Date: Fri, 16 May 2014 09:51:59 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Where do you get your coolant?
In-Reply-To: <2Zkf1o00A08X5Fr01ZkhFu>
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---- Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote:
> Craig, misinformation here. Green coloured Prestone is NOT Phosphate free, at least not here in Canada. The only Prestone that is phosphate free is the Long Life one, that’s Dex-Cool compatible in the silver jug. Look on the back for the list of ingredients.
>
>
> On May 16, 2014, at 12:00 AM, Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> wrote:
>
> > Nothing wrong with regular old Prestone. It's green. It's cheap. It supposed=
> > ly phosphate free. And you're going to change it due to leaks and repairs ev=
> > ery two years anyway.
>
Hmmm ..... . Hard to know what is going on here. I found this on Prestone's web site:
"Q: Does Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant contain phosphates?
A: Some European automobile manufacturers request that a phosphate-free antifreeze be used in their vehicles. This issue is related to the extremely high mineral content of the water in Europe. If you were to mix an antifreeze that contained phosphates with the type of water they have in Europe, it may produce deposits that can settle in the cooling system and promote corrosion. However, in North America we do not have this type of water problem. Typical North American coolants have contained phosphates (which is part of the corrosion inhibitor package) for many years. Therefore, the question of phosphates is a non-issue here in North America. Prestone® Antifreeze/Coolant is completely safe for use in both foreign and domestic vehicles. For those consumers who would feel more comfortable using a phosphate-free antifreeze, our Prestone® LongLife® Premixed Antifreeze/Coolant and Prestone® Dex-Cool® Premixed LongLife® Antifreeze/ Coolant formula’s are phosphate, silicate, and borate free. These coolants use a special chemistry and technology that extends the life of the corrosion inhibitor package so that it lasts for five years or 240,000 kms (whichever comes first), and is safe for all cars and light trucks (old or new). Prestone® Dex-Cool® Premixed LongLife® Antifreeze/ Coolant has been approved by General Motors under their DEX-COOL® specifications and is compatible with other DEX-COOL® approved coolants.
* DEX-COOL® is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation."
http://prestone.com/products/antifreeze_coolant/product_list
The product mentioned in the answer to the question is shown in a yellow bottle. Whether it is a diluted form of the Prestone Extended Life Antifreeze/Coolant also in a yellow bottle is not clear, as is whether that product is phosphate free (based on product descriptions on the Preston web site). I would not trust any product to be phosphate free unless the manufacturer made the claim that it was in print.
As to there being high phospate waters in Europe but not in the U.S., that is simply not true. There are lots of water sources in the U.S. that are high phosphate, especially ones that receive agricultural or urban runoff. Most watersheds receive both.
mcneely
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