Full coolant flush - queries!

[max west-yorks 10]

Tried using search but can't find exactly what I'm looking for...

 

Basically I'm fully flushing and replacing the coolant and putting on a new expansion tank

 

 

So I've got;

-2 bottles (1.5L ea) of G12++

-Loads of distilled water

-and a bottle of the orange VW coolant flush

 

 

What I need to know is how much water with the 3L of G12 will I need, I've read 50/50 but surely the system holds more than 6L?

 

and also how to use the flush properly, obviously I'll drain the existing and flush with normal water to clear out the old coolant, but with the orange stuff do you use it straight or fill near to the top with water the just put a bit in?

 

 

(and before you suggest it - radiator, thermo and all housing was replaced not so long ago so isnt being done at the same time, so I'd be doing the flush by just remove the lower rad pipe and not the thermo)

 

and finally is it best to always fill from the top rad hose or the tank?

 

Cheers lads,

Max

[seanl82 23]

Dunno about the flush tbh, sorry! But 3 litres and the rest distiller water is all that VW use regardless. 50/50 with water will be good down to about -40, so a little extra water will see you good in our mildish weather (although it feels like the south bloody pole right now!). To fill, go from expansion tank with top rad hose slightly off to release air. Fill slowly, and disconnect coil and turn the engine over 3 or 4 times during filling to circulate a little. When water starts coming out of top rad hose, connect it back up, then fill to max on expansion tank. Carry on with normal bleeding routine and top up as required.:smug:

[Critical_Mass 10]

i think the flush is to be used neat.

 

Id personally go for a higher ratio of coolant/antifreeze maybe 60/40 coolant. Ive always topped up from the expansion and eventually got all the air out. But it maybe wise to fill the rad up then top the rest from the expansion tank. If its a VR there is a drain plug you can unscrew on the under side of the crack pipe (easier to see from under the car). The crack pipe is the long black plastic water pipe that runs along the front of the engine (under the front of the inlet manifold and above the oil filter)

 

You'll need to run the engine with the cap off the reservoir, and massaging all the pipes even the ones going into bulk head for the heater matrix - important that you do this with the heaters on full in the car! Once it starts to boil over, turn the engine off and allow to cool down. You may have to top back up with water/coolant, you may also have to do this a few times. I know my VR took a while to get all the air out the system and hot air coming out of the dash vents.

 

What engine is it out of interest max?

Edited February 3, 2012 by Critical_Mass

[fla 9]

use the flush neat and fill the rest of the system with deionised water, you'll need about 2 litres on top of the 5l of flush. Let it circualte for a while until the stat opens and then leave it in the system overnight. TBH, i wouldnt do it now as i have no idea on the anti freezing properties of the flush; if it were to freeze you could end up with a cracked block! Wait until its a bit more mild and take a day over it. Its easy but there is no real short cut to doing it properly.

[max west-yorks 10]

Thanks for the replies guys, forgot to mention its a VR6 so the crackpipe will be useful

 

I'm gna give it a blast today, going to do the flush up til the stat opens then just let it cool down and drain, ideally needs doing asap as its running poor quality coolant atm after blowing the matrix pipe and ****ing out all the good stuff not so long ago ;(

 

Will see how it goes, just want all crap out of there and some proper stuff back in!

[max west-yorks 10]

The old girls up and running on some tasty G12++ and a new expansion tank :) never realised how grotty my original one was until I had the new one next to it!

 

 

Drain and flushed twice then flushed with the VW orange stuff (which I really recommend - got LOADS of crap out that the first couple of flushes didnt), another all water flush and rinse through then filled with coolant, absolute pig of a job spent an hour trying to get bottom rad hose off, got it half off and it wouldn't move any more so ended having to use the crack pipe drain instead but it seemed to work just as well - and a lot easier too!

 

Anyway thanks again for the info lads

Cheers,

Max

[Critical_Mass 10]

:D

[G-Lad 0]

It was recently pointed out to me that you don't need to take the bottom rad hose off. You can undo a 10p sized plastic drain plug over by the water pump, on the other side of the oil filter housing. You have to get on your back and reach up to see it but once you know where it is you can reach from underneath and undo it with your fingers, providing it isn't too tight.

 

Sorry that this advice comes too late for this year's maintenance ;)

[VWVW 1]

Think the plastic drain plug is on the crack pipe itself. But personaly I would still drain from the bottom rad hose as I dont want to weaken the plastic crack pipe structure.

[G-Lad 0]

Fair comment. Also I guess if you're flushing then you want to dump the grotty fluid through a big opening.

[Hassan. 10]

Morning guys,

 

Im looking to flush out the coolant over the holidays and I have been reading about the vw orange coolant flush. However I have spoken to my local vw garage and they dont seem to know anything about it?? Can anybody show me a pic or part number? or even recommend me another flush please.

 

Thanks

[Jamie 1]

Had exactly the same at my local main dealer. Gave up in the end and used Wynns. Don't know if it had much of a positive effect or not but certainly didn't do it any harm

[Hassan. 10]

Thanks Jamie, will certainly look into it over the holidays.

[stuarttaylor37 13]

I have a 5l container here

Try part no G 052 188 A3

Its about £38 iirc

Stu

[Dox 22]

What are you flushing out? Or is it just a coolant change?

 

If VW don't stock it on the shelves or in the workshop its not used very often.

 

If its just a coolant change flush with water, if the car has been mixing oil and coolant (head gasket or heat exchanger failure) use a couple of teaspoons of non bio washing powder in water and run the engine up to temp, allow to cool before draining and flushing with water until clear.

[fla 9]

Wow that's some price hike! I bought mine for around £28 although that was a few years back. Its perhaps better to do it in the summer as you don't have to worry about it freezing overnight. Also, although I've flushed my car several times after a few months the coolant becomes cloudy brown again unfortunately.

[Hassan. 10]

Its just a coolant change, there is a build up of debris on the coolant cap cover so just thought id flush it all out.

[seanl82 23]

I'd just flush and back flush it through with a hose pipe until water runs clear. I cant see a flush agent doing much more tbh. Its just a anti-freeze like any other but with some detergents mixed in. Stupid price if you ask me, and it would cost half the price to just replace the coolant twice within a couple of weeks to flush it out. Mines had been in for 4k before I had to change it again recently due to replacing the radiator. I'd flushed it all with a hose and it was spotless.

[Hassan. 10]

That's true, other flush agents are a 1/3 off the price I just want to get it as clean as I can. Plus the water in my area is not too bad. I have seen others mention poor water quality in specific areas of the country.

[seanl82 23]

By the book its supposed to be distilled water, but if you live in a soft water area, tap will be just fine.

[Jamie 1]

No way I'd ever put tap water in my car living round here - inside of my kettle needs descaling once a month

[fla 9]

You can get demin water for around £1.50 for 2.5 litres from morrisons.

[Jamie 1]

Yeah I got a gallon in the Asda for about £2 or something like that