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Josh, Thanks for posting that link, and it makes sense ,I'm thinking about the Delo ELC. any thoughts on this ? the link is a very good read #4
Delo ELC, Rotella ELC or Ultra ELC, Caterpillar, or Something along the lines of Fleet Rite would work perfect.
The fact that the ELC is pour it in and basically forget is the clincher. Whether Ford Gold is good or not is another matter when the crap needs flushed out every 30,000 to pull its weight is ridiculous.
I have always felt Ford went with Gold just out of Convienece and not because it was some magic ingredient.
Too bad green gets a bad rap, and of course looking at a used truck and seeing green coolant you aren't going to know what's in there. I used Rotella coolant forever and until they switched to Red ELC it was green. Deere coolant is fantastic too and it's green.
Delo ELC, Rotella ELC or Ultra ELC, Caterpillar, or Something along the lines of Fleet Rite would work perfect.
The fact that the ELC is pour it in and basically forget is the clincher. Whether Ford Gold is good or not is another matter when the crap needs flushed out every 30,000 to pull its weight is ridiculous.
I have always felt Ford went with Gold just out of Convienece and not because it was some magic ingredient.
Too bad green gets a bad rap, and of course looking at a used truck and seeing green coolant you aren't going to know what's in there. I used Rotella coolant forever and until they switched to Red ELC it was green. Deere coolant is fantastic too and it's green.
Josh
So where do you get the flush the Gold every 30k miles at ???? I would like to keep this thread as accurate as possible .........
Also, how do you explain the clogged oil coolers in the International engines that run a coolant you just said can be added and then "forgot"?
So where do you get the flush the Gold every 30k miles at ???? I would like to keep this thread as accurate as possible .........
Also, how do you explain the clogged oil coolers in the International engines that run a coolant you just said can be added and then "forgot"?
Posts 2, 11 and 16 for starters.
Ford Gold isn't a 100,000 mile coolant and those that push it suffer the consequences.
As for International, I wouldn't put as gospel a couple random posts on the Internet as fact, when the Ford oil coolers is a known failure point.
Also many like to point out International installed coolant filters as proof there is a problem. Which is funny... Just about EVERY medium and heavy duty truck has coolant filters. Doesn't matter make or model, engine or manufacturer.
Keep it factual is all I am asking. I asked about the 30k number you posted, didn't ask about the 100k number either. One post mentioned 30k miles (#11), I don't see it in the others per se.
There is a big difference in 30k miles and the 45k miles that Ford recommends.
Respected Techs have seen gelled ELC - I do not take that lightly. It can happen, so suggesting someone can forget about the coolant is misleading IMO.
This thread is/was TRYING to put things in perspective and take the emotion out of it.
IMO the facts are saying that the Ford Gold is fine assuming proper maintenance of 50k flushes and assuming that the coolant isn't abused (ie exposed to exhaust gasses from cracked heads, seriously overheated, etc).
I worked on semi's for a looooooong time and have seen poorly maintained cooling systems with ELC and filter pleny gelled up. I've done oil coolers in International 6.0's too. Yes, a lot of medium duty trucks have coolant filters, but a lot don't. Just about any 5.9 or 6.7 on the road in a medium duty application for example. Most "small" engine trucks don't. The 6.0 is one of a few.
I've never, nor would I tell a customer to flush their coolant every 30k just because it was gold. I do it for me, but that is just because I can cheaply. I've never actually needed too. It's always spec'd out good.
You want to talk about a bad coolant, let's discuss Dex-Cool.
I think Ford Gold works just fine as long as it is maintained. Honestly, if I worked at a Ford dealer still and got the coolant for free I would probably just run that. Since I don't, I decided to take the high road and use a coolant that is technically "made" for medium-heavy duty diesel trucks. I'm sure that the ELC is a more robust coolant, but no matter what if you don't maintain it it's going to go bad too. I think the coolant filter is a more important part of this.
I have always felt Ford went with Gold just out of Convienece and not because it was some magic ingredient.
Too bad green gets a bad rap, and of course looking at a used truck and seeing green coolant you aren't going to know what's in there. I used Rotella coolant forever and until they switched to Red ELC it was green. Deere coolant is fantastic too and it's green.
Josh
Are you aware that "green" ford coolant has silicates added because of the older engines' requirement for silicates?