98/99 Polo 1.4CL. Which Anti Freeze?

[Scoby_Beasley]

Recently bought this nice little motor and discovered, after buying a tester, that the A/F to water was virtually nil!! Enough to -5°C.
Topped up with the blue stuff for now by draining expansion tank and squeezing a litre of Halfords blue in. I'm assuming it was a miniscule amount of Glycol already in just from the slight colour hint.

Did I use the right stuff? I'm reading conflicting issues between whether it should be VW11 (blue) or VW12 (pink).

Also on no account should be these be mixed. Why? (Just curiosity).

Finally. SWMBO bought an AF tester that gives °C of protection as its readout. I'm used to a % readout.

Anyone know of a chart that says "-5°C=x%, -10°C=x% etc.. I've always aimed for +50% but reading in -x°C means not a lot to me!!

TIA

 

[Burnerman]

Ideally, drain the system, flush and refill with G12.
However, the usual 5 year red stuff from motor factors is fine - mix it 50% with water.
Its best not to mix the Glycol types with the organic acid liquids - the antifreeze / corrosion inhibitors may be compromised, and there are tales of the stuff becoming gelatinous if you do......I've never met that though.
John

 

[Belle427]

a 50/50 mix is fine to minus 30

 

[Mop]

A total drain down sounds like the way to go .... 50/50 liquids..... I use the Shell (Purple) stuff.... (My car is left out in the boonies quite a bit) However if we are here, with a minor maintenance issue, grab ya wallet & go buy some oil ..... Change that too ......