Alex A

Which coolant do you guys use?

Tool Pants

<a href="http://www.babblers.org/board/archive.pl?read=22497" target="_blank">coolant</a>

yank

You MUST and I mean MUST use the Porsche stuff!

Ethan

I just added Prestone the other day, Yank why must it be only Porsche coolant? Is that the Elf coolant? I heard the newer cars do need different coolant but never heard why.

John..

Just make sure you are using a phosphate free coolant. I run the VW Autobahn coolant in my cars. Stay away from the maxlife prestone (Orange) or any other product which is not phosphate free. Phosphates tend to destroy the radiator by helping to leave deposits in them.

Audi Junkie

Prestone is Phosphate-free.

Macster

Porsche anti-freeze. Yeah, it costs more. But 258K miles later no radiator, oil/water cooler, or hose leaks, or other leaks that can take out a head gasket or worse. The water pump failed at over 170K miles. But so did the fuel pump and some door locks/switches.

BTW, while I swear by Porsche anti-freeze I do not buy in to that lifetime claim. My advice is to change the coolant. I do it or it gets done -- long story -- every 4 or so years.

Oh, even if you buy into that lifetime coolant claim, if you added anything but Porsche anti-freeze/water to I assume was just a mix of Porsche anti-freeze/water mix in the car's cooling system, Porsche says that lifetime characteristic is lost.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Audi Junkie

I would bet the ranch Porsche coolant isn't anything other than G-12 (Dexcool), the plastic WP impeller tells me everything.

There are only a few different BASF formulas, OAT and HOAT. They are all compatible because they are all the same.

Matter of a fact, I'd rather use a coolant that I KNEW didn't have 2-EHA.

http://www.motor.com/article.asp?article_ID=816

"GM and VW/Audi vehicles. For these applications, use DexCool because that's in accordance with factory coolant formula recommendations."

Macster

I note in your quote Porsche is not mentioned.

While you're not betting the ranch, you're betting your car. That's a rather expensive bet with a very small payoff potential.

Of course, it is your car and you can gamble with it as you see fit.

But when you recommend others follow your lead you're enticing them to gamble with their cars.

I'm reluctant to gamble with other people's cars so I just pass on what Porsche has to say.

It is up the owner of course what he uses but my opinion is I have many more important things to worry about than which non-Porsche antifreeze will work. So I just use Porsche says to use and move on.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Audi Junkie

So, referring to the owner's manual is the best you got? Nothing about the actual formulation? Well, that's it then, we should all pack it in rather than hear from someone who knows and understands the subject.

I'd love to hear how Porsche developed their own coolant formulations, separate from the rest of the industry. A lot has changed from MY2000. Universal coolants have been developed which offer better protection. Audi themselves tweeked the G-12 twice by adding silicates, which all the other Euros already use in the form of G-05. I'll skip to this:

"Free of silicate, phosphate, borate and nitrate" Basically, a new and better formula.



All this time, Mercedes HASN'T changed their formula, and has the longest successful track record or anyone w/their choice of G-05. Maybe they made a better choice than Porsche? MB believes in silicates so strongly, they add a sack of it to the coolant reservior to replenish them....but the "expert" manual readers already knew that. Can you tell us why Porsche used plastic water pump impellers to begin with? I know why, and I also know why G-12/Dexcool/Porsche with 2-EHA is a bad idea to begin with.

Macster

I was referring to the factory manual which basically says to use an anti-freeze that is specified for the car. My info is this anti-freeze is tied to the car's VIN, just like everything else for these cars.

The part # for some series of VIN's or MY's may have Dex or whatever as the anti-freeze that comes in the Porsche bottle but AFAIK no one outside of Porsche knows that, not even the parts managers/master techs. The stuff used in the service bays comes in bulk. The parts counter stocks jugs of the stuff.

What I do know is it is simply not right to assume that one blend of this or that anti-freeze works in all in this case cars.

It is like GM and VW/Audi are given credit for knowing more about anti-freeze that Porsche, knowing more about what is best for Porsches that Porsche. I wonder if GM and VW/Audi owners shun the recommended anti-freeze and seek out Porsche anti-freeze?

I am amazed that people will take what everyone says about what to use over what Porsche says to use. Like everyone knows more about everything automobile than Porsche. As I have touched upon before what I get told is Porsche can say use this anti-freeze, that brake fluid, this transmission fluid, that engine oil, etc. because it has driven countless cars countless miles in a variety of conditions and knows the fluids will do the job.

As for why Porsche used plastic ( a rather tough composite plastic) impeller for its water pump, at least the ones I have seen, I do not know for sure, but I can offer a guess.

It might have something to do with lower centrifugal force/loading and a water pump with a tough plastic one was cheaper than a water pump with a titanium impeller.

A lighter impeller puts less stress/load on the water pump shaft/bearings as the engine gains/looses RPMs. (A lighter impeller doesn't have to be as balanced as one with a heavier impeller either and could be less sensitive to developing a slight imbalance.)

As I'm sure you are aware of, these engines can go from just off idle to redline in a very very short amount of time and just as quickly revert to idle speed from a very high rpm. A lighter water pump is desirable. In fact, everything that rotates/reciprocates wants to be as light as it can be, but no lighter.

Regardless of why plastic was used, all I know is the water pump with a plastic impeller -- just pulled it out from under my desk to admire it -- in my Boxster -- with Porsche anti-freeze -- lasted over 170K miles and the impeller appears to be as near as I could tell in fine shape. The bearing was a bit loose. Odd that the high grade steel bearing was worn out but that old plastic impeller was just fine.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Audi Junkie

The cooling parts are the same as other brands, so is the coolant.

Get over it.

Porsche Brake Fluid?

lol.

Audi Junkie

Ok, this PDS from Pentosin should clear things up...

http://www.crpindustries.com/pentosi...frost_SF_2.pdf



Silicate-Free Long Life = OAT

Note the GM Approvals, that's Dexcool, my friend.


Moreover...


"I am the Technical Manager for Prestone coolants. Our all makes, all models coolant is compatible with your factory fill and will not change the color of your current coolant. I looked up the specs for the ELF factory fill, it is a OAT (Organic Acid technology) long life coolant exactly like the Prestone product I am recommending. Our product meets or exceeds all ASTM standards that Porsche requires. You can get it anywhere for around 10$ for premixed 50/50 and 12.50 for concentrate. If you do buy concentrate, make sure to only mix it with demineralized or deionized water. If you have any other questions, please email me at Jay.Buckley@Honeywell.com"

Macster

You failed to include this bit of info:

"Always consult the vehicle owner’s manual to identify fluid specification requirements."

Thus in spite of all the hyperbole at the bottom one still gets referred back to what the automaker specifies.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Audi Junkie

Oh, so it's cross-referenced, recommended and speced for Porsche and VW G-12 and GM Dexcool, by the manufacturer of said coolant, but this throws you into a spin of confusion? Are you unable to see the Porsche specs that are clearly listed on the table?

Would you like fries with that Kool-Aid?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice-supportive_bias