antifreeze problemo

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <Pine.HPP.3.95.980828164515.1404A-100000@bluejay.creighton.edu> Virtual Bob writes:

> My local idiot of dealer replaced the supposedly red coolant with green
> one. Could someone tell me of green antifreeze contains phosphate or not?
> I notice many domestic coolant manufacturers still lable their
> phosphate-containing antifreeze "aluminum safe" -- and for now, this is
> the excuse the dealer is using. When I talked to the parts guy, he said
> yes, the OEM antifreeze is red (or pink, orange, whatever).
>
> So who's right? Should I be worried? Is green=phosphate or not? Is it
> aluminum safe? Is red=no phosphate? Can I mix green and red stuff?

Dunno.

I strongly suspect the 'phosphate' issue is related to German 'green'
politics.  The established political parties in Germany got one hell
of a fright in the early 1980s when the 'Greens' got 5% of the vote
and thus got into Parliament.  All of a sudden 'green' issues (the
trees dying, fish changing sex, foam in rivers) became highly
prominent - all washing powders _had_ to be 'phosphate free'.

I think Audi's 'phosphate free coolant' kick comes from this - not a
technical but a political issue.

--
 Phil Payne
 Phone: 0385 302803   Fax: 01536 723021
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