Either blue or orange,
Green is ok unless you get a leak.
Vanagon leaks are like levies,
They are either leaking are they will be leaking so
pick the orange or blue.
gary
ate:    Wed, 9 Aug 2006 22:41:42 -0700
From:    Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: blue vs green vs orange coolant

I second that emotion. I've  also used Havoline
Dex cool or Prestone extended-life orange coolant
now for 7 years.

I use it in inline-fours and waterboxers.
It's dealer-recommended ethylene glycol based,
and I figure if it's made to last longer, then
it's better.

Robert

1982 Westfalia

--- Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@GMAIL.COM>
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

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