Coolant type question

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Feb 5, 2020 | 07:45 PM

Paul_R7.3

Thread Starter

Mountain Pass

Joined: Jul 2019

Posts: 199

Likes: 33

From: Northern California

Coolant type question

I have no idea what kind of coolant is in my 99.5 engine. It looks pale red/orange in the degas tank. Is there a test to identify the type? I don't want to put the wrong stuff in or test with the wrong test strips

Feb 5, 2020 | 08:36 PM

z31freakify

Hotshot

Joined: Dec 2012

Posts: 11,266

Likes: 1,649

From: Las Cruces New Mexico

Judging by your color description it might be Dexcool normally for GM vehicles.

Feb 5, 2020 | 08:49 PM

cjfarm11

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 911

Likes: 74

From: Montana

Could be a mixture of who knows what! Might want to flush system and start over

Feb 5, 2020 | 09:14 PM

Paul_R7.3

Thread Starter

Mountain Pass

Joined: Jul 2019

Posts: 199

Likes: 33

From: Northern California

I guess my main concern is whether or not it's ELC type.

Feb 5, 2020 | 10:51 PM

hosegp

Cross-Country

Joined: Nov 2015

Posts: 88

Likes: 5

From: Seattle

I've got the Fleet Charge antifreeze that is supposedly OK for the older model year engines (I've got an E99). It is pink colored. Depending on how discolored your degas bottle is, I could see how that might be described as pale red / orange. However, I would flush it so that you know what is in there vs guessing what is in there.

Feb 6, 2020 | 02:09 AM

aawlberninf350

It's a Van Gogh

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 7,795

Likes: 1,327

From: Elk Grove, CA

Agreed with above, drain, flush and fill with new. I'd stick with green on your MY. Means some maintenance but that's better than melted injector cup sealant.

Feb 6, 2020 | 06:38 AM

SkySkiJason

Hotshot

Joined: Jul 2008

Posts: 12,782

Likes: 2,142

From: N.GA Mountains

Quote:

Originally Posted by aawlberninf350

Agreed with above, drain, flush and fill with new. I'd stick with green on your MY. Means some maintenance but that's better than melted injector cup sealant.

ELC is fine for L99+ 7.3’s.

Green/conventional coolant is the worst thing to happen to these trucks. SCA monitoring is seldom done correctly and proper coolant change/flush is even more rare.

A proper flush (block drains removed and block RINSED until clean) and fill with ELC completely removes ‘cooling system maintenance’ from your life. The ELC’s have a 350-500k mile service life and no monitoring and no SCA fallout (looks like sand).