Coolant question

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Jul 10, 2008 | 08:08 PM

#16

Tim J

Mountain Pass

Joined: Oct 2005

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From: NH

Has anyone run Rotella ELC? I have an early 99. Is it the same as the ELC you guys are talking about?

Jul 10, 2008 | 08:17 PM

#17

F350-6

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From: Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim J

Has anyone run Rotella ELC? I have an early 99. Is it the same as the ELC you guys are talking about?

Yes it's the same thing we're talking about. Rotella is a good brand, so you should be safe with it.

I never did find my engine date. There's a tag on the drivers side near the back of the motor with what looks like a bar code and a few numbers at the bottom. There used to be a tag under the IC pipe toward the front, but that tag is no longer there. I do remember asking about the gold coolant when I got the truck and was told by the (small town) dealer that Ford had just switched over to that in the super duty's. But we all know what kind of info we get from the dealers sometimes.

Jul 10, 2008 | 08:18 PM

#18

monsterbaby

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Joined: Dec 2003

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From: iowa

I went with the gold when I changed my fluid a year ago and think that is the way to go for older then 02 trucks. I read that navistar TSB and it's saying to NOT use the RED coolant because of IIRC the red eats orings used in places on the engines, not sure if it's only ones used in T444E but not the fords or not but figured personally it's not worth the risk, I put about 20k miles a year on my truck so the gold is good for 5 yrs, and personally I should be checking things like hoses etc by then anyway the ELC has a possible risk and in my situation would last 15yrs which since the truck is only 8 yrs old now I am pretty sure the hoses will be rotted off long before the need to add the additive to extend the life so not worth the risk and extra costs and headaches

Now in the semi oh heck yes we run red but the truck was new in Aug of last year and has 242,000 miles on it as of today.

Jul 10, 2008 | 08:27 PM

#19

F350-6

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From: Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by monsterbaby

I don't suppose you could find a link to that TSB for us could you? Might come in handy for future guys thinking about this same issue. As stated earlier, I'm not opposed to changing out the gold every 100k. Gotta take the hose off to change the belt anyway. Besides, every time my truck rolls another 100k I feel like I ought to be doing something to it anyway.

Jul 10, 2008 | 08:31 PM

#20

redfire42

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Joined: Jul 2006

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From: Jonestown PA

I am just shy of 100,000 miles, so I guess I would need the Gold stuff. How do you go about flushing the system out? And that would be a good time to put the 203* and new belt and hoses.

Jul 10, 2008 | 08:31 PM

#21

monsterbaby

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Joined: Dec 2003

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From: iowa

well if you would replace your upper radiator hose with one from a F350 with the dual alternator option you would no longer have to remove the hose to replace the belt. I did it and it moves the hose outside the belt into the bracket below your alt that is already molded just for this purpose.

here is a picture of the new hose routing

I will look for the tsb, I read it when someone else linked it in here before i did the change on mine.

Last edited by monsterbaby; Jul 10, 2008 at 08:46 PM. Reason: correct mistake

Jul 10, 2008 | 08:43 PM

#22

F350-6

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From: Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by monsterbaby

well if you would replace your upper radiator hose with one from a F350 with the dual radiator option you would no longer have to remove the hose to replace the belt. I did it and it moves the hose outside the belt into the bracket below your alt that is already molded just for this purpose.

here is a picture of the new hose routing

I will look for the tsb, I read it when someone else linked it in here before i did the change on mine.

Yea, I know. Call me lazy. I don't think about that until I've got the coolant and new belt in hand and it's a good half hour to the parts store. Besides, I've got to change the coolant anyway, right?