Coolant

[verbalhologram]

Hi All,
May seem like a silly question but is any coolant fine to put in the Polo. I have just had the warning light come up saying low coolant and when I checked it still looks to be just over half. In any case does it really matter what coolant I top it up with?

[Stuwey]

Hi All,
May seem like a silly question but is any coolant fine to put in the Polo. I have just had the warning light come up saying low coolant and when I checked it still looks to be just over half. In any case does it really matter what coolant I top it up with?

If it is just down a *bit* you can use distilled water.

If it needs any more, use G12 coolant, available from your VW spare parts dept. DO NOT mix coolants, it can turn to jelly, and it not only loses the anti-corrosion properties, but it can become corrisive. Not cool!

[verbalhologram]

If it is just down a *bit* you can use distilled water.

If it needs any more, use G12 coolant, available from your VW spare parts dept. DO NOT mix coolants, it can turn to jelly, and it not only loses the anti-corrosion properties, but it can become corrisive. Not cool!

Thanks man,thats exactly the advice I was after,wouldn't want to make the coolant jelly-like. Any idea how much the G12 retails for?

[Stuwey]

Last time I went shopping it was about $12 or $15 for a litre.

[Jmac]

There is confusion about the distilled water bit, ive worked on these since 1988 and the book has always said mix with water. Distilled water comes into play when you are topping up batteries for obvious reasons. G12plus is what you are after as mentioned. Mixing with anything else has detrimental effects chemically.
Cheers
Jmac

[Stuwey]

I just always use distilled water in cooling sysytems - tap water here in Adelaide is... erm.... average? lol

[verbalhologram]

Can you get the G12 from other spare parts palces like autobarn,autone etc,as I dont have a VW place nearby.

[Jmac]

I just always use distilled water in cooling sysytems - tap water here in Adelaide is... erm.... average? lol

Thats fair enough mate

[Jmac]

Can you get the G12 from other spare parts palces like autobarn,autone etc,as I dont have a VW place nearby.

Up date your location mate and we might be able to point you in the right direction
cheers
Jmac

[Cygnus]

I just realised there is an old thread on this. So can you just top up with G12 plus straight or do you need to dilute it with distilled water?

[seangti]

BUMP Curious about what Cygnus has asked.

Also, my level is a whisker under the low mark, think for $10-15 i should just go buy a litre of G12, rather than skimp and go with distilled water?? Only need 1-200mm i reckon.

The cars going to see some track time and coming into a qld summer so the antiboiling is obviously important.

[Blitzen]

BUMP Curious about what Cygnus has asked.

Also, my level is a whisker under the low mark, think for $10-15 i should just go buy a litre of G12, rather than skimp and go with distilled water?? Only need 1-200mm i reckon.

The cars going to see some track time and coming into a qld summer so the antiboiling is obviously important.

If you are looking at it like this, you may as well do a complete coolant flush. Would be better in the long run, and you aren't mixing old and new coolant.