Shell Rotella ELC coolant
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 5
From: Gig Em, Tx
Yea, if its been in there since 2003, I would definitely change it. I would not risk my expensive engine on 'claims' of a lifetime coolant. Put in a good coolant like the Shell ELC and install a coolant filter and you should be set.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 2
From: Middle Tennessee
Agreed, beats the heck out of responding to a question that has been asked, and answered. Oh, you mean the part about posting when the answer was found?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,892
Likes: 2
From: Middle Tennessee
I concur. It's even smaller than mine and mine is self imposed.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
From: independence,mo
read through this and not sure but i saw one person running the cat elc which is the same as rotella elc. with elc it is not recommended to run a coolant filter. the coolant filter adds to the sca level which elc does not need, in time if you are running a coolant filter your sca levels will be too high. any time we flush a system and convert it to elc we remove the water filter and base. also cat sells a flush detergent that works really well for flushing. and a side not after filling with elc check your freeze point. most times with straight elc it will only be around -20. cat sells a concentrate elc to add to the regular elc so you can lower your freeze point.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
Likes: 207
From: La La Land
Methinks you need to do a little advance study on coolant filtration systems before espousing "The Company Line" here.
Virtually all of us in this forum that use coolant filters use the ones without the SCA pellets. I can't recall anyone using the two-unit filters. That's what ours WOULD take, two units. I don't think there's a CAT product small enough to use only two units, but I may be wrong. It's happened before.
I have no idea why you would remove the filtration system. Just change to a different filter. Oh, wait, maybe CAT doesn't make available a filter without SCAs. We couldn't use a different brand of filter, now, could we?
I use Baldwin B5134's and still maintain my SCA's manually (with the assistance of Polaris Labs on occasion). I use the BTE formulation instead of the BTA or BTA+.
There are all kinds of filters out there beyond the CAT parts counter.
If you removed a filter from mine without advising me beforehand, you'd be putting it back on, just with a different cartridge. There is no down-side to using a coolant filter with ELC, unless someone at the dealership uses an inappropriate filter cartridge.
You work for Dean or CAT? Freightliner?
Pop
Virtually all of us in this forum that use coolant filters use the ones without the SCA pellets. I can't recall anyone using the two-unit filters. That's what ours WOULD take, two units. I don't think there's a CAT product small enough to use only two units, but I may be wrong. It's happened before.
I have no idea why you would remove the filtration system. Just change to a different filter. Oh, wait, maybe CAT doesn't make available a filter without SCAs. We couldn't use a different brand of filter, now, could we?
I use Baldwin B5134's and still maintain my SCA's manually (with the assistance of Polaris Labs on occasion). I use the BTE formulation instead of the BTA or BTA+.
There are all kinds of filters out there beyond the CAT parts counter.
If you removed a filter from mine without advising me beforehand, you'd be putting it back on, just with a different cartridge. There is no down-side to using a coolant filter with ELC, unless someone at the dealership uses an inappropriate filter cartridge.
You work for Dean or CAT? Freightliner?
Pop
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
From: independence,mo
good point, forgot to mention if you run a filter make sure if it has or does not have the pellets added, we remove the filter becuase most drivers do not change thier own fluids, if you change your own fluids and are aware of what filter you need then you are ok, if you have some one change them for you double check thier work. not saying what we do is right just trying to throw ideas out and get feedback, knowledge is power.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,177
Likes: 40
From: Newport, WA
So just for clarity... Drain coolant from block and rad... leave plugs out of the block, shove garden hose into rad, let truck idle until the stuff coming out is clear, let drain, replace plugs and fill?
Hotshot
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,286
Likes: 263
From: North of Greenville
No... when flushing with the hose, reinstall the plugs, but only to "finger tight". Then you can drain the block again easily once you finish the hose flushing to help ensure you get the most of the "mineral laden" hose water out of the block before doing the distilled water fills/flush.
Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,406
Likes: 1
From: Gulf Coast of Florida
I didn't use a garden hose, but MANY MANY jugs of distilled water from WalMart. I flushed 5 times and had a trash can FULL of the flushed fluid. Took time, but I knew 100% that I got out everything that I could. Once she's flushed out good, fill with 4 gallons of ELC concentrate, then top off with distilled. That way your 8-gallon cooling system is as close to 50/50 as you can reasonably get. Using the premix will yield you a 75/25 water/coolant mix. Not so good.