Anyone try an inline coolant filter?
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
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From: Ougadougou
Anyone try an inline coolant filter?
https://www.championradiators.com/ra...t-filter-black This installs in the upper radiator hose but I'm pretty good about maintaining and checking on things so not worried about blocked coolant flow.
After flushing the block and replacing every component of the cooling system I wanted to install a coolant filter but I hate to clutter up the already crowded engine bay. On my '92 I had mounted a bracket off the fuel filter housing and used the NAPA 4019 filter head and 4070 filter installed in a bypass configuration but damn that's a lot of extra crap under the hood. A quick search for an inline filter yielded the above link. I'm not worried about adding SCAs via the filter but more concerned about catching sediment/grit. So, has anybody out there tried an inline filter or more compact alternative to a large filter header/filter type setup?
After flushing the block and replacing every component of the cooling system I wanted to install a coolant filter but I hate to clutter up the already crowded engine bay. On my '92 I had mounted a bracket off the fuel filter housing and used the NAPA 4019 filter head and 4070 filter installed in a bypass configuration but damn that's a lot of extra crap under the hood. A quick search for an inline filter yielded the above link. I'm not worried about adding SCAs via the filter but more concerned about catching sediment/grit. So, has anybody out there tried an inline filter or more compact alternative to a large filter header/filter type setup?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,963
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From: Edmond, OK
Here's a good thread on coolant filters.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nt-filter.html
I think the one you linked is more of a gimmick. Wix 24073 is pre-charged with SCAs.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nt-filter.html
I think the one you linked is more of a gimmick. Wix 24073 is pre-charged with SCAs.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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I've thought about coolant filters. But I have been changing coolant, double distilled flush and new coolant every couple years. When I had my oil cooler out it was clean as a whistle. I'm now in the no filter camp.
If you are milking a crappy coolant system and pinching Prestone pennies yeah a filter makes cents.
If you are milking a crappy coolant system and pinching Prestone pennies yeah a filter makes cents.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
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From: Ougadougou
I've thought about coolant filters. But I have been changing coolant, double distilled flush and new coolant every couple years. When I had my oil cooler out it was clean as a whistle. I'm now in the no filter camp.
If you are milking a crappy coolant system and pinching Prestone pennies yeah a filter makes cents.
If you are milking a crappy coolant system and pinching Prestone pennies yeah a filter makes cents.
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 487
Likes: 122
From: Ougadougou
Here's a good thread on coolant filters.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nt-filter.html
I think the one you linked is more of a gimmick. Wix 24073 is pre-charged with SCAs.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...nt-filter.html
I think the one you linked is more of a gimmick. Wix 24073 is pre-charged with SCAs.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,317
Likes: 1,243
I'm also using a copper and brass radiator and heater core, and original green coolant. My local radiator shop advised me that mixing aluminum with copper and brass with cast iron is a devil's workshop of dissimilar metals and electrolysis. Since those guys have 80 years of combined cooling system experience including big trucks, equipment and stationary systems, I just do what I'm told....
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,963
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From: Edmond, OK
I've never tested my coolant with a test strip. I guess I should. I just depend on the pre-charged coolant filter. Maybe I'd test the SCAs if I had a 7.3l. They're more prone to cavitation than the 6.9l.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,317
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For me the cost of test strips, filters, filter base, hose clamps and another headloss in the coolant pumping system is more than a regular flush, new coolant and DCA costs and better flow of coolant.
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Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
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From: Ougadougou
I'm also using a copper and brass radiator and heater core, and original green coolant. My local radiator shop advised me that mixing aluminum with copper and brass with cast iron is a devil's workshop of dissimilar metals and electrolysis. Since those guys have 80 years of combined cooling system experience including big trucks, equipment and stationary systems, I just do what I'm told....
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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I don't think so. The oil cooler headers are aluminum. That's the only aluminum I know of for sure. The heads are heavy cast iron, like the block, no?
