Hi - I've used Sierra Coolant in my 83-1/2 for 210K miles with no
problems.  Also use it in my vanaru too.  I like it because it does
the job AND is less toxic to people and animals.  It's fairly
expensive at auto parts places but usually a lot less at hardware and
drug store chains.

Mike
On 9 Aug 2006 at 13:33, Old Volks Home wrote:

> Ditto on this end.  I've run nothing but "Orange" Dex-Cool (Havoline
> brand) since 1997 based on the recommendation of a Dealer Mechanic
> whom I've known for a long time and trust.  He basically said the
> Dealer Blue Stuff is great (not cheep, though), but the Orange
> Dex-Cool is every bit as good if not better as noted by Jim Henry.
> Nary a problem with it for 9 years now, with regular changes and
> flushings of course. -- Jim Thompson 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt" 73 K
> Ghia Coupe "Denise" 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug" oldvolkshome@gmail.com
> http://www.oldvolkshome.com ********************************** On
> 8/9/06, Jim Henry <jch@jchgis.com> wrote: > > I have been using orange
> (Dexcool) since 1998 or 50000 miles with very > satisfactory results.
> I researched it as well as I could when I first > needed > to flush my
> westy's cooling system and  non-phosphates coolants became an > issue.
> I came to the conclusion that it was appropriate, as long the > system
> > was thoroughly flushed of other coolant types. The technical
> document > available indicated that it might even be more appropriate
> than the "blue > stuff" because of the anticorrosive qualities of the
> organics found in it. > There may have been some problems with this in
> the mid 90's when Dexcool > first appeared. I remember many
> traditional mechanics being very > suspicious > of the "new fangled
> stuff" and many reports of "gumming things up". None > of > these have
> been observed in the half dozen cars, including my westy that > have
> be orange since then. I think in the end I really went with the >
> orange > stuff because of the "price of the coolant", it used to be
> very > competively > priced at Kmart. I actually have a couple of cars
> using the yellow stuff > now, it seems to be the evolving solution. No
> pun intended. > > Just my $0.02 worth. > > Jim Henry > Durham, NC > 84
> westy > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Vanagon Mailing List
> [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] > > On Behalf Of Curt Newsome > >
> Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 12:31 PM > > To:
> vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM > > Subject: Re: blue vs green vs orange
> coolant > > > > My '85 Westy came with a new engine and mostly new
> cooling > > system.  The PO made a point of showing me the orange > >
> phosphate free coolant (including 2 extra gallons under the > > back
> seat).  A month or two later when I had the van in for > > an AT
> overhaul, the mechanic doing the work freaked out over > > the orange
> coolant, claiming it would "gum up" the cooling > > system and
> insisting that I HAD to switch to blue (don't know > > the brand, is
> there more than one?).  He felt so strongly > > about it that after I
> protested that the orange coolant was > > not only phosphate free but
> also brand new, he offered to > > flush and replace at no labor cost >
> > - just the price of the coolant. > > > > Don't know if he just
> wanted to sell coolant or if he really > > knew what he was talking
> aobut.  It's a pretty reputable and > > well known shop. > > > > I did
> end up taking him up on his offer, only because I was > > unfamiliar
> with the orange as well...... > > > > Curt > > '85 Westy > > Seattle
>

Mike Meuser
87 Westy GL / 91 Subaru EJ22
83-1/2 Westy L
89 Cabriolet