As Dennis said, you don't want to mix types. I have some unpleasant-looking
coolant going on after putting in the orange stuff, and 'tho I felt at the
time like I'd flushed the system well I wonder now if some of the old stuff
stayed in there (I had just gone through the motor a few years ago, and it
has no other operating problems that I've found, knock wood). It's a mess of
a system with a lot of nooks and crannies- there's probably a 'better' way
to flush it that involves taking it apart here and there.

Cya,
Robert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Fortino" <fortino1@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 5:47 AM
Subject: Re: mean greenie Coolant pouring from tail pipe

> This tread reminds me of when my mom bought my 85 off this lady in SD and
> the
> ladies hubby took great care of the van driving it as a daily, then he
> passed on, so
> she took it to someone that POURed tons of mean green into the tanks. also
> even
> putting on a non VW oil filter.. I could tell this was well taken care of,
> but the head gaskets
> after going threw soooooooo much pain desided to leak after the wrong
> coolent was used :(
> OEM motor and all was history..
>
> Joe
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
>>Sent: Jan 30, 2007 5:27 AM
>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>Subject: Re: mean greenie Coolant pouring from tail pipe
>>
>>The orange coolant give you orange meanies and I've seen the VW blue make
>>big lumpy messes that actually blocked off hoses. The real problem is not
>>the coolant. Over years, I have not seen any real differences in coolant
>>problems in maintained systems. As for the meanies after a gasket or hose
>>connection seeps, the problem is the gasket or hose. If the gasket didn't
>>seep, the coolant coolant residue wouldn't be there.
>>
>>Probably the biggest problem will cooling systems is the quality of the
>>water. If you are using hard tap water, then phosphates and silicates will
>>bind with them and settle out of solution. The problem is compounded in
>>areas of little flow or slow leak sites. All the heavy duty trucks and
>>many diesels demand distilled water.
>>
>>All antifreeze when mixed with air and heated become corrosive. Add some
>>road salt and other road stuff and you have a real mess at any leak. The
>>other thinks is whatever type of antifreeze used, Don't mix types. I would
>>even be careful of the newer "universal" formulas.
>>
>>Dennis
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: Frank Condelli
>>Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2007 6:47 am
>>Subject: Re: mean greenie Coolant pouring from tail pipe
>>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>
>>> In a message dated 29/01/2007 6:17:20 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
>>> LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>>>
>>> Mike,
>>> You have an exotic e-mail address.
>>> Here is what I think happens. A van with green
>>> antifreeze is a coolant leak waiting to happen. It
>>> happens faster sitting around than if you would have
>>> been running it each day.
>>> It says on the back of my coolant tank something about
>>> phosphate free coolant. There is a reason for this.
>>> The green coolant in the liquid form is ok but it is
>>> when it drys that it turns into the mean greenie. It
>>> turns alkaline or strongly basic. When the gasket
>>> begins to leak it will leak first just after you turn
>>> it off as it cools. When you run the van it may seal
>>> up but it will leak a bit each time you shut down.
>>> It is the seaping coolant that drys and turns into a
>>> mean greeny. When it sits it seaps more slowly but
>>> it never gets purged by a push of coolant so the mean
>>> greenie turns into a mighty mean greenie. I would
>>> suggest the orange coolant if it sits around.
>>> Gives us some feedback on the corrosion of the heads
>>> when you do the job. good luck, gary
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Gary, that is by far the best description I've ever read on the GREEN
>>> coolant. I'm saving it to show my customers who show up here
>>> with GREEN coolant in
>>> their waterboxer engined Vanagon ! Thanks !
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Frank Condelli
>>> Almonte, Ontario, Canada
>>> '87 Westy, '90 Carat, '87 Wolfsburg (Forsale) & Lionel Trains
>>> (_Collectionfor sale_
>>> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/trainsal.htm) )
>>> Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
>>> _Frank Condelli & Associates_
>>> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html)_Vanagon Stainless
>>> Steel Exhaust Systems_
>>> (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm)
>>> _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper
>>> camping event, Almonte, ON, June 07 ~ 10, 2007
>>>