ELC
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: George West, Texas....
ELC
I've got the red extended life coolant in my PSD, I think it is Rotella.
I need to add a little but can't find the red elc close.
Is it safe or will it mess up my ELC if I add another brand ?
I don't want to add the green, I'd rather add distilled water.
Any suggestions or hints or tips ?
Thanks
I need to add a little but can't find the red elc close.
Is it safe or will it mess up my ELC if I add another brand ?
I don't want to add the green, I'd rather add distilled water.
Any suggestions or hints or tips ?
Thanks
Super Moderator
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29,380
Likes: 118
From: Central Coast of CA
I was in SoCal one weekend a few years back when I realized my degas bottle (radiator reservoir) was almost completely empty, about an inch or so from the very bottom.
I went the rest of the weekend before driving home the 9+ hours and I was good to go. I just monitored the level making sure the res never completely went empty and when I got home, I filled it back up with ELC.
How low is your res?
Stewart
PS - X2 what Clux said.
I went the rest of the weekend before driving home the 9+ hours and I was good to go. I just monitored the level making sure the res never completely went empty and when I got home, I filled it back up with ELC.
How low is your res?
Stewart
PS - X2 what Clux said.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: George West, Texas....
Mine is only down about 4 in...
I've filled it up several times but it always drops about 2 in and holds there. So I just leave it there but now it's down about 4 in... When I get back, I'll run it up on the ramps and see if I can find a leak or something.
Thanks for all the info..
I've filled it up several times but it always drops about 2 in and holds there. So I just leave it there but now it's down about 4 in... When I get back, I'll run it up on the ramps and see if I can find a leak or something.
Thanks for all the info..
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,544
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From: Suffolk, VA
LOL, my dad and I were discussing this the other day. No matter how many times we fill it, it still drops an inch or two. So we both just stopped filling it, and it's never dropped lower. Weird.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,455
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From: Sedalia, CO
How do you test whether your ELC mix is right, anyway? Would plain ol' antifreeze test devices from a parts store work?
Mark
Mark
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Joined: Sep 2007
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As long as you can see some in reservoir, I wouldn't bother, it would not overheat. Just find what you like and add then, (but I ran all kind of brands and mixes in my 99 and not one problem and it has way over 400k.)
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From: Central Coast of CA
Stewart
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Joined: Sep 2007
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sorry, i didn,t make myself clear, by saying what you like I meant - red extended life coolant, that's why I started by saying that "As long as you can see some in reservoir, I wouldn't bother" - meaning not to be in the hurry and add just anything, but I made it confusing by the way I ended it. Sorry. Hope this helps.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
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From: La La Land
Red ELC is still ethelene glycol, it's the additive package that's different.
That means the specific gravity will be virtually the same as conventional coolants, and the hydrometer-type testers (for freezing point) will work just fine.
However, the specialized test strips for testing the previously-added SCA's will likely not indicate properly.
If you've done a thorough flush of the system when installing the red, you won't ever need those test strips again, anyway.
Pop
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,455
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From: Sedalia, CO
I'm putting one of Clay's water pumps in soon, and need to top off the bottle when that's done. I'd like to know whether I should top it off with CAT ELC, distilled water, or a mixture, and this will tell me that.
Mark
