Does any one know what coolant i need as its getting low and weres the best place to get it from cheers
Best plan would be to use the proper VAG stuff called G12+ or maybe its G12++ now - get it from any Skoda or Seat or VW or Audi or VW Van Centre - or your local TPS if they sell to Joe Public - or maybe GSF or ECP.
Mix this stuff 50-50 with water in theory, in practise, I'd just add G12+(+) if the level is only low by half an inch.
Its specialy designed to work with their engines. It doesnt break down, attack either the cylinder head (aluminium) or the iorn block.
VAG stuff is red therefore will be the newer type of long life antifreeze.
They are all based on ethylene glycol but the corrosion inhibitor additives have changed.
In the old days the corrosion inhibitor made the water inert (probably by chasing the oxygen out) so it would not corrode the aluminium/steel. However this mean it had a finite life and you need to change every 2-3 years as the package broke down as it had to keep removing/inerting oxygen.. This is the blue stuff as a rule;
Comma Supercold master = "Premium traditional antifreeze contains Mono Ethylene Glycol"
New long life antifreeze tends to be red (maybe yellow). The corrosion inhibitors work in a different way; instead of locking up the fluid part of the corrosion problem they act on the surface. So they oxidise/lock up the surface of the inside of the engine so that it does not corrode. This also then allows it to work for longer as it is not having to keep on removing/inerting the oxygen as it gets into the coolant. So it lasts 5 years instead of 2-3 years. There are issues; early GM ones ate plastics and if you have a rubbing water pump e.g. then it will continually clean the surface and so use up the inhibitor more quickly. They say OAT sometime - organic acid technology;
Comma Xstream Red Longlife = "Pure concentrate ethylene glycol, silicate free with Organic Acid Technology."
which is AUDI/SEAT/SKODA/VW (TL774D/F) approved.
So VAG stuff lasts longer and is tested. The Comma long life stuff is probably the same as it has a well known German additive (BASF's Glysantin) which is what I now use... the price difference between this and the old blue stuff is only a pound or two yet it lasts twice as long;
http://www.commaoil.com/Product Pages/Coolantswinter/xstreamredcon.htm
Go Google on long life anti-freeze if you want more..
They are all based on ethylene glycol but the corrosion inhibitor additives have changed.
In the old days the corrosion inhibitor made the water inert (probably by chasing the oxygen out) so it would not corrode the aluminium/steel. However this mean it had a finite life and you need to change every 2-3 years as the package broke down as it had to keep removing/inerting oxygen.. This is the blue stuff as a rule;
Comma Supercold master = "Premium traditional antifreeze contains Mono Ethylene Glycol"
New long life antifreeze tends to be red (maybe yellow). The corrosion inhibitors work in a different way; instead of locking up the fluid part of the corrosion problem they act on the surface. So they oxidise/lock up the surface of the inside of the engine so that it does not corrode. This also then allows it to work for longer as it is not having to keep on removing/inerting the oxygen as it gets into the coolant. So it lasts 5 years instead of 2-3 years. There are issues; early GM ones ate plastics and if you have a rubbing water pump e.g. then it will continually clean the surface and so use up the inhibitor more quickly. They say OAT sometime - organic acid technology;
Comma Xstream Red Longlife = "Pure concentrate ethylene glycol, silicate free with Organic Acid Technology."
which is AUDI/SEAT/SKODA/VW (TL774D/F) approved.
So VAG stuff lasts longer and is tested. The Comma long life stuff is probably the same as it has a well known German additive (BASF's Glysantin) which is what I now use... the price difference between this and the old blue stuff is only a pound or two yet it lasts twice as long;
http://www.commaoil.com/Product Pages/Coolantswinter/xstreamredcon.htm
Go Google on long life anti-freeze if you want more..
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