I purchased from thoroghbred diesel my EGR delete, oil cooler, coolant filtration system and a blue spring kit. I am planing on sending out my FICM to ED and getting the repair and Atlas tune.

I also will be doing a complete VC9 flush. Now, I have watched many youtube videos and read many threads and am completely confused on which coolants to use. I have read not to use any ethylene glycol based products, and then read that Premium Ford Gold is ethylene is glycol based

From what I have found, I beleive my options for coolant are;
Premium Ford Gold
Zerex GO-5
Cat-EC1

Are there anyother coolants that are good for the 6 liters?

Thank you all for the help

 

Any of the listed 3 are good. Just don't mix anti-freezes with the exception of the Ford Gold and G0-5. They are compatible since they're the same thing.

 

If you have an International dealer nearby like I do, you can get their "fleetrite" elc coolant. Make sure it's the concentrate = red cap 50/50= black cap.

 

Powerstrokehelp.com has messed a lot of people up making them think that the proper coolant is propylene glycol.

Your engine definitely takes an ethylene glycol coolant - unless you want to run Evans, but that is not a justified effort or cost IMO.

If you run the Gold, flush it every 50k miles, IMO cleaning chemicals are not needed in most flushes - only if your oil cooler starts plugging up, or if you suspect corrosion or gelling from poor maintenance.

Make sure you put in the right coolant (don't mix them), at the proper concentration, and diluted with distilled water. Watch the levels so that if you ever have a leak, the engine isn't operated a long time with an extremely low level.

Even if an ELC coolant says it can run 600k miles (like my ELC ultra does), I personally would flush it at 100k miles just to be conservative, but that is just me. I have no proof that it is required.

 

Ford caused the disaster that is the 6.0L by not using the coolant that International uses.
You have the opportunity to correct that wrong.
You're replacing the oil cooler anyway, so why not get it right finally? Use Restore, then VC-9 or Restore Plus (they're the same thing) and use a coolant that meets CAT EC-1 specs. Do this flushing and coolant change BEFORE you swap the oil cooler.
This isn't a mystery, the PDF on how to do this has been available for a long time now.

 

What coolants meet CAT EC-1 specs? What do you use and where is the best place to purchase this coolant?

Thank you!

 

Certainly everyone is entitiled to their opinion, so here is mine .....

I disagree with the statement about Ford above.

The Gold coolant works fine if properly maintained.

Additionally, there is no way all of the 6.0L problems can be blamed on the coolant. Even head gasket failures are probably more commonly related to overboosting than failed EGR coolers (that failed because of clogged oil coolers - that clogged because of Gold coolant). International had plenty of 6.0L issues - even with their ELC coolant (they did install filters along with the ELC coolant afterall). JMHO.

 

What issues? Oil cooler replacements on medium duty International VT365 and VT275 engines are almost non-existant.

Not sure how much of a coincidence it is that Ford used the universal Gold versus the ELC of International.

Here is one of our F550's getting ready for it's 3rd engine...



This time the main and rod bearings imploded.

With 3 VT275 delivery trucks, 1 VT365 delivery truck and one medium duty VT365 pumper truck all with over 200,000 miles and only have needed batteries... something is going on between what International did and what Ford did. Ford messed up the coolant and FICMs.

As for coolant filters... LOL nearly ALL medium, Heavy and OTR trucks have coolant filters, doesn't matter if it's International, CAT, Detroit or Mack.

Even off-highway heavy equipment sometimes come equipped with coolant filters.

Josh

 

Your data set is very limited, I don't care if you did "manage 20+ vehicles" (or whatever the number is) ...................

International VT365 vehicles were not problem free (no vehicle has been for that matter) - just do the research.

Just a few examples (school buses and forestry fleets) .........
IC VT-365 EGR Cooler Failures - School Bus Fleet Magazine Forums
VT365 Woes - School Bus Fleet Magazine Forums
Quote from above: "We have a little more than 50 VT365 powered Internationals in our bus fleet. We are always experiencing problems like: injectors, egr coolers, egr valves, ipr failures, rocker arm problems, pushrod problems, etc. We definitely stay busy around the shop with these fabulous engines.".

