Hello!

I was faced with the task of re-threading an exhaust stud, so to give myself
the room I needed (and in anticipation of flushing/fixing my coolant system)
I drained my coolant system.  I noticed a huge amound of dirt and sludge in
the bottom of the expansion tank.  Absolutely disgusting.  Not at all what I
would've expected, although I'm admittedly nieve.  This '84 vanagon has 200k
miles.  The engine was rebuilt at some point. (I can tell- there's blue
silicon at all the seams)

In light of this finding, should I arrange something special as far as
flushing out the cooling system is concerned?  I saw somewhere a product
that you add to water and run through the engine.  I intended to track that
down and possibly use it.

I know- a "loaded" question:  what kind of coolant should I fill it up with
when I'm done.  I understand I should stay away from the green stuff (what
was in it, by the way)  like the plague.  ?

Thanks to all of you many times over.  This list has saved my behind many
times in the few months I've been a subscriber.  Good wishes to everyone.

Thanks in advance,
Bradley Flubacher
State College, PA