98a6quattro

stuff in there and it says to use only genuine Audi coolant....can i use the typical kind you buy at the store

DWP

NOOOOOO! Gotta use the pink stuff. Dealer only AFAIK.

Singletrack

No, the stuff audi uses has special properties. G2 I believe off the top of my head.

Dan_L

Def go to the dealer. G2 is correct, around $16/gallon I believe

captainbilly

Well, maybe not all manufacturers say that but, many do. I don't know the specs on Audi antifreeze but I am sure that there are compatable coolants available at more reasonable prices. All automotive coolants are primarally either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol (something like 99% glycol). THe environmentally friendly coolants are propylene glycol based while ethylene glycol is poisonous. I don't know how you can be sure you are using the correct stuff, or what would happen if you used the wrong stuff, but I am sure you can find something.

Dan_L

Audi also uses mineral oil based power steering fluid rather than ATF, I'll look at my G2 at lunch

phred

(actually Pat Bedard wrote two columns on the mysteries of antifreeze this summer)

The old technology, a.k.a. "conventional," a.k.a. "inorganic," is green in color. Most of what you see on the shelves at Wal-Mart and AutoZone is conventional, including the yellow bottles of Prestone and the white bottles of Zerex.

One of the new types is "organic acid technology," or OAT. It's orange. General Motors pioneered this chemistry starting with 1996 models in the U.S. and using the name Dex-Cool. Ford changed a few models to OAT, then backed away from it. VW, Audi, and Porsche are OAT users, too, but most others have resisted.

rhuTTchp

Only use the pink Pentosin.....much cheaper than the dealer if you buy from Blaufergnugen!!

Dan_L

Ethylene Glycol (107-21-1)
Diethylene Glycol (111-46-6)
Sebacic Acid (111-20-6)
Sodium hydroxide (1310-73-2)
Water (7732-18-5)
Corrosion inhibitors
Defoamer
Dyes

I don't have any dexcool to compair it to, but it is much pinker than they orangy red of dex.

Part number is ZVW 237 G12

wolfrc

I know a lot of folks say that "any ol' brand" is fine if its the orange stuff, but I have my doubts. I had an older Passat VR6 for years with the "closed" system that you couldn't easily flush and fill. It came with the red stuff (G11?). After 90,000 miles I figured that the "permanent" coolant better get changed. I thoroughly flushed and refilled with the Prestone orange stuff. Within about 2k miles my secondary water pump failed, then my thermostat housing sprung a leak, and finally the head gasket gave way. Coincedence? Maybe, but when I fixed it all I ran water for several days x3 to really clean it out, then filled with G12 (pink stuff) and never had another problem. The Passat gang warned me not to mess around with anything other than the VW stuuf, but I thought that was just plain stupid...damn expensive lesson learned IMHO.