my antifreeze needs just a bit of a top up....will double check when the engine is hot to see the amount needed

the existing is red..good good

now what do i buy, its a fabia1 1.4Tdi 58 plate

i dont know if it has been changed but i think with the service record being so meticulous...it has

i have done a bit of surfing on briskoda and see G30  G+ G++ etc

i will only buy a litre of ready mixed so can anyone clue me in on what to buy

 

ps i have some "blue" left over from my 2001 1.6 16V golf top up day...only needed to do it once in 15 years..which i feel is taboo with the red....

 

car temp is fine and warms quickly...just now a couple of miles gentle driving

 

cheers

geof

I do not know what a 58 plate means, as I live in Greece, but do not mix for any reason the pink G12, or G12+, or G12++, or G13  stuff with the blue one. It will trigger chemical reaction that will turn your antifreeze into sludge.

 

I thing that G12 series have a backward compatibility between them. Meaning that G12++ can be mixed with G12 and G12 + and the same goes for G13. Yet as I am not a mechanic, I would recommend to you to search yourself and ask your mechanic or dealer.

 

I agree,best place for the blue stuff is to dispose of it - but I don't know where, maybe down the toilet as grey water waste can end up in rivers!

 

Comma and other supply ready mixed G12 or G13 stuff, as might Halfords, maybe check their website to see if they do stock the full range of these ready to use coolants in suitably sized containers.

 

If you look on the Comma website, I'm sure that they have some good info on this, as you feel that the coolant has been replaced, (VW G12 and G13 are said to be fit to be left in the system for life) then you should assume that it is a G13 mix that is in there.

10 hours ago, stratosg said:

I do not know what a 58 plate means, as I live in Greece, but do not mix for any reason the pink G12, or G12+, or G12++, or G13  stuff with the blue one. It will trigger chemical reaction that will turn your antifreeze into sludge.

 

I thing that G12 series have a backward compatibility between them. Meaning that G12++ can be mixed with G12 and G12 + and the same goes for G13. Yet as I am not a mechanic, I would recommend to you to search yourself and ask your mechanic or dealer.

 

Efcharisto..

58 is our number plate date and is for August 2008

sometimes I can’t work it out.

Thanks for the post

cheers

geof

7 minutes ago, rum4mo said:

I agree,best place for the blue stuff is to dispose of it - but I don't know where, maybe down the toilet as grey water waste can end up in rivers!

 

Comma and other supply ready mixed G12 or G13 stuff, as might Halfords, maybe check their website to see if they do stock the full range of these ready to use coolants in suitably sized containers.

 

If you look on the Comma website, I'm sure that they have some good info on this, as you feel that the coolant has been replaced, (VW G12 and G13 are said to be fit to be left in the system for life) then you should assume that it is a G13 mix that is in there.

I can take the blue antifreeze to the recycling depot, I have some old house paints to go.

i think for top ups meantime I will use the G13 then...and if the day comes I need to have a drain and flush will then have top up in reserve.

 I did see the comma products so I can go ahead with a clear mind 

thanks again 

geof 

Personally, I would just get a litre bottle of G13 from any VW Group outlet as Halfords are only showing that they stock Comma G48 and that was for cars which included VW Group ones up until 1996 I think, so it is G40 that you would only want from Comma if you have a local outlet.

 

But, if you think that it is important, VW Group sell their G13 etc for use over very long periods, everyone else gives their product a 3 years service life, now as they all use the same source of product, maybe the aftermarket companies like to make a few more bucks, or are they being cautious?

 

What I am trying to say is, if you have genuine VW Group G13 in that system, you might just degrade its future service life by using an aftermarket coolant to top up, only a "maybe" as the detail is unknown to us, so buying VW Group branded G13 avoids that worry, and if you are really concerned, mixing it with distilled water 1-1 will be good.

The factory fill spec is printed on the top of the expansion bottle, in your case it will say G12. G12 was superseded by G12+ and later by G12++ which are all compatible and pink in colour. G13 is the latest VAG spec and is purple, but is still compatible with all the G12 variants.

