Coolant capacity for ALH engine

TDI_NC

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Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI GLS 5 speed
What is the coolant capacity on ALH TDI engine? I'll be doing the TB and thought I change the coolant too. How much coolant do I need to buy for a complete change? Maybe some extra just to make sure. My ride is 2001 TDI Jetta 5 speed.

I could not find this info searching the forums. Surprising!

Thanks in advance.
 

TDI_NC

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Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI GLS 5 speed
6 liters. I guess, buy 3 liters of coolant and mix it 50/50 with water? I need to get that G12 stuff. Thanks weedeater!
 

n1das

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2002
Location
Nashua, NH, USA
TDI
2014 BMW 535xd ///M-Sport, 2012 BMW X5 Xdrive35d, former 3x TDI owner
Ideal coolant/water ratio = 70/30. This provides the best hot and cold protection and is listed on the container of G12 coolant.

Minimum coolant/water ratio = 50/50, listed on the container of G12.

The coolant/water ratio of 70/30 allows you to top off with distilled water if necessary to make up for any coolant loss and still have enough hot and cold protection.
 

Chemfly

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
Location
Houston, Tx
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2013 JSW
TDI Coolant

it is interesting that the 2013 JSW TDI owners manual (page 249) says that the factory coolant fill is only to a coolant/water ratio of 40/60.
 
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dieseldrive

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Feb 16, 2013
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2001 Jetta
Best protection is hard to define. If you are talking about the highest boilover/lowest freeze protection, then yes 70/30. But keep in mind that pure water has better heat transfer properties than a mix. In other words, pure water will absorb and transfer heat from the engine to the radiator better than a mix of coolant/water. Obviously this is not a real option in daily drivers, and there is no corrosion protection from pure water, so some is required from a practical standpoint.

My point is that if you are going to a higher concentration of coolant to increase cooling effectiveness, you are doing just the opposite.
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
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May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
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Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Keep in mind, during a typical TB change, the "entire" system will not be drained of coolant.

- Some will remain in the oil cooler
- Some will remain in the heater core
- Some will remain in the loops and twists of the hoses
- Some will remain in the EGR cooler
- Some will remain in the bottom of the rad
- A lot will remain in the block
- There will be a good amount of residual throughout the system

So, if you have left over coolant, don't get excited thinking there is a major air bubble trapped somewhere in the system. I find that the ALH engine purges air from the coolant system quite well.
 

TDIFan1989

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Nov 28, 2013
Location
Toronto
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2000 Mk4 Jetta TDI (Black)
Okay I have a bit of a silly question relating to the coolant mixes. Besides cost of the coolant being expensive, is there any other reason that putting pure concentrated coolant into the system would be harmful?
 

AndyBees

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2003
Location
Southeast Kentucky
TDI
Silver 2003 Jetta TDI, Silver 2000 Jetta TDI (sold), '84 Vanagon with '02 ALH engine
Wow! Old, old Thread.

Seems that the 50/50 mix protects to -40c. So, why go with 100% straight antifreeze? If you had a leak, catastrophic failure, etc., you are going to loose it. Why not mix per recommendation and save that extra expensive stuff for topping off?

Nope! It will not hurt anything. Seems I've read that 100% doesn't transfer heat as good as the mix.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
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Nov 18, 2014
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maine
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2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Yeah, ethylene glycol isn't as good a heat transfer medium as water. Also, the best freeze protection is from something like a 65/35 glycol/water ratio. More concentrated and you actually start losing freeze protection. 50/50 has always worked for me, even at occasional -25° F temps.

Edit: 50/50 is good to -40°. 67/33 is good to -85°F. 100% glycol is only good to -8°F.
 
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[486]

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Location
MN
TDI
02 golf ALH
straight glycol also causes scale like buildup in the cooling system
 

TDIFan1989

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Nov 28, 2013
Location
Toronto
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2000 Mk4 Jetta TDI (Black)
straight glycol also causes scale like buildup in the cooling system
I am surprised that Straight glycol in the system would cause more scale buildup than water would but I will take your word for it.
 

[486]

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Location
MN
TDI
02 golf ALH
I am surprised that Straight glycol in the system would cause more scale buildup than water would but I will take your word for it.
Maybe it is the silica they added to coolant in the past...

Either way, too much concentration causes this cookie dough looking stuff to drop out, generally seen collected in the radiator cap and vent line to the catch can, and sandy buildup throughout the system.
 
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