SCA test strips
More Turbo
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 618
Likes: 3
From: Grand Rapids
Oreo, how long have you been running ELC in your IDI?
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Spring, Texas N. Houston
I have just made the switch to CAT ELC coolant in my 7.3 Powerstroke and im planning on doing the same for my idi very soon. I bought a case of 6 gallons already pre mixed for like 80 bucks with tax I think it was. With the CAT ELC their is no need for adding SCAs and using test strips.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Spring, Texas N. Houston
Any of the ELC coolants should work as they are precharged and are good for 3 to 400'000 miles of onroad use before they need an additive. Thats way longer than than I would let the coolant stay in my system and probably longer than our trucks will last on top of the miles they probably already have. You may see Final Charge Global on the shelf at autozone, its made by Peak and FWIW I run that in the DD15 in the semi I drive at work.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 20,385
Likes: 847
From: Mi'kma'ki
snapon you need to read this article in its entirety
Cavitation Article
if your interested in extended life coolant.see attached pdf.
Cavitation Article
if your interested in extended life coolant.see attached pdf.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,615
Likes: 0
From: Hagerstown, Md
napa is a good place to get them from... i picked up a bottle with i believe 50 test stripes for around $18 and it has a color graph right on the bottle for your ph levels nitrate levels and i cant remember what the other one is sulfate maybe ill have to look. but anyway it will tell you if you need to add, how much to add or if it needs changed immediately
Thread Starter
|
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,493
Likes: 3
From: NY
I should do a coolant flush in the spring then and put the right stuff in. I was hoping I could just put some SCA in but from reading that it looks like I would be doing a coolant flush anyways to get a 50/50 ratio of coolant to distilled water.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 0
From: Kville, ohio
cat antifreeze kicks a$$. we overhauled a c-12 Cat with that coolent in it and there wasnt the least little bit of rust or scale in the cooling system that we could find. i however just use the standard green napa antifreeze and charge it with Napakool. its alot cheaper for me, and it dosent take much to check it with a strip.