Coolant test strip question?
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Postmaster
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Coolant test strip question?
I'm trying to test my coolant for SCA. The nitrate does not seem to be registering. I have two new pints of the diesel coolant additive in so I think I should at least be seeing 1.4 for SCA. I just changed the coolant last year and added the additive but did not test. I need to order some more test strips to figure out what is going on. Maybe I got some bad test strips??? Just trying to figure out what is going on and any tips for testing? Also, what does the service mean in the green part? I thought the range was 1.4-3.0. The higher the value the harder on the water pump?
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Postmaster
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For the amount of money I have spent on test strips and the additive I could of had the ELC. I wasn't very educated on coolant at the time.
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Postmaster
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Thanks for the info, I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm tired of messing with the green coolant.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Belgrade, MT
i really like the no worries of the ELC, I figure i will put new in when its time to replace my engine, lol
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Ardenvoir, Washington
Had the same problem awhile back... ended up being a out of date test strip..they don't last very long.
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The test strips were not out of date but I guess they could of been bad. I
ended up swapping out to the CAT ELC today. I went to the international dealer
and asked if they had ELC coolant and he asked me what I meant.
They only had the Rotella 50/50 mix so I went to the CAT dealer and they only had the 50/50 mix as well.
I ended up getting that and was able to get 7 gallons in by taking out the drain plugs and
blowing through the heater hoses. One thing I forgot to do was
disconnect the batteries and got a little 4th of July show with the starter.
Luckily, I didn't damage anything. I didn't know there was a constant hot
wire at the starter. I'm just glad to get it switched over.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,192
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From: Belgrade, MT
Location
Grant, I assume you don't live in the frozen tundra like I do? I would be petrified to only have 7 gallons of 50/50! Glad its changed and a non issue now. Maybe down the road you can get your hands on a gallon of concentrate, bleed off a gallon of the mix, top off, life will be perfect.
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Postmaster
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Grant, I assume you don't live in the frozen tundra like I do? I would be petrified to only have 7 gallons of 50/50! Glad its changed and a non issue now. Maybe down the road you can get your hands on a gallon of concentrate, bleed off a gallon of the mix, top off, life will be perfect.
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Postmaster
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I'm glad that a sharper guy than me made the same mistake. 
I was stressing a little that I fried something.. but it started up. 
I was stressing a little that I fried something.. but it started up.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Payson, AZ
<<<< Dunce Cap
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Postmaster
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I know you are smarter than a 5th grader
. We all learn here and that's what makes this a great site. I need do some math and look up boiling points for ELC.