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
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From: Ougadougou
I just had the thermostat housing off and mine certainly had enough rust on the interior that I doubt it was aluminum. I don't know why I thought the heads were a dissimilar metal--too many threads in my head I guess. Out of curiosity I ordered up a couple rad caps with a sacrificial anode of magnesium from Ve Labs just to see what happens since both my rads are aluminum--one 10yrs old and 1 brand new. I ended up reading a bunch of different opinions on the reality of damage from electrolysis but came away without a conclusive feeling on the matter. I did come away a bit more convinced to change coolant more regularly--it's easy to forget about it if you're not working on the cooling system or a related component. With so many people running aluminum rads in IDI trucks and over a decade of "forum surfing" I've never encountered anyone complaining of rad failure due to electrolysis, but a few posts here and there regarding heater cores that were typically of the Chinesium variant so who knows what's at fault there.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 3,963
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From: Edmond, OK
One thing to make coolant changes easier is OKIE Gringo block drains. I installed them on my Bullnose truck and they were pretty cheap. Just take the threaded water jacket plugs out of the side of the block and take them to the local hardware store to get P E T C O C K S (dang auto censor).
Here's a good thread on it
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...read-size.html
Here's a good thread on it
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...read-size.html
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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When you go to an aluminum radiator did you stop using original green coolant? The heater core is still copper and brass?
I decided to have my local shop build me a new copper and brass radiator. It's not cheap to have American labor building a radiator. But I've also gone through 4 or 5 (I lost count) chinese aftermarket radiators. The problem is they have a smaller channel for the tank overlap so less solder is used. And they are spare with solder at every joint, inlet, outlet. 7 years is the longest lived one. But most are leaking in 3 or 4. I have a chinese one in there now. When it's toast I'll install the one they are building for me. I'm even getting an upgraded petcock that has a 90 on it you can put a piece of hose on it and direct the coolant straight into your bucket. No more laying under the truck for an hour babysitting the original petcock style.
I decided to have my local shop build me a new copper and brass radiator. It's not cheap to have American labor building a radiator. But I've also gone through 4 or 5 (I lost count) chinese aftermarket radiators. The problem is they have a smaller channel for the tank overlap so less solder is used. And they are spare with solder at every joint, inlet, outlet. 7 years is the longest lived one. But most are leaking in 3 or 4. I have a chinese one in there now. When it's toast I'll install the one they are building for me. I'm even getting an upgraded petcock that has a 90 on it you can put a piece of hose on it and direct the coolant straight into your bucket. No more laying under the truck for an hour babysitting the original petcock style.
Thread Starter
|
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 487
Likes: 122
From: Ougadougou
When you go to an aluminum radiator did you stop using original green coolant? The heater core is still copper and brass?
I decided to have my local shop build me a new copper and brass radiator. It's not cheap to have American labor building a radiator. But I've also gone through 4 or 5 (I lost count) chinese aftermarket radiators. The problem is they have a smaller channel for the tank overlap so less solder is used. And they are spare with solder at every joint, inlet, outlet. 7 years is the longest lived one. But most are leaking in 3 or 4. I have a chinese one in there now. When it's toast I'll install the one they are building for me. I'm even getting an upgraded petcock that has a 90 on it you can put a piece of hose on it and direct the coolant straight into your bucket. No more laying under the truck for an hour babysitting the original petcock style.
I decided to have my local shop build me a new copper and brass radiator. It's not cheap to have American labor building a radiator. But I've also gone through 4 or 5 (I lost count) chinese aftermarket radiators. The problem is they have a smaller channel for the tank overlap so less solder is used. And they are spare with solder at every joint, inlet, outlet. 7 years is the longest lived one. But most are leaking in 3 or 4. I have a chinese one in there now. When it's toast I'll install the one they are building for me. I'm even getting an upgraded petcock that has a 90 on it you can put a piece of hose on it and direct the coolant straight into your bucket. No more laying under the truck for an hour babysitting the original petcock style.