the front heater valve open and rear one closed when you restart, and rev it up a little right after starting and hold for a minute, that will fill the heater core. Check the level, check it again after a drive and cooldown.

TenCentLife, sorry for the basic question but where are these two valves exactly?

Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:47 pm

hey, it's okay even if it has been asked before and you did not find it - at least in my opinion. It's crazy how everyone is afraid of asking a question that has been asked/answered before and get himself in trouble, like if it was a curse that would get you straight to hell.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:05 pm

It's just that some questions have been asked so many times, it is very redundant. And the more posts there are, the more server space it takes. It's just the moderators preference that if a post already exists, you add to it not start a new one.

Like these. It's the same topic from just a couple months ago.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355148

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=340737

Fri Jan 15, 2010 4:12 pm

Since you're only losing a couple of cups of coolant, you don't really have to replace the lost amount with anti-freeze, just replacing with water is fine.
Going from a 50% solution to 49 doesn't hurt anything.
But, if I had bought a new van, for sure I would dump all the coolant and replace anyway, so why not now? Unless the PO told you that he recently had done this, you have to assume it might be 2 years since the last coolant change anyway.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:10 pm

PDXWesty wrote: It's just that some questions have been asked so many times, it is very redundant. And the more posts there are, the more server space it takes. It's just the moderators preference that if a post already exists, you add to it not start a new one.

Like these. It's the same topic from just a couple months ago.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355148

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=340737

I understand the logic behind. It's the same on any forum/newsgroups/etc.

However, there is a couple flaws...

-eventually, all the topics would be discussed and there would be no more new discussions...

-but more seriously, when people are too quick to flame, then I have a strong suspicion that it discourages people to ask questions and participate in the forum. And it gets to the point where people feel the need to apologize before even asking anything.

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:05 pm

PDXWesty wrote: It's just that some questions have been asked so many times, it is very redundant. And the more posts there are, the more server space it takes. It's just the moderators preference that if a post already exists, you add to it not start a new one.

Like these. It's the same topic from just a couple months ago.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355148

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=340737

I used the word coolant in the search I did and neither of these came up.....I looked thru all 7 pages that came up.

Did you read this in my original post? "thank you and if there is a thread you know of, point me in the right direction. " Also I see you just gave a long answer to someone asking about the difference between a Weekender and a Base.........Where do you draw the line......you know you don't have to post if not of benefit....... :D :D :D :D

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:07 pm

SyncroChrick wrote: PDXWesty wrote: It's just that some questions have been asked so many times, it is very redundant. And the more posts there are, the more server space it takes. It's just the moderators preference that if a post already exists, you add to it not start a new one.

Like these. It's the same topic from just a couple months ago.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355148

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=340737

I understand the logic behind. It's the same on any forum/newsgroups/etc.

However, there is a couple flaws...

-eventually, all the topics would be discussed and there would be no more new discussions...

-but more seriously, when people are too quick to flame, then I have a strong suspicion that it discourages people to ask questions and participate in the forum. And it gets to the point where people feel the need to apologize before even asking anything.

Thank you for stating this........I have no trouble getting flamed, I am a big boy. I have just learned, especially from the Bay forum that if I state this ahead of time, I get less of the amped out responders. :wink:

Sun Feb 28, 2010 10:57 am

The PEAK coolant that I had in my garage and the stuff on walmart shelf lists dipotassium phosphate as an ingredient.