"Looking for knowledge"
I'm a first time diesel owner and I've been totally converted!
I did the test strip thing on my coolant just recently. My readings said that my glycol % was at 50% and my ph value was 8.0.
What I'm looking for is the suggested ph and glycol values for optimum protection and if I'm needing to dump the rad.
If I'm dupping the rad ...
Then what's everyone opinion on make of rad fluid and addative being used.
Thanx
Dubra

 

Dubra,

From a NAPA Coolant/SCA test strip kit:

"Normal coolant will read 8.0 to 9.5. Results of 11 or 6.5 should be corrected immediately"

This is for the non-ELC green ethylene glycol.

R.A.

 

Thanx Dieselzen,
How would I correct the ph if my reading was inbetween 6.5 or 11?
Is there an addative for the coolant? a conditioner of somesort?
or do I just dump the coolant and replace the whole wack?
Thanx again for your help.
Dubra

 

Dubra,

It's recommended to use a 50/50 mix of coolant and water. Use distilled water to stop hard water/SCA complications in their tracks. This will protect your block and rad. to -34 degrees F (-36.7 degrees C). If you live where temps. can get below -34, use a 60/40 mix. By using distilled water, you won't have to worry about an abnormal PH value.

If I ever had abnormal PH, I'd drain the whole system, flush it and re-fill with above. Don't know about others, just the way I'd do it.

The coolant you use should be quality, heavy duty, preferably formulated for diesels and LOW in silicates.

Sounds like you might not be aware of the fact that the 7.3L, in particular, needs a Supplemental Coolant Additive (SCA) added to the coolant you decide to go with. The SCA is critical to the life expectancy of the 7.3L as the cylinder walls are thinner being it is a bored-out 6.9L block. If you don't use an SCA, eventually pinholes will develop(called CAVITATION) in the cylinder walls and you'll have coolant entering the cylinders, entering the oil, hydrolocking the engine. Lot of money to repair/replace.

The amount of SCA added to a cooling system is critical also. You can't have too much and you can't have too little. Test strips which measure temp. extremes, PH, and SCA amount are necessary unless you use a coolant which has the SCA pre-mixed in the coolant.

There are many brands of SCA, many blurbs from the brands, and many opinions of those who use them. If I were you, I'd read all I could of unbiased information by doing web searches about cavitation and checking the archives on the FTE board andboard. Also check out:

http://www.delanet.com/~pparish/antifreeze.htm

http://www.imcool.com/articles/antif.../SCA-Part1.htm

http://www.imcool.com/articles/antif.../SCA-Part2.htm

Man, I may have over-killed you with the info. Sorry about that. R.A.

 

""Man, I may have over-killed you with the info. Sorry about that. R.A.""

Not to worry about that Dieselzen!
All of the information that you gave was totally usefull and very valuable.
Thanx for the links as well - always helpful.

How long have you had your truck for? Since new? What type of problems should I be looking out for in the near future? What problems have you had with yours? (if any)

I did some research before I bought my truck and had a tech go throught the entire system before I made an offer. I've been waiting for a truck like this and really wanting to keep it in great shape so I'm always looking for more info on maintenance and minor mods. I always like to hear of different views and what others have been threw as well. Learn from what others have done is the key.
Your help is appriciated.
Thanx.
Dubra

 

I've had this van for about two and a half years. It was used but I had a mechanic check it out before I bought it. It is my first diesel and my first experience with having a diesel get me where I want to go. I've learned a lot since then. From the FTE board, plus doing lots and lots of searches and reading on the web for anything I had a question about.

If you do your own maintenance, I'd check the fuel return lines to make sure they aren't hard in the middle, or particularly, have cracks around the edges. If you have one or more like that, it'd be good to get a fuel return line kit (also known as a injector installation kit) and spend a day installing it completely. It will include new injector 0-rings and leak-off tees. I'd also check the rubber line going from the return line system to the chasis mounted steel return line.

I'd check the rubber lines which connect the transmission radiator cooler to the steel lines going to and from the trans.

I'd grease gun all the steering components, king pins, and the u-joints.

I'd check the condition of the rotors and drums as well as the pads and shoes. I'd also look at the condition of the hoses and calipers on the front for leaks and the cylinders on the rear for leaks.

Here is a summary of things I had to do to keep on vanning during the last two years:

Replaced fuel return lines with the entire kit.(cracked and hard)
Replaced steering pump fluid return hose (it blew out)
Replaced tranny cooler rubber lines. (cracked and hard)
Replaced u-joints. ( damaged due to lack of lube, caused trans. to bind on the up-shift)
Replaced drag link, both outer tie rods. (all boots were gone)
Replaced passenger side rotor and bearings. (rotor was well beyond the minimum thickness tolerance, didn't trust the bearings as a result)
Replaced passenger side caliper and brake hose. (caliper and hose leaked).
Replaced the front brake pads (passenger side were soaked in fluid)

As you can see nearly none of this stuff relates to the engine itself. Provided you do adequate maintenance, the engine will go a long, long time. It's all the stuff which surrounds it (including yourself ) which needs to be kept up with.

Hope this helps, R.A.