Diesel coolant

[ANGELO]

I have been running cat elc in my idi since I bought the truck, seems to work fine. Is there any reason why I can't run that in my Ford 3cylinder diesel tractor and my Mercedes with a om616? Both of them have probably never had the coolant replaced. And both of them I would rather something I don't have to change or check for a while. Not sure if either of them has cavitation issues like the idi though.

 

[[486]]

flush it out good if you're changing colors

coolant is coolant, the anticorrosion packages sometimes don't like each other, but what's in my 'everything' is a mix of used **** drained outta whatever came into the shop for a coolant flush, strained through a tee-shirt
it evens out to a brownish color but doesn't do any sort of coagulation thing that people say will happen

 

[Boss]

As long as it meets the manufacturers specs.

 

[Dethmachinefab]

Will be fine for them. The CAT stuff is high quality, if judging by the taste.

 

[CarterKraft]

Drain and flush then run ELC.

There was some talk of certain metal issues bring a issue but if it's cast iron or aluminum you are gonna be fine.

 

[AKnate]

The shops here run ELC in almost everything. I sell around 10k gallons a year.
Don't even carry green stuff anymore.

 

[Chevy_man]

flush it out good if you're changing colors

coolant is coolant, the anticorrosion packages sometimes don't like each other, but what's in my 'everything' is a mix of used **** drained outta whatever came into the shop for a coolant flush, strained through a tee-shirt
it evens out to a brownish color but doesn't do any sort of coagulation thing that people say will happen

You would



I have cleaned black sludge from mixing green and dex-cool. **** that.

Drain, run garden hose to flush remnants, fill with whatever.

I default to dex-cool because it's everywhere, lasts 5+ years, and it's safe for aluminum and iron and steel mixed in the system. The old green stuff would go acidic and promote electrolysis pretty quick with certain metals.

 

[DWT]

I run universal in everything but the new gas chipper that requires dexcool. In an idi I use the same with an addictive from napa made for it.

 

[[486]]

I have cleaned black sludge from mixing green and dex-cool. **** that.

I've even tried to get it to happen but can't
I've heard it said both with the mopar 5-year and the dexcool but neither has done anything

 

[Elwenil]

Definitely flush thoroughly, then do it again if you are changing coolants. Certain combinations turn to snot in the radiator. The ones we see at our CDJR dealership typically look like someone ground up a bunch of gummy worms in a blender and filled the cooling system with it.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

All I know is you need coolant that says diesel coolant, because it's got the anticavitation stuff in it to prevent eroding a hole through the sleeve.

Next post will be someone telling me that it's all bull**** because reasons....

 

[AKnate]

All I know is you need coolant that says diesel coolant, because it's got the anticavitation stuff in it to prevent eroding a hole through the sleeve.

Next post will be someone telling me that it's all bull**** because reasons....

Diesels used same green coolant as gas engines for years and years.
ELC and more colors than the rainbow coolants are a more recent thing.

 

[Russfest]

Definitely flush thoroughly, then do it again if you are changing coolants. Certain combinations turn to snot in the radiator. The ones we see at our CDJR dealership typically look like someone ground up a bunch of gummy worms in a blender and filled the cooling system with it.

Amazing.
I would honestly like to see this.

I’ve always flushed with a cleaner, once to twice with freshwater, then whatever pickling agent the company is sending me.

Most of what we been using the last few years is nalcool in everything. EMDs, detroits, Cummins, etc.
Except the John Deeres.. they use the John Deere stuff for those.

 

[[486]]

Next post will be someone telling me that it's all bull**** because reasons....

I've got 3 IDIs that say you're full of ****

er, well, ackshully
they've all got pinholes in their cylinder walls and blow bubbles in the puke tank continuously while running

 

[MuntCuffin]

Diesels used same green coolant as gas engines for years and years.
ELC and more colors than the rainbow coolants are a more recent thing.

Always have needed the anti cavitation additives, though.

They sell em at napa. Little tablets with test trips and sca additives.

 

[AKnate]

Always have needed the anti cavitation additives, though.

They sell em at napa. Little tablets with test trips and sca additives.

You're thinking of SCA and that is to extend the coolant life.

Flush intervals on green coolant is ~ 3 years. A dose of SCA pushes it out another few years.

ELC, which came into the market around 20-25 years ago, is supposed to be good for 5000+ hrs of run time though I've seen some articles recommended as little as a 5 year life cycle.

That being said, tons of engines with 20+ year old coolant that are fine. The cavitation holes is most commonly a Ford issue.

 

[[486]]

The cavitation holes is most commonly a Ford issue.

and caterpillar and detroit and...

 

[MuntCuffin]

You're thinking of SCA and that is to extend the coolant life.

Says right on the bottle the sca's are to help prevent cavitation.

 

[AKnate]

Says right on the bottle the sca's are to help prevent cavitation.

Yeah, by renewing the additive package.

 

[MuntCuffin]

Yeah, by renewing the additive package.

The og subscription service.

 

[AKnate]

The og subscription service.

Pretty much. Lot of older trucks had coolant filters with SCA pellets that would slowly dissolve.

ELC has made that obsolete.

I'm slowly switching to ELC in my stuff. Per Chevron, it can be mixed with green, but will make it look like diarrhea. (Like topping green coolant off with ELC)

 

[Chevy_man]

I've even tried to get it to happen but can't
I've heard it said both with the mopar 5-year and the dexcool but neither has done anything

It was in a truck I bought, that was switched to green at some point. Wasn't getting hot until I towed. Dumped the coolant, nothing but coolant came out. Stuck a garden hose in and started blasting it and black jelly started flying out all over.


I've also seen 15 year old factory fill dex-cool turn into jello in the heater core. So it does need to be changed kinda sometimes

 

[[486]]

I've seen straight coolant concentrate turn gelatinous if left out to evaporate down, maybe they didn't get the memo that you're supposed to add water to the ****