Did you notice this guy above had 50 vehicles? AND he had a bunch of EGR cooler problems?

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...g/25760320.cfm
http://www.arboristsite.com/large-equipment/185475.htm

Additionally, I am aware of two internationals that had their ELC coolant gel up and I don't see that many International vehicles, so the percentage of ones w/ coolant issues is high for me - lol. (just to avoid some things, I know that my data set is too limited to make any broad reaching statement about the VT365 reliability .....). The point is all about proper care and maintenance.


I am not saying that the International service record isn't better than Ford's, I am just saying they had some issues also.

The whole point of my post is that the coolant isn't the root cause for all 6.0L problems as implied in the post. Too many people out there running 6.0L trucks with 250k miles + and still on original oil coolers and having always operated with the Ford Gold coolant.

Clearly something else is at work if the Gold works well in some vehicles and not in others.

 

I left the pipeline company in 2009 with the 25+ 6.0 equipped trucks.

Got tired of wrenching... although I hardly ever had to do anything with those trucks, only a red-headed 2004 that constantly had fits.

Just a welder and fabricator at my current company (i did fill as a tech for a few months in late 2009 and hated it), but we do have a few 6.0 trucks. The 3 F550 trucks are problematic, with 2 already receiving reman engines and the one pictured above now being prepped for it's 3rd.

All 3 have well under 200,000 miles.

I am not tooting my own horn in any way, but I think some of that is due to poor maintanence and the moron mechanics we have working here.

Certainly doesn't help the 6.0 reputation any. But then again with several International engines running 250,000+ miles, with substanitally more engine hours due to idling with not a single problem, but batteries and a starter that I am aware of in the last 4 years. It says something comparing Ford versus International.

Especially since those same morons are also taking care of those trucks too.

I think 2 things International did stand out the most are ELC coolant and relocated FICMs.

Also, None of those trucks use the Ford 6.0 fuel filters either, but the old 7.3 system.

And to add only 2 of the delivery trucks use the Ford 6G alternator, the rest use 250 amp Leece-Neville alternators. Stock.



Josh

 

Reducing the power output was a huge element in the success of some engines vs others - but who wants a truck with low power??

I have no doubt that the ELC coolant is more robust, but again ........ lots of people getting the Gold to work just fine. Yes - I will admit that you do have to work at it a little harder to make the Gold work, but it can be, and is, done!

Read a couple of the links above - there are fleet owners out there that do not believe that the Internationals are reliable either. Lots of EGR cooler failures (which was implied to be linked to the Gold coolant in the post that I am taking exception to)! I also had a link to International VT365 IDM failures, so they were not problem free (but I do agree that there were WAY less problems in the Int trucks). Ask Ed about the quality of parts in the FICM's though. Yes, heat and vibration were/are issues, but is that Ford's fault? IMO the answer to that specific question is "no" (except for their FICM killing strategy that they later backed off of).

I hear people tell me practically every week - "I take immaculate care of my 6.0L". Pop their hood and it is low on coolant, the batteries are on their last leg, they can't tell you what oil they have in it or when the coolant was last flushed, etc. You get to where you take the hearsay with a grain of salt.

 

Reminds me of my neighbors... 2 with 7.3 diesels and another with a 6.0. All would say they take care of their trucks (which they don't) and all 3 have constant issues.

Josh

 

ONce again, Where can I find coolant that meets CAT EC-1 specs?

 

Truck dealers, heavy equipment dealers, specialty oil distributors, truck stops, O'reilly, NAPA etc...

Cat EC-1
Rotella ELC and Ultra ELC

Are 2 most popular it seems. Benny runs something different, and a couple use the Zerex ELC.

Josh

 

What's the difference between the Rotella ELC & the Ultra ELC?

Bottom line, which is the best coolant I can use in my 6 liter? I don't want any coolant related issues. Granted, I"m deleting the EGR, new oil cooler, coolant filtration system, Blue spring and FICM. I just don't want any problems