Coolant additive??????

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Oct 17, 2003 | 06:24 AM

E350turbo

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Junior User

Joined: Sep 2003

Posts: 54

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Coolant additive??????

I just purchased a 1989 E350 with a 7.3 diesel. I've read a few things on this forum about coolant additive, and how important it is. So I went to the local Truck parts store, and purchased some test strips and additive (Hastings CS 100). I used the test strips per the instructions, and it has 3 different chemical tabs you read off of, and it showed everything was OK.
Is the Hastings additive good for my Ford 7.3?? Or should I get the Ford stuff??? If this is the correct stuff, does anyone else use it with good results???
Thanks for any replys, I havent even drove the truck more than 10 miles yet, I want to be pro-active in the maintenance, but this is the first Diesel I've ever owned.

Oct 17, 2003 | 09:27 AM

dieselzen

Senior User

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 315

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From: Alabama Gulf Coast

Hey,
I'd never heard of Hastings coolant additive before so I did a web search and came up with this page:

http://www.hastingsfilter.com/engineering/97_5.html

Their additive seems to be an exact copy of NAPA's Nalcool both in composition and concentration.
There are several different chemical compositions under which different manufacturer's market their products. And, of course, many blurbs of how their product is superior to the others. I would do web searches on coolant additives and read all that I can of unbiased reports. To start, check out:

http://www.delanet.com/~pparish/antifreeze.htm

http://www.imcool.com/articles/antif.../SCA-Part1.htm

http://www.imcool.com/articles/antif.../SCA-Part2.htm

http://www.asclepius.com/carpentractor/elcaddendum.htm

On a personal note, I used NAPA's Nalkool the first two years of ownership of my current vehicle. Currently, I'm experimenting with the controversial organic acid (carboxylate) technology found in ELC's. Interestingly, I used a NAPA test strip in the jug of Shell's Rotella 50/50 ELC and Temp., PH, and Nitrite levels were perfect.
R.A.

Last edited by dieselzen; Oct 17, 2003 at 10:03 AM.

Oct 31, 2003 | 10:30 PM

matrixtrading

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Joined: Aug 2003

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Definitely run an additive or buy the pre-formulated diesel coolant. Vibration of the cyl walls creates cavitation which will cut a hole thru to the cylinder (centrifugal pumps and boat props suffer the same conditions). The additives have nitrate, silicate and defoamers which reduce the effect. There may be incompatibility problems between additives and extended life coolants, so best to use the pre-formulated stuff.

Nov 2, 2003 | 05:16 PM

Shawn R

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Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 6

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Collant Additives

Coolant additives are probably as necessary in the small diesels as with the large. In my heavy trucks, they are equipped with coolant filters that can be purchased with the additive in as needed dissolving of additive, we maintain levels of additives constantly to prevent piston liner & block erosion. I have witnessed new motors w/out additives eroding liner thru in 100k. Take into consideration that these motors were designed to 500k to 1mil between teardowns. I run NAPA filters w/additive & they blend with most common additives, but do not mix with with organic acid coolants, Dex Cool etc, use the old green antifreeze. Also the additive can be purchased as a liquid from NAPA & numerous other sources.The bottles tell how much to add depending upon coolant capacity, do not overkill as the addive can fallout as a solid if excesive, resulting in blockage of coolant flow to lower areas.