Cooling

[el_foolio]

hey all. had a few problems with cooling. what cooling method do you guys recomend? Straight water? Coolant? If so what colour/type coolant?

[syncro]

Genuine VW. G12+ or G13 or whatever it is called.

Distilled water from Franklins.

[gtimk5]

On an older Golf I use coolant, just normal from Repco or wherever. 2,1/5 litres snould do it. The rest just crystal clear Tasmanian tap water! I only use G11 or G12 on the 90s onward VWs according to what the model specified.

[syncro]

On an older Golf I use coolant, just normal from Repco or wherever. 2,1/5 litres snould do it. The rest just crystal clear Tasmanian tap water! I only use G11 or G12 on the 90s onward VWs according to what the model specified.

Why

[gtimk5]

Hi Syncro. I would say 99% of Mk1 golfs down here have never had G11 ect. in them. I have nothing against using the later coolants but do they mix with a car that has "normal" type coolant in it? Cost is also an issue for some of the earlier vehicle customers.
Hey, thats just what I have always done

[syncro]

Better question is why not use it? The cost is difference minimal.

G10 was the original coolant and was superceeded in the '80s by G11 then G11 V8, then G11 V8B etc. It's an evolution thing......

[imported_brackie]

Cooling system advice

Rather than me posting advice directly you may want to read this article I wrote a few years back. It refers mostly to the Rover alloy V8 but some of it applies to VWs.

http://www.discoveryauto.com.au/page4.htm

Tear it to bits! It's a free country

A couple of years back (or so) there was a current affairs "Lets Expose It!" type programme...can't remember which one... that did tests on coolants. The results were very surprising with some of the cheaper coolants coming out the best. I don't think "Techalloy" (sp?) did too well. Also "Choice" magazine tested them. My advice would be to go genuine. As syncro says coolants have changed over the years so get the right one for your model.

[el_foolio]

im currently running green coolant. not sure of anything more than that. its repco stuff. but every car mk1 ive run that in has had overheating probs. so i just thought that may have something to do with it

[syncro]

Except when I first bought my Golfs, I have never had overheating problems. Australian Golfs have very large radiators.

[Golf Loon]

Nice article Peter

We`ll have to get more informative articles like that on here when we update to the new server.

[syncro]

Good article.
I have a Volkswagen so I use Volkswagen coolant.
If I had a Holden I would use Holden coolant.
If I had a Toyota I would use Toyota coolant.
If I had a Ford........ no I wouldn't have a Ford.

[el_foolio]

alright, ill give it a crack.... I just find it odd that all 3 golfs ive owned have has the same problem. A problem that no one else seems to have. What am i doing wrong?!?!?!

[syncro]

alright, ill give it a crack.... I just find it odd that all 3 golfs ive owned have has the same problem. A problem that no one else seems to have. What am i doing wrong?!?!?!

OK What Golf/engine is it?

First, remove radiator hoses and the two heater hoses at the engine.
Get your garden hose and flush out at every oriface until the water comes out clean (make sure heater is on). Then flush back the other way. Then fill with VW coolant and distilled water.

Let me know what you find.

[el_foolio]

Mk1 1600. Yeah done that many a time with all 3. sat there for hours flushing it. mk. where can i get vw coolant?

[syncro]

Mk1 1600. Yeah done that many a time with all 3. sat there for hours flushing it. mk. where can i get vw coolant?

VW dealer.

When do they overheat?
Are you loosing water?