Reference Ford Coolant and test strips
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Senior User
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From: South Texas
Reference Ford Coolant and test strips
Been reading about folks having coolant problems or getting messages on their cluster for checking coolant. Here's my take on all this.
1. My coolant is not orange, it's a light purple. At least looks that way.
2. Many say they can't get the test strips for checking it. Went to the Ford dealer and was told the same thing. The diesel mech said they use the strips from NAPA. You could buy the Rotunda ones, but much more money or have the dealer do all the work and spend even more. The mech said go buy them at NAPA, about 10-15 bucks, do it yourself and save a bundle.
3. I did the strip test and all checks out great. More curious than anything.
4. Does all this need to be done, who knows? With a 60K truck, why gamble. Thanks
1. My coolant is not orange, it's a light purple. At least looks that way.
2. Many say they can't get the test strips for checking it. Went to the Ford dealer and was told the same thing. The diesel mech said they use the strips from NAPA. You could buy the Rotunda ones, but much more money or have the dealer do all the work and spend even more. The mech said go buy them at NAPA, about 10-15 bucks, do it yourself and save a bundle.
3. I did the strip test and all checks out great. More curious than anything.
4. Does all this need to be done, who knows? With a 60K truck, why gamble. Thanks
New User
Joined: Aug 2009
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Been reading about folks having coolant problems or getting messages on their cluster for checking coolant. Here's my take on all this.
1. My coolant is not orange, it's a light purple. At least looks that way.
2. Many say they can't get the test strips for checking it. Went to the Ford dealer and was told the same thing. The diesel mech said they use the strips from NAPA. You could buy the Rotunda ones, but much more money or have the dealer do all the work and spend even more. The mech said go buy them at NAPA, about 10-15 bucks, do it yourself and save a bundle.
3. I did the strip test and all checks out great. More curious than anything.
4. Does all this need to be done, who knows? With a 60K truck, why gamble. Thanks
1. My coolant is not orange, it's a light purple. At least looks that way.
2. Many say they can't get the test strips for checking it. Went to the Ford dealer and was told the same thing. The diesel mech said they use the strips from NAPA. You could buy the Rotunda ones, but much more money or have the dealer do all the work and spend even more. The mech said go buy them at NAPA, about 10-15 bucks, do it yourself and save a bundle.
3. I did the strip test and all checks out great. More curious than anything.
4. Does all this need to be done, who knows? With a 60K truck, why gamble. Thanks
Do you have a part number for the strips? There is a shelf life on the strips isn't there?
Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2010
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Lexustbs posted the Rotunda info awhile back.
See if this URL will help you.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10302454
See if this URL will help you.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10302454
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,158
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From: North of Salt Lake City
The coolant strips need to be kept cool or they will be useless. I forget what the storage temp range is but there is not a lot of margin. If you have a hot garage in the summer, you should make some room in the fridge.
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From: South Texas
Part #4106. Mine had an expiration of Feb 2013, just under two years. Store temps are below 90 degrees F, no minimum. The test is for freeze point, nitrate, and ph. All three test on mine showed good according to the color match, even though the coolant wasn't orange. I have no idea how that works.
I want to say I have had no problems with coolant and never got a message to indicate this. During an oil change today, my mechanic and I discussed the coolant thing and he suggested I should check it out with these strips, so I did. Now I'm stuck with a boat load of strips, which I'll probably never use again and a 15 dollar investment. Oh well, that's part of playing with a new truck.
I want to say I have had no problems with coolant and never got a message to indicate this. During an oil change today, my mechanic and I discussed the coolant thing and he suggested I should check it out with these strips, so I did. Now I'm stuck with a boat load of strips, which I'll probably never use again and a 15 dollar investment. Oh well, that's part of playing with a new truck.
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2. Many say they can't get the test strips for checking it. Went to the Ford dealer and was told the same thing. The diesel mech said they use the strips from NAPA. You could buy the Rotunda ones, but much more money or have the dealer do all the work and spend even more. The mech said go buy them at NAPA, about 10-15 bucks, do it yourself and save a bundle.
My guess is many of these dealers are testing the 6.7L coolant in the same manner as they would for the 6.0L and 6.4L which is nitrite and concentration, but are not doing the tests for RA and corrosion inhibitor which are very important to the 6.7L.
Exactly... Why gamble...
Lead Driver
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HD, we're not allowed on shop floors for obvious reasons so we have to trust our dealers.
If the cooling system isn't tested properly (this is scary) but the dealer documented that they did so and some part fails, are we covered if FoMoCo determines it was a cooling system issue?
Granted something probably won't fail until 101,000 miles...
If the cooling system isn't tested properly (this is scary) but the dealer documented that they did so and some part fails, are we covered if FoMoCo determines it was a cooling system issue?
Granted something probably won't fail until 101,000 miles...
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From: central MN
I thought that there should not be any nitrates in the orange coolant. Didn't one of the techs say thats how they can tell if the wrong coolant was put in was to see if there is Nitrates in the system? The kit I got from ford is not just a test strip buy also some other chemical's to test .
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HD, we're not allowed on shop floors for obvious reasons so we have to trust our dealers.
If the cooling system isn't tested properly (this is scary) but the dealer documented that they did so and some part fails, are we covered if FoMoCo determines it was a cooling system issue?
Granted something probably won't fail until 101,000 miles...
If the cooling system isn't tested properly (this is scary) but the dealer documented that they did so and some part fails, are we covered if FoMoCo determines it was a cooling system issue?
Granted something probably won't fail until 101,000 miles...
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2006
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I thought that there should not be any nitrates in the orange coolant. Didn't one of the techs say thats how they can tell if the wrong coolant was put in was to see if there is Nitrates in the system? The kit I got from ford is not just a test strip buy also some other chemical's to test .
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On a positive note, lets hope none of us need to deal with that!
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From: Colorado foot hills
Part #4106. Mine had an expiration of Feb 2013, just under two years. Store temps are below 90 degrees F, no minimum. The test is for freeze point, nitrate, and ph. All three test on mine showed good according to the color match, even though the coolant wasn't orange. I have no idea how that works.
I want to say I have had no problems with coolant and never got a message to indicate this. During an oil change today, my mechanic and I discussed the coolant thing and he suggested I should check it out with these strips, so I did. Now I'm stuck with a boat load of strips, which I'll probably never use again and a 15 dollar investment. Oh well, that's part of playing with a new truck.
I want to say I have had no problems with coolant and never got a message to indicate this. During an oil change today, my mechanic and I discussed the coolant thing and he suggested I should check it out with these strips, so I did. Now I'm stuck with a boat load of strips, which I'll probably never use again and a 15 dollar investment. Oh well, that's part of playing with a new truck.
PM me and with your address and I'll send you a SASE and a couple of bucks for some of your unneeded strips!
jammer
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Joined: Dec 2010
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Same thing PM ur address.... I'll do the same
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