This topic came up a while back and I never got to post a question on it...
Those of us with aluminum (or part-aluminium) engines---TR7, TR8---are
pretty particular about what kind of antifreeze we use. The manual says to
use ONLY phosphate-free coolant. Seems to me that most all good antifreezes
(e.g., Prestone, Xerex, Peak, ...) these days are phosphate-free, right?
One of the guys in the TR8 club gets his coolant from Jaguar because, he
insists, it says "Phosphate-free" on the jug. The VW/Audi manual says
the same thing and they too sell a "special" phosphate-free antifreeze.
I use Prestone (safe for ALL metals) and haven't had a problem (yet?)
Am I correct in saying that commercially available antifreezes that say
"safe for all metals" ARE phosphate free and are perfectly good substitutes
for the HIGH-priced Jaguar (VW/Audi) coolant? What exactly DO phosphates
do to an aluminum engine anyway?
Curious jim
jtc@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
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