I checked with Prestone awhile ago: There coolant is NOT phosphate free!
Only there "extended life" coolant is phosphate free, but I wouldn't use it.

It is really very simple: Buy the correct blue German coolant.

When anyone buys a water cooled Vanagon the very first thing they should do is change
the coolant (and all the other fluids too)!
So put in the blue coolant when you do this.
In Portland, OR I can get it for about $5.50 for a 1.5 liter bottle!

The stuff with phosate will corrode your heads.
That's really all you need to know.

Good luck,

Steve Johnson
' 91 Carat

-----Original Message-----
From:   Eric Diener [SMTP:e-train@MINDSPRING.COM]
Sent:   Friday, May 31, 2002 8:14 AM
To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject:        was To buy or not to buy:  87 Westy NOW: Green Coolant?

 OK, this whole proper coolant for Vanagon issue seems somewhat baffling to
 me.  Someone in a recent posting offering advice on whether to buy a Westy
 said they were concerned about the green coolant.  My coolant is green
 straight out of the container.  It is Prestone brand.  It says safe for all
 aluminum parts on the label, but it doesn't say phosphate free.  So is
 Prestone safe?  If not, what brands are safe?  What do phosphates damage in
 the engine?

 Thank you,

 Eric in NC
1988 Westy