Removing silica bag from coolant header tank
- Thread starter BigJimNoFool
- Start date
I have two EA888 gen 3 cars (2018 Golf Alltrack 1.8 TSI and 2018 Cupra R 2 .0 TSI).
When the silicate bag is removed, it no longer contributes to the corrosion protection. Does one need to change from G13 to G12 EVO (latest version) coolant to compensate?
If the answer is "Yes", is it complicated on Tsi EA888 gen 3?
EA888 - I've only done it on Gen 2 when fitting engine heater to a Leon Linea R 1.8 TSI. Was simple, however, I didn't emptied the whole system, just the necessary quantity. Can I just do a partial bottling/refilling with G12 EVO?
When the silicate bag is removed, it no longer contributes to the corrosion protection. Does one need to change from G13 to G12 EVO (latest version) coolant to compensate?
If the answer is "Yes", is it complicated on Tsi EA888 gen 3?
EA888 - I've only done it on Gen 2 when fitting engine heater to a Leon Linea R 1.8 TSI. Was simple, however, I didn't emptied the whole system, just the necessary quantity. Can I just do a partial bottling/refilling with G12 EVO?
Hi,
I have DKZA engine (2.0TSI EA888 gen3b) and i remove whole tank marked as "MIT SILIKAT" when car had more or less 8000 km. I bought updated version which is with out this silikat crap and it was plug and play. Of course i remove all coolant from system. My car originally had G13 which contains glycerin as anty freezing agent. That's why you need silkat to regulate PH. G12evo is based like old good coolants on glikol.
Regarding your question. Can you mix? Yes G13 and g12evo are mixable. My engine made more than 50 kkm and totally no issues and in Poland in dealership waokrshops they are adding g12evo and after car accidents they dont even mount any more MIT SILIKAT tanks. Ideally G13 should be sufficient for whole life of car but it was bullshit and I saw what this "eco" crap did to water pomp and heat exchanger in my friend VW Arteon.
I would say that you should drop out the G13 when removing the "mit silikat" reservoir, refill maybe 3 times with deionised water, then after dropping that out, refill with prefixed G12evo.
I live in Scotland which tends to be a "soft water" area, so I just flushed my ole 2011 Audi S4 with tap water 3 times and refilled with 50:50 premixed G12evo.
I have been monitoring the ph value in the G13 in my wife's 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS and it has been dropping back towards being acidic quite quickly - and it does not have Silicate pouches in its reservoir from initial build, I'm doing the same on my older daughter's 2019 SEAT Leon Cupra 290 and it has G13 and a "mit silikat" reservoir and its ph is staying at the same point as when new, so these pouches seem to be doing their job. I just need to encourage her partner a bit more about changing the reservoir and moving onto G12evo.
One strange or interesting thing that I read was, that VW Group in some write up about G12evo, claimed that you can just add tap water to concentrated G12evo - a product that I've not yet seen on sale as typically VW Group outlets in UK are just selling 50:50 G12evo in 1 litre bottles - but maybe that has changed by now.
But, a well respected VW Group Indie based in UK did make it clear that it is only deionised water that should be added to concentrated G12evo and that it is available via TPS as "mixing water" or a similar name - but for us home car fixers in UK, TPS tends to be beyond our reach.
I live in Scotland which tends to be a "soft water" area, so I just flushed my ole 2011 Audi S4 with tap water 3 times and refilled with 50:50 premixed G12evo.
I have been monitoring the ph value in the G13 in my wife's 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS and it has been dropping back towards being acidic quite quickly - and it does not have Silicate pouches in its reservoir from initial build, I'm doing the same on my older daughter's 2019 SEAT Leon Cupra 290 and it has G13 and a "mit silikat" reservoir and its ph is staying at the same point as when new, so these pouches seem to be doing their job. I just need to encourage her partner a bit more about changing the reservoir and moving onto G12evo.
One strange or interesting thing that I read was, that VW Group in some write up about G12evo, claimed that you can just add tap water to concentrated G12evo - a product that I've not yet seen on sale as typically VW Group outlets in UK are just selling 50:50 G12evo in 1 litre bottles - but maybe that has changed by now.
But, a well respected VW Group Indie based in UK did make it clear that it is only deionised water that should be added to concentrated G12evo and that it is available via TPS as "mixing water" or a similar name - but for us home car fixers in UK, TPS tends to be beyond our reach.
Since both G13 and G12EVO is 100% miscible i could live with easy/partial done drain as in the video below. It means you just disconnect the lower radiator hose, se pic at the red arrow.
About 2 min into the video;
Perhaps I need to do it at least 2 times.
