If you want to change your MK2 PAS fluid but are confused which type of fluid suits your car, then this is for you! There are lots of contradicting opinions on whether the car has Green Pentosin style CHF fluid or Red ATF Dexron II fluid. This normally boils down to "Match the fluid colour to the colour of your reservoir cap" This works great but... if, like me, your car has a had a new reservoir, and has a green cap but came filled with red fluid then this leave you a bit confused So taken straight from the VW service book
Febi 06161 too iirc. Well done for getting a definite answer. So everything after 89, mk3, 4 etc use the CHF?
Yep that’s another! If you have a friendly TPS you can get the real stuff for maybe £8 a litre so it’s pretty good. as far as I’m aware, mk4 onwards 100% uses CHF and I should imagine mk3 does too.
And in some cars it really makes a difference. I have a Ford rally car, with a Mk4 pas pump. The oil was red hot when I had ATF in it, not even driving, just running in the shed. You couldn't touch the pump. I drained it and refilled with CHF and it's perfect since.
Yep exactly, I think the viscosity of CHF is quite a bit thinner than ATF which would explain that. I'm still 50/50 as to whether ATF damages seals as I don't actually think they changed the rack in 89. Although it could be later racks have different seals, or simply VW wanted to use Pentosin because it was German? No idea
advice I give is check what fluid the rack had in it before if possible, you never know whats been done in the past. mk2 pumps and racks will work on either fluid, the issue comes down to condition of the seals. I've seen good racks leak when switched from dexron II atf to green fluid. some say its becasue the green fluid is thinner, others that the seals 'get used' to a certain kind of fluid been running a mk2 16v refurbed rack with mk3 pas pump the last 15 years on Dexron II no problem at all