Additives: Why GoWesty Says “Don’t Do It!”
GoWesty frowns upon oil and coolant additives of any kind, and using these products will void the warranty on any GoWesty engine or transmission. There is nothing that you need to add to your transaxle, engine crankscase, or cooling system other than the recommended lubricants or coolant.

When it comes to “stop leak” products, our firm stance is: Do not use any stop leak products at any time, ever! The common philosophy behind these products seems to be, “Why fix an oil leak with an actual trained technician with the proper tools and parts when you can just pop open a can and pour it in?” If this sounds too good to be true… well, you know how the saying goes. Products that make claims like “transaxle conditioner” or “stop your power steering leak now” or “head gasket in a can”—if these products advertised the truth, they’d simply say, “Spend your money on this stop leak, and then spend a whole lot more after your ruin your transaxle!”

The products sold for stopping leaks in an automatic transmission or power steering, for example, contain chemicals that simply cause o-rings and seals to swell temporarily. Then they finally shrink back to their normal, worn-out dimensions: Niagra! Most of these products were developed for used car dealers, which should give you pause enough.

Cooling system stop-leak products are particularly heinous. They work by clogging… Need we say more?

During the first 1000 miles of engine life:

1) Allow coolant temperature to come up to normal running temperature before driving.
2) Avoid full throttle application.
3) Do not exceed an engine speed of 4,000 rpm.
4) Do not use cruise control or maintain a constant engine speed for more than 10 minutes at a time.
5) Maximize warm-up cycles; the more times the engine is brought up to full operating temperature and allowed to cool fully, the better.

During the first 10,000 miles:

1) Monitor oil consumption carefully; check oil at EVERY gasoline fill-up.
Note: The distance between the two notches on the dipstick is NOT one quart. Adding a full quart when oil level is at the bottom notch WILL result in over-filling, very high oil consumption, and possible engine damage.
2) Keep the oil level closer to the lower notch than the upper notch.
3) Use 20/50 non-synthetic oil (any brand). Do not switch to synthetic oil until oil consumption has stabilized.

After 10,000 miles and for the life of the engine:

1) Never apply more than ½ throttle before coolant temperature is up to normal, which is about the middle of the gauge.
2) Contrary to popular belief, it is NOT good for the coolant temperature to stay at the low end of the gauge. If you notice your coolant temperature is not coming up to normal it is cause for alarm—get it checked out.
3) Use only the top quality synthetic oil of 15/50-weight.

About oil consumption:
It is normal for an engine to consume oil. Following the guidelines above will have a direct effect on how much oil the engine will consume—forever. The factory specification from VW is that up to one quart per 1000 miles is “normal.” The oil capacity of a water boxer is 5 quarts. These engines have a “wet sump,” and as long as the oil pump pick-up does not starve for oil, oil pressure in the engine will be the same regardless of whether there is one quart of oil present or five; it makes no difference. In general, if no oil has to be added between oil changes, that is what we consider to be “acceptable.” That equates to around ½ quart per 1000 miles. That means that at 3500 miles, the engine will be no more than 2 quarts low.

Water type: It is very important to use only DISTILLED WATER! This detail is probably more important than using phosphate-free coolant, but let’s not tempt the devil—use phosphate-free coolant, too!

Mixture: The coolant to water ratio should be at least 50/50. A mix with more coolant than water may be required depending on ambient temperature. See label on coolant bottle to determine the correct mixture.

And… voilá! The coolant mystery is solved. Glad we could help.