Truthfully if you had the green stuff in from day one and changed out every 30,000 miles or 2 years I'm sure you would be fine. However, since my 2005 came with ford gold from factory it could never be mixed. Since your a retired mechanic you would probably understand that while most garages do a flush there is always some old coolant left behind. if the green and gold coolants mix at all it turns to gel ( based on the different chemicals used). In short, the oil cooler system on the 6.0 was a crappy design. If you get any gelling added to the casting sand left in our engines it clogs the cooler. This is a 3k repair that is common in our 6.0's. so, since all 6.0's came from factory with the gold I do not know anyone that knows this information that would try it. As Stewart mentioned some go with the ELC or the red stuff it suppose to be better than the gold which is rated for 100k miles however I change it at 40k. I unlike a few diehard 6.0ers I am staying with the ford gold because the red is not in spec with Ford and is the same color as trans fluid, so if that cooler goes and mixes with your coolant it would take you a while to figure out and possibly cause more damage. But that's a whole other thread or argument

Anyway hope that helps!

 

I knew the guy who built it, went by Moffat. He built it for his kids and grandkids but they just had no interest. Here is a video of his Excursion running Moab.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jg7scz7B6Wg

 

The "green" needs a Supplemental Coolant Additive (SCA package) added to the coolant in order for it to protect a diesel engine from cavitation damage.

The SCA forms a protective layer (like a blanket) on the surface of the metal. This protective layer is constantly being worn off due to cavitation created by the diesel engine (the protective layer take the hit to keep the metal from being damaged) and as it gets worn off, the silicate will form extremely small particles that fall out of the coolant.

This silicate fall out will eventually damage and clog the oil cooler on a 6.0L engine which can eventually cause complete engine failure if it isn't caught and addressed.

The Ford Gold (a hybrid OAT coolant) and a true Heavy Duty Organic Acid Technology Extended Life Coolant (HD OAT ELC, or ELC for short) protects the metal surface differently.

H-OAT coolant (a Hybrid OAT) still has silicate in it, but much less than the traditional "green" coolant, and it isn't a true HD ELC, hence the hybrid moniker.

A true HD ELC is completely silicate free and provides better heat protection along with a superior cavitation protection.

You would still get silicate drop out.

They are completely compatible, but if you mixed more than (IIRC) 12% - 15% of the total coolant, you end up with the lowest coolant protection and maintenance of the two coolants. So in this case, if you had the Ford Gold in an engine and you replaced more than 12% - 15% of the coolant with a traditional "green" coolant, you effectively have an engine full of "green" coolant and must treat it accordingly, meaning you have to use test strips to determine when to add SCA's, as well as now having a lower time and mileage usage.

If those garages followed the instructions I posted in this thread, there would be no coolant left to contaminate a higher quality coolant. All that would be in the engine would be distilled water waiting to be mixed with concentrated coolant added to the degas reservoir.

Gooch's Coolant Flush Procedure and In-Depth Coolant Information - FTE

That's not actually correct. It's an old wives tale that is an internet rumor that just won't die.

You can mix ELC with Gold, ELC with the "green", or Gold with the "green" and nothing adverse will happen, like goop or mud being created. All that will happen is, whichever coolant is the lesser of the two that are mixed, the coolant will basically become that coolant. So if you have an engine full of ELC and you put too much "green" in it, you will have to treat your coolant like it is a traditional "green" coolant since you will have rendered the ELC ineffective.

I thought the Gold was good for 150k?

I prefer the Chevron Delo OAT ELC. It's good for 8 years or 750k miles. With an extender it's good for 10 years/1 million miles.

It is in spec with Ford.

Back in '99 when International changed certain things in the 7.3L engine making ELC compatible with the PSD, they switched over to ELC for all the international 7.3L PSD engines. The only reason Ford didn't was uniformity for their other engines.

Ford has never stated ELC is not compatible with the PSD engine. They can't, since the engine was made by International and International is the one that spec'd it to work properly with an OAT ELC. Ford simply filled and recommended Ford Gold because it was simpler and cheaper.

For anyone wanting more info on a HD ELC, please click the link above as I've included just about all the info from Gooch, as well as just about all the information I found when I researched the subject.

Stewart

 

Stewart do you ever sleep? LOL. I am waiting to board a plane, what is your excuse?

I think mixing a silicate free elc (SFE) with ford gold isn't a great thing. The SFE uses a different chemical reaction to prevent cavitation, and the presence of silicates interferes. There is a process to change from gold to a SFE which is posted elsewhere on FTE.

Edit: after sipping coffee I read ALL of your post, you already said what I tried to add..

 

West Coast Pacific Standard time zone.

No, it isn't a great thing, but you do no damage or harm to an engine by mixing the coolant. You will just....corrupt (for lack of a better term)....the better of the two coolants being mixed.

Silicated H-OAT antifreeze uses an inorganic inhibitor silicate. The organic acid is called benzoate. The antifreeze inhibitor package contains a copper/ brass inhibitor, either BZT (benzotriazole) or TTZ (tolyltriazole), to protect any small copper parts.

Conventional "green" coolant typically use a phosphate/silicate mix as the main components in their inhibitor system. Conventional inhibitors like silicates and phosphates work by forming a protective blanket that actually insulates the metals from the coolant. These inhibitors can be characterized chemically as inorganic oxides (silicates, phosphates, borates, etc.). Because these inhibitor systems are depleted by forming a protective layer, conventional green coolants need to be changed at regular intervals.

Conventional coolants containing silicates degrade primarily due to rapid inhibitor depletion. This is because silicates lay down protective layers as part of their protection mechanism. That means the SCA level must be tested on a regular basis and added as necessary to ensure against cavitation.

Heavy Duty OAT ELC's use carboxylates as an inhibitor to prevent cavitation. Carboxylates actually interact with the metal to protect from cavitation. It does not form a layer that will deplete or wear away over time.

Ford started using this silicated H-OAT formula starting with the 2002 model year trucks, traditionally gold in color, equivalent to the Zerex G-05 coolant.

When you use the term "SFE" are you referring to an OAT ELC? AKA ELC for short?

If you are, then the process for back-flushing a 7.3L engine to prep it for ELC is detailed in the link I posted in my above post.

Stewart

 

I figured coolant turning to gel was a myth, there are a lot of myths out there and many are actually funny.

 

After reading all of Stewart's post, stick to the gasser. I've heard on the Internet you can use pee instead of coolant

 

You can use pee instead of coolant in an extreme situation. The salts in the urine (if somehow you can collect enough) raises the boiling temperature of the "Gold coolant" and is better than nothing.

 

Cut and paste.

 

Here it is; none of it turns to gel.
Quote: (you)
if the green and gold coolants mix at all it turns to gel ( based on the different chemicals used).
Stew;
That's not actually correct. It's an old wives tale that is an internet rumor that just won't die.

 

This is boring! Back to finding me a new truck!

 

OK, here is the one I sent you: Click Here

If you are still looking for a 4x4 V10, then this might be one for you.

I still think you just need to turn your 2wd V8 into a hair on fire supercharged highway cruise missile!

 

The one below, after Misky posted, yes. But the one above his post, the one his post referenced, nope.

Apoc, boring? How can knowledge for your future Ex be boring??

Stewart

 

It's not boring per-say, just not so much helpful in finding me a truck

 

the worst thing about green coolant is it gives HULK like powers to any engine it is put in