Just checked it with a coolant tester and it is showing it is not protected below freezing. Do regular testers not work on German antifreeze (I know, stupid question). The PO maintained the car very well (receipts), and gave me two qts of antifreeze. If I need to drain the system, anything special I should know?

Thanks

Rich

 

little cheat for you, syphon out 1 ltr of water then add 1 ltr antifreeze otherwise do a full change
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=syphon&hl=en

 

I drained a couple liters and added 1.5 liters of g12. Drove it around until it was totally warmed up, the low coolant light came on, stopped and added the remaining .5 liter., light went off Should be OK now?
Thanks

 

there are marks on your coolant reservoir for low and high level.

 

Yes, thank you, I knew that.
Rich

 

my a4 was at full line, then after about 1000 miles of driving i checked this morning (cold) and it was about 1/2" below LOW. I opened the cap and the pressure came off it and the level went up a little, near the low point. How am I losing that much coolant after 1000 miles? I've noticed no leak anywhere. Any ideas?

 

Bleed the system.

Unscrew the expansion tank screws that hold it down. Pull the (right- I think) hose back from the heater core so the small hole is exposed.
Then, hold the expansion tank up in the air as high as you can. (engine should be off)
Remove the cap on the expansion tank, and fill with coolant, until coolant starts to flow out the small hole on the the heater core.
Then put the expansion tank back, and the hose back, and start the car and check the levels.

 

ummmmmm sometimes people come in with bubbles in the system

 

When I tore apart the TB and EGR I took that off, maybe that was the reason. I disconnected the wire at the bottom of the tank also. I noticed the previous owner was running G12 thru it (just blue coolant) and now Im wondering if that could play into it.

 

Did you bleed the air out of the system????