 

Never use anything that doesn't clearly state its to G12 or G13 specification. In short, only use genuine VAG antifreeze which you can buy from your dealer. They probably don't stock G12++ any more so take the G13.

 

If only topping up a small amount on a one off basis, say 100ml, you can add neat without too much worry. The correct dilution ratio is approx 50% antifreeze/water. Preferably use distilled or deionised water when diluting.

 

Read the instructions before adding.

 

Never add antifreeze/water to a hot engine as a good possibility you will damage the engine (e.g. crack/warp the cylinder head). Add when the engine is cold.

 

In my experience, only add up the the minimum mark, the water expands when hot and the level will rise. Don't exceed the maximum mark.

 

In my cars, the level always seems to settle a few mm below the minimum mark and then never goes down. So unless its no more than about 10mm below, I wouldn't worry.

 

What-you-need-to-know-about-G13-antifreeze-and-coolant

 

 

Edited 12 July, 20188 yr by xman

6 hours ago, rum4mo said:

Personally, I would just get a litre bottle of G13 from any VW Group outlet as Halfords are only showing that they stock Comma G48 and that was for cars which included VW Group ones up until 1996 I think, so it is G40 that you would only want from Comma if you have a local outlet.

 

But, if you think that it is important, VW Group sell their G13 etc for use over very long periods, everyone else gives their product a 3 years service life, now as they all use the same source of product, maybe the aftermarket companies like to make a few more bucks, or are they being cautious?

 

What I am trying to say is, if you have genuine VW Group G13 in that system, you might just degrade its future service life by using an aftermarket coolant to top up, only a "maybe" as the detail is unknown to us, so buying VW Group branded G13 avoids that worry, and if you are really concerned, mixing it with distilled water 1-1 will be good.

 

4 hours ago, xman said:

The factory fill spec is printed on the top of the expansion bottle, in your case it will say G12. G12 was superseded by G12+ and later by G12++ which are all compatible and pink in colour. G13 is the latest VAG spec and is purple, but is still compatible with all the G12 variants.

 

Never use anything that doesn't clearly state its to G12 or G13 specification. In short, only use genuine VAG antifreeze which you can buy from your dealer. They probably don't stock G12++ any more so take the G13.

 

If only topping up a small amount on a one off basis, say 100ml, you can add neat without too much worry. The correct dilution ratio is approx 50% antifreeze/water. Preferably use distilled or deionised water when diluting.

 

Read the instructions before adding.

 

Never add antifreeze/water to a hot engine as a good possibility you will damage the engine (e.g. crack/warp the cylinder head). Add when the engine is cold.

 

In my experience, only add up the the minimum mark, the water expands when hot and the level will rise. Don't exceed the maximum mark.

 

In my cars, the level always seems to settle a few mm below the minimum mark and then never goes down. So unless its no more than about 10mm below, I wouldn't worry.

 

What-you-need-to-know-about-G13-antifreeze-and-coolant

 

 

Many thanks both 

yes its G12 on the reservoir....and the level is a few mm below the min mark being a cold engine 

I was out for a 20 mile run doing some brisk driving and on returning observed the level a bit below the max level.

could be I should leave it for a bit but have the G13 on hand

I see the VW make with the violet cap is on amazon at £13.98 free delivery, opie oils just down the road don’t have it and a VW/Skoda garage is further away

very very glad for that help or I might have both an non OEM product.

cheers

geof

 

A bottle to the correct spec from COMMA costs me £6 at the local motor factor or from Amazon.

 

The Correct level is between MIN & MAX when cold other wise there would be a 'FILL TO THIS LEVEL' line.

Seat and Audi dealers sell it too. 

On 12/07/2018 at 15:52, xman said:

Seat and Audi dealers sell it too. 

well that could be handy there are some nearer which i think will be on my routes..

thanks

So, sorted then, it will be G13 that you are asking for - or more probably "a tin of coolant concentrate please", and don't tell the Audi dealership that you are using it with a Skoda because typically Audi parts people will not sell parts to fit to other VW Groups, basically because they are stupid, I made that mistake once when I ran a VW Passat, so now I'm much wiser!