First let me say that I'm a new member and have already learned a lot. Glad I found this place.

The message center displayed the message that said to "check coolant additive". Any idea what this is and how do you do it. Coolant level was at normal and no visual leaks. Truck only has 21k on it. Does this mean the coolant is already worn out and needs to be replaced?

 

21K on a 2011?

No it is not worn out.. but it needs nitride levels checked?

Not a biggie.

 

not hard to believe 21000 miles...I have put over 18000 on mine in 6 months. The additive levels are tested using test strips. My dealer did mine when did my last oil change at 15000 miles. All was well.

 

What this is reflecting is the knowhow gained from the 6.0 fiasco when coolant life just did not last as long as was theorized (100,000 miles or 5 years).

Go back to that story, and essentially, casting sand and worn out coolant killed the oil cooler, then in turn killed the EGR cooler.

So there is a much more cautious tone --- and electronic monitoring of coolant checking.. if not coolant itself.

 

There was another thread that I had started awile back on this. What I learned is that there is a whole kit to test the coolant. The days of just dipping a test strip in the coolant to check it is over. I can't remember the part number but is in the book. Here is how it works. Take the syringe with tube and suck some coolant out and put in the provided vial. Next dip the reserve alkalinity test strip in for two sec and remove. Match the color to the closest RA coler spot. If RA os low, use the orange capped vial. If RA is high use the clear capped vial. Next fill syringe exactly to the 5ml line with coolant and transfer the sample to the appropriate vial determined in the previous step. Recap the vial and shake for a full 15 sec. Uncap the vial and dip contamination strip for 2 sec. Match the color on the test strip to the contamination color spot closest the strip pad color. At this point it is a pass or fail. To my knowledge there is no nitrite in the Organic Acid tech. coolant, only the reserve alkalinity. One thing I dont understand is that the instructions don't say anything about the low or high reserved alkalinity, I mean what is it suppose to be at, Low or High or is that determined in the last step as the pass or fail?

I hope this makes sense. The kit is called "Extended life coolant contamination test strip kit"

Jason