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Last July I installed a coolant filter kit from dieselsite, did a full flush and switched to Rotella Red with RMI-25 instead of SCAs.
I went on an 5k mile trip and last week I changed the 1st filter out (about 6k miles total). Thought all y'all might be interested in seeing what the insides looked like.
18 months ago OP had 185k on motor, my guess it cleaned out a lot of stuff that built up over the years and maybe should have checked that filter sooner
18 months ago OP had 185k on motor, my guess it cleaned out a lot of stuff that built up over the years and maybe should have checked that filter sooner
That's an understatement. I should have had a filter on it long ago also. The coolant prior to change was not that old, I flushed and filled when I bought it at 170k (I think ford recommends every 30K). Flushed it again when I changed it 6K ago. It was still dirtier than I expected but I guess the RMI-25 is doing it's job and cleaning things up quite well. From what I've read some of that sludge is it cleaning up the SCA buildup as well.
The RMI literature recommended changing the filter 3 times in the first year and annually after that. Since the average soul drives 12k/yr I equated that to changing it every 4k the 1st 3 times. Live and learn.
Needless to say I have a lot less crap in my system then I did one filter ago and I'm sure to have even less in another filter from now.
Everything I have read says if you have not had a coolant filter to start doing coolant filter change early and often as it will plug up...
first at 500
send at 1000
third at 3000
and depending on how dirty every 5000 after that.
Not sure about the open systems but for the closed systems like my 97 has the dieselsite kit is not hard inline, if the makes sense. It feeds from an unused plug just below the thermostat and T's into the return line of the reservoir. The upside being, if it does plug up the system just reverts to its non-filtered self. No harm, no foul and no overheating.
I've got my filter plumbed as a paralleling bypass on the incoming heater line. As with yours, if the filter plugs before I can change it, no problems.
