Is the Walmart Global extended life coolant comparible to the Shell ELC coolant? I'm going to flush and fill my system and Walmart is close by.
Thanks,
Todd

 

Also, is it absolutely necessary to use DI water for the flush and fill or can I use water from the hose with the ECL type coolants?

 

Save yourself a lot of headaches in the future and go to your dealer and buy the right antifreeze. It comes ready to go in your truck no mixing. It has special buffers in it for your PSD. It just makes sense to do the right thing here. Here is a lengthy article about Cavitations and the diesel engine. Cavitation%20Analysis

 

Well, I did buy the Gold, but had to remind the "master" parts guy about the additive and I'm thinking about going with a newer coolant technology to reduce the chances of running low on the additive. What ford recommends is a solid choice, but I don't think it is always the only choice. I'd like to look at these other coolants.
Todd

 

The Gold Ford coolant isn't premixed either. At least not the stuff I bought yesterday.

 

Rotella ELC is manufactured for Shell by Old World Industries (Peak). Peak Final Charge Coolant (what you find a Wal-Mart) is the exact same coolant in a different label. This is the best coolant you can use IMO and far superior to what Ford uses. Yes it is pretty important to use DI water.

 

how much is the ford coolant? and are you talking about the stuff that won't mix with my 99's colant?

 

Coolant is a very confusing thing to explain in a few words. Our trucks used two types from the factories. The old common Green stuff that requires additive every so often, and the Gold (which I believe is the same as the Zerex G-05 gold coolant). There are a couple after market coolants that are good for our trucks, Rotella ELC is one of them. If I were to tear into mine, I'd put in either the Gold (Ford or Zerex G-05 flavors) or Rotella ELC. I didn't know that the Peak Final Charge was the same as Rotella ELC, but I would personally verify that before I put it in. Not calling you a liar or anything, but coolant is an important enough of a subject that I need to read it for myself...

You can use deionized or distilled water, but I wouldn't put in anything else. There are way too many chemicals and minerals in tap water (city or well type) for our trucks. I would think it would eat the insides out in a relatively short time. The only time it's okay to do that is when it's an emergency and you have to get your truck someplace to work on it. It would need flushed out of there as soon as you could do it to keep if from screwing everything up. That's my $0.02 on the subject...

 

Here's my 0.02. I have 9 gallons of wally Global Final Charge standing by for when I do mine. Just trying to decide if I want to replace the WP while doing that. Gonna have to poop or get off the pot soon. As far as I'm concerned, there is no better until stepping up to that Evans or whatever it is called stuff. Ask yourself why Ford/International abandoned the silly green coolant and additive. Nobody selling engines with that now that I know of.

 

I just replaced my factory waterpump yesterday at 195,000 miles. I found out (after I removed it) that my small leak was the rusty thermostat housing, not the weep hole. But I suppose I got my money's worth out of the stock pump. Anybody want to buy a good used waterpump?

Anyway, I took the opportunity to install the Bob Reiley's 203* thermostat and billet housing that I have had setting on the shelf for a couple of months. If you don't have 203* thermostat, I highly recommend one. I always knew that my engine makes less noise the warmer it gets, and the 203* got rid of more sound by itself than the regulated return, HPX, and intank/prepump put together.

 

Hear hear. I fully concurr that the truck runs best and quieter when warm. I will probably have a spare WP when I do mine. That could be handy on the roadside help network. Who knows?