What do you think?
According to Erwin it is a complicated job, therefore I want to take a short cut
.
About 2 min into the video;
Perhaps I need to do it at least 2 times.
What do you think?
According to Erwin it is a complicated job, therefore I want to take a short cut
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The thing is, if you just removed the total contents of the reservoir and refilled it with G12evo, every maybe month, it would take you a few years - a guess - until you would have reduced the G13 content down to 5%, so why waste so much time and new G12evo, just do it the recommended way and so end up with 100% G12evo 50-50 premixed coolant.
Yes, not just the expansion tank. If I open the lower radiator hose then I will empty the radiator to and hose...surroundings
An alternative is to just change to new G13 since I cant get out enough with suggested method. Dont like to have two differen coolant types.
As say Rum4mo best is to do a100% replace to G12evo.
If I stick to G13 I have to do it again in a few years... not any problem.
An alternative is to just change to new G13 since I cant get out enough with suggested method. Dont like to have two differen coolant types.
As say Rum4mo best is to do a100% replace to G12evo.
If I stick to G13 I have to do it again in a few years... not any problem.
Yes, the "weakness" of using G13 it seems, very annoying.
I was only suggesting the "just change what is in the reservoir" as an "easy" way to change the coolant, I think that someone considered doing that in the past.
I think that "junk" including iron oxide sort of stuff, drops out of the coolant in the bottom of the main coolant radiator - that was what I found in my own 2011 Audi S4, so doing as you suggested, ie allowing a large volume of coolant to be removed from the system at a time works well if doing that via the main radiator bottom hose, it is just that doing that probably leaves you with a task convincing any trapped air out of the system.
I was only suggesting the "just change what is in the reservoir" as an "easy" way to change the coolant, I think that someone considered doing that in the past.
I think that "junk" including iron oxide sort of stuff, drops out of the coolant in the bottom of the main coolant radiator - that was what I found in my own 2011 Audi S4, so doing as you suggested, ie allowing a large volume of coolant to be removed from the system at a time works well if doing that via the main radiator bottom hose, it is just that doing that probably leaves you with a task convincing any trapped air out of the system.
My job on the Leon tomorrow...... 2.0TDI DSG (adblue). Ebay £18.99. Got the VWAG and part number on the bottom. Just going to syphon out what's in the header tank and replace, it's getting a full coolant change next April/May time when the timing belt and water pump are done
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My 2014 ST FR 184 with AE288 diesel.... Got coolant low warning light after 240 miles run from Yorkshire and on M25. Topped up with 1.5 litres on arrival in Brighton, and next day no heat. Drove back home 3 days later, no heat. Took to specialist Indy in Leeds that has done 30 VAG cars. Diagnosed silicate bag issue and flushed my system under pressure 5 times and fitted new heater matrix. Old one was so clogged they couldn't blow through it with a compressor. Of the 30 they had done, only had two back and that was when they flushed 3 times not 5. Cost £750
About 20 min also for me per Golf and Cupra for unmount the tank and delete the silica bag. No cost .
As it looks now I will do a partial change using G13, perhaps 2x (runing engine before process no 2). I dont want to go to workshop/dealer, want to do it by my self. I expect to get out about 45-50% of the volume per process.
I dont like the possibity that if I mix G13 and G12EVO it will end up color Brown.....Dont know if it is like that.....
. As it looks now I will do a partial change using G13, perhaps 2x (runing engine before process no 2). I dont want to go to workshop/dealer, want to do it by my self. I expect to get out about 45-50% of the volume per process.
I dont like the possibity that if I mix G13 and G12EVO it will end up color Brown.....Dont know if it is like that.....
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You had it lucky, as I did with my 2014 Leon 1.6TDI. The bag was easy to get out of the expansion bottle, with it just sitting in a pouch. The current 2019 Leon has (hadAbout 20 min also for me per Golf and Cupra for unmount the tank and delete the silica bag. No cost
As it looks now I will do a partial change using G13, perhaps 2x (runing engine before process no 2). I dont want to go to workshop/dealer, want to do it by my self. I expect to get out about 45-50% of the volume per process.
I dont like the possibity that if I mix G13 and G12EVO it will end up color Brown.....Dont know if it is like that.....
) the double skinned bottle, so impossible to remove the bag - but 20 mins work and £19 for a new bottle is a much cheaper option than sorting out the results of a potential burst silica bag months or years in the future. At least I know the threat of that has now totally gone Thanks for the info ref the silica bag, removed this morning nice and simple 5 min job
Just a bit longer to arrange a full system flush nown
Just a bit longer to arrange a full system flush nown
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