Proper coolant for 7.3
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: New Brunswick, Canada
Proper coolant for 7.3
Hey guys,
I know this has probably been discussed a million times on here. I tried the search engine, but couldn't find what I was looking for. So I will ask anyway. I changed the belt today, and lost some coolant when removing the hose to get the old belt off. Now its a little low in the tank. I went to the local convenience store to get some coolant. But all I can find is a cheap brand called "uni-gard". Says its a ethylene glycol-based coolant, and low silicate. Will this work or should I get a better known brand? Thanks.
Brett
I know this has probably been discussed a million times on here. I tried the search engine, but couldn't find what I was looking for. So I will ask anyway. I changed the belt today, and lost some coolant when removing the hose to get the old belt off. Now its a little low in the tank. I went to the local convenience store to get some coolant. But all I can find is a cheap brand called "uni-gard". Says its a ethylene glycol-based coolant, and low silicate. Will this work or should I get a better known brand? Thanks.
Brett
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 699
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From: northern Michigan
I prefer Peak or Zerex for high quality. The only way to tell on that brand is to ask to see the MSDS and see what chemicals are added to it for corrosion control. Brands to avoid are the Sierra and Prestone.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: New Brunswick, Canada
uni-gard is the brand name. Its certainly cheap at $2.49 a gallon. Maybe I should look at a better known brand? Here is a link to there website.
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: La La Land
Since you have a 2002, I'll take it that you have gold (orange-ish) coolant.
Zerex G-05 is all you should top-off yours with. Same as what's in there now.
G-05® Antifreeze/ Coolant
If your present coolant is ANY OTHER COLOR, don't get the Zerex, and let us know what color yours currently is. Mixing types is not a good idea, as it can degrade it's anti-corrosion effectiveness.
BTW, the website you supplied says that Uni-Gard is propylene-glycol based, not ethelene-glycol, and says it's compatible with Dex-Cool. That's un-cool.
Pop
Zerex G-05 is all you should top-off yours with. Same as what's in there now.
G-05® Antifreeze/ Coolant
If your present coolant is ANY OTHER COLOR, don't get the Zerex, and let us know what color yours currently is. Mixing types is not a good idea, as it can degrade it's anti-corrosion effectiveness.
BTW, the website you supplied says that Uni-Gard is propylene-glycol based, not ethelene-glycol, and says it's compatible with Dex-Cool. That's un-cool.
Pop
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: West cental Texas
not to go to far off topic, but aren't there special additives in our coolant that we need to check the level of? Something to help keep down cavitation? Or did I just have a brain fart?
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: La La Land
If your coolant is green, make sure any you add says that it meets Ford spec ESE-M97B44A.
The common NAPA Anti-Freeze/Coolant meets this spec.
Since your coolant is green, you need to add an SCA (supplemental coolant additive), too, like Ford FW-16. Personally, I use Pencool 3000 for the SCA.
I'm surprised a 2002 has green, though.
Pop
The common NAPA Anti-Freeze/Coolant meets this spec.
Since your coolant is green, you need to add an SCA (supplemental coolant additive), too, like Ford FW-16. Personally, I use Pencool 3000 for the SCA.
I'm surprised a 2002 has green, though.
Pop
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From: Dallas-Ft. Worth
If it was made in Kentucky, it had Gold and someone changed it. If it was made someplace else, it probably came with green. I like the gold stuff because you don't have to screw with the SCAs. Now that mine is about time to be changed (I'm at about 85k), it will be getting Rotella/Final Charge ELC (Red stuff). It uses no SCAs at all, so it's very low maintenance and supposed to last 300k, and another 300k on a recharge.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Carlos, MN
I use Rotella/Final Charge ELC as well. I had green but got didn't want to mess with SCAs, test kit ($50) Additive ($6) every 6 months. Change to Red ELC priceless, well actually it cost me $84 plus my labor, but I will probably never have to mess with it again.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: New Brunswick, Canada
If it was made in Kentucky, it had Gold and someone changed it. If it was made someplace else, it probably came with green. I like the gold stuff because you don't have to screw with the SCAs. Now that mine is about time to be changed (I'm at about 85k), it will be getting Rotella/Final Charge ELC (Red stuff). It uses no SCAs at all, so it's very low maintenance and supposed to last 300k, and another 300k on a recharge.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Boca Raton, FL
When I did my WVO conversion I lost a lot of coolant and didnt look at the color. I refilled with about 2 gallons of green Prestone. If I did have gold coolant will this pose a problem? Also, do I need to put the additive you guys are talking about? And how do I check the coolant with "strips" as someone said?
Snowboard season cometh..
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Gulf Coast of Florida
You'll also want to get an upper radiator hose for the dual alternator setup - if you go to NAPA it's the "recommended" part. That hose doesn't go feed through your serpentine belt, but goes behind and around it. So you can swap belts without having to mess with that hose. Very handy!!
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 183
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From: New Brunswick, Canada
You'll also want to get an upper radiator hose for the dual alternator setup - if you go to NAPA it's the "recommended" part. That hose doesn't go feed through your serpentine belt, but goes behind and around it. So you can swap belts without having to mess with that hose. Very handy!!
