hey i got a 1999 f-250 psd with 75k miles on it. i keep hearing about putting in a coolant addative. my coolant is a redish color. its not green. is it a diffrent coolant? do i need the addative?

 

I'm not sure I have your answer, but at least I can bring the question back to the top....
I think the red coolant has additive already in it, but don't take that as gospel until you've heard it from someone with a SuperDuty.

 

Did you buy the truck used? Your 99 should have the green low silicate coolant in it and the FW-16. If the red coolant in your truck is an extended life coolant it is not compatible with your cooling system and will eat the seals in the waterpump and cooling system over time.

Les

 

yes i bought the truck used about 6 months ago.so should i put in new coolant.?

 

Not so fast. If you can, find out what it is first. I use Fleet Charge which is made by the same company as Peak and it happens to be red. However, it is just a conventional ethylene glycol coolant that is low silicate, phosphate free, and has a nitrite SCA already in it...just what is needed for a diesel engine. Other manufacturers make something similar, that may be green or red.

One thing to consider is the additive does not last as long as the coolant. It needs to be tested and replenished if necessary. To test it, though, you have to know what kind is in there to start.

Birken

 

The coolant additive is absoloutly necessary to prevent cavitation.
I think that if you do not know if it was added go ahead and add it . It cant hurt, better yet flush and fill the cooling system so that you know what is in there.

 

Oh yeah just remember thata water pump for a Power Stroke is about $300

 

I just replaced the coolant in my '97 PSD. I didn't know the materials were so critical and put in Peak Anti-freeze with distilled water. I then learned from the "Dieselmann" Web page the coolant should be low in silicates, be a Ethylene Glycol base, and conform to ASTM D-4985. I finally found one that conformed to the specs so I drained the Peak and filled with Zerex Max Life, distilled water and two pints of Fleetguard DCA-4. Valvoline, who makes Zerex, just sent me a notice that the additive wasn't needed with Max Life. I'm not sure I trust that because it doesn't state "precharged" on the bottle. I forgot to buy the test trips so I'll have to check it later. I strongly believe in using distilled water in radiators. The one in my '73 F-100 lasted 30 years without being rodded or boiled out. I finally had to replace it because the cores got" brittle". If I were you, I would deffinately change the coolant with the right stuff so I was sure my engine was protected. As was noted, it's a whole lot cheaper than a water pump or engine.. Good luck with your PSD.
Jerrybo66

 

ok what did you buy? give me the name exactly. and its rated for a diesel?

 

As I stated in my previous post I used "Zerex Max Life Anti-freeze made by Valvoline", in a red bottle. It cost seven or eight bucks a gallon. I questioned them through their Web site and they verified it was O.K to use in PowerStrokes. They also declared it low in silicates. I think it is a new product so it may not be available in all localities. Some coolants don't have the specs printed on the container, just that it conforms to manufacturers standards. That's not enough information for me. Zerex has the specs on the bottle. Below is the information from "the Dieselmanns" Web page that has coolant change recommendations...
++++++++++++++++

Cooling system maintenance
The cooling system on any diesel has special concerns. It's possible for the coolant to cavitate--produce tiny bubbles--that can with time cause pin holes throught the cylinder walls from the water jackets. For this there is an additive; Ford P/N FW-15 or FW-16, Fleetguard P/N DCA4; that needs to be maintained in the coolant. Generally this means installing 8 to 10 oz of the additive to the cooling system every 15000 miles. Another method is to monitor the cooling system with Fleetguard's DCA4 test kit P/N CC2602 or CC2602A. This measures the level of DCA4 in the system, then you add the amount as required. The cooling system should be drained (and flushed if you live in an area with especialy alkiline water) and refilled with a fresh 50/50 mix of coolant/water and one pint of the additive for every two gallons of coolant/water at 30,000 miles. Use only a low-silicate ethylene glycol-based coolant. Ford does not recommend using propylene glycol coolants in any of their vehicles.
Antifreezes I can recommend:

Ford or Motorcraft Premium Antifreeze
Texaco Antifreeze/Coolant
Texaco Antifreeze/Coolant Prediluted 50/50
Zerex 5/100 (white bottle) Antifreeze/Coolant
Zerex Ready To Use Antifreeze/Coolant (premixed 50/50 with demineralized water)
Zerex Heavy Duty Precharged Formula
Shellzone Premium Quality Antifreeze
Prestone Heavy Duty (black bottle) Antifreeze/Coolant with SCA
Fleetguard Compleat EG--precharged at 1.5 units/gallon DCA4
Also available premixed 50/50 with water with the same DCA4 level
Pyroil Heavy-Duty Antifreeze/Coolant--Low Silicate
FleetCharge Antifreeze/Coolant--precharged with Pencool

2002 model year trucks use any of the above if your truck came filled with green coolant. If it came from the factory with yellow coolant, only use Motorcraft Premium Gold Antifreeze or Zerex G05 (gold bottle) These coolants do not require SCA/DCA. Do not use extended life coolants (ELC) as they can cause water pump seal and injector sleeve deterioration.