Coolant question
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Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Brinklow Md
Coolant question
Im planning on changing my coolant soon and was wondering what to put in it. Whats this "red kool-aid" Ive heard about? and I heard that you need to put in an additive for diesels now???
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Texas
Ford switched to the gold colored anti-freeze by 02, which is good for 100,000 miles. The red stuff is an extended life coolant made to last up to 300,000 miles. The additive is for those who run the old fashioned green coolant to prevent cavitation.
Personally I don't have a problem changing my coolant every 100,000 miles. I go ahead and change the belt at the same time. I've only had to do it twice so far, but leaving a fluid in your truck for 300k just sounds like too long a time to me. The ELC was designed for the OTR trucks that rack up the miles a lot quicker than we do, but several here have done this and are happy with it.
Personally I don't have a problem changing my coolant every 100,000 miles. I go ahead and change the belt at the same time. I've only had to do it twice so far, but leaving a fluid in your truck for 300k just sounds like too long a time to me. The ELC was designed for the OTR trucks that rack up the miles a lot quicker than we do, but several here have done this and are happy with it.
Hook it, I'll pull it.
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 15,037
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From: Grand Lake, La.
I did the Final Charge, red stuff, from wal-mart. I like the color of it in my degas bottle. 
It says 300,000 then add an additive and good for another 300,000 miles. I think I will change it before 300,000 anyway.
It says 300,000 then add an additive and good for another 300,000 miles. I think I will change it before 300,000 anyway.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,102
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From: Virginia - SW (Riner)
Coolant
Generally, mixing regular coolant w/ extended life (ELC)coolant isn't a good idea. If you are not 100% sure what was in your truck to begin with I'd do a flush & refill.
SD's hold about 8 gals of coolant so, you've potentially diluted/mixed 25% of the capacity.
If your truck was built in 00-02 you should have the std (green) coolant. If I remember correctly - after Summer-Early Fall 02 some trucks (depending on where/when built) started coming w/ Gold - by 03 they had completely switched to Gold across the board.
The effects (symptoms) of reduced cylinder liner (cavitation) protection will take a long time to show up but, will be costly when they do eventually show up.
Better to be safe than sorry - esp if you plan to keep this truck a while.
DG
SD's hold about 8 gals of coolant so, you've potentially diluted/mixed 25% of the capacity.
If your truck was built in 00-02 you should have the std (green) coolant. If I remember correctly - after Summer-Early Fall 02 some trucks (depending on where/when built) started coming w/ Gold - by 03 they had completely switched to Gold across the board.
The effects (symptoms) of reduced cylinder liner (cavitation) protection will take a long time to show up but, will be costly when they do eventually show up.
Better to be safe than sorry - esp if you plan to keep this truck a while.
DG
Smokin
Joined: Jun 2006
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FWIW...the '99's had green as well.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Texas
You got me curious, so I walked outside and looked at my truck. I ordered it to get the options I wanted. The sticker at the door has a date of 11/01 on it and it came from KTP. It came with the gold coolant in it when it was new.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 3
From: Virginia - SW (Riner)
Gold Coolant
Saw your post about an 11/01 build date truck having gold in it from the factory. Hmmmm..... Maybe the switch was earlier than what Ford/Navistar advertised. Wonder if they were conservative on the dates?
The reason its a big deal is earlier Powerstoke Engines cannot run the ELC coolants according to a TSB released by Navistar (Ford did not publish a similar TSB as far as I know) advising BUS/Med Duty Truck owners w/ T444E's to not switch to ELC coolants. I can't remember all the details but it was a compatibility issue w/ some materials used in the engine. It really only affected engines built up to early in 2001. Navistar was very specific about the Engine S/N's this affected. Problem is the build date on the engine is usually a month or two or even three ahead of the truck.
Maybe your 01 got an engine that was produced almost in line with when the truck was made.
DG
The reason its a big deal is earlier Powerstoke Engines cannot run the ELC coolants according to a TSB released by Navistar (Ford did not publish a similar TSB as far as I know) advising BUS/Med Duty Truck owners w/ T444E's to not switch to ELC coolants. I can't remember all the details but it was a compatibility issue w/ some materials used in the engine. It really only affected engines built up to early in 2001. Navistar was very specific about the Engine S/N's this affected. Problem is the build date on the engine is usually a month or two or even three ahead of the truck.
Maybe your 01 got an engine that was produced almost in line with when the truck was made.
DG
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
Saw your post about an 11/01 build date truck having gold in it from the factory. Hmmmm..... Maybe the switch was earlier than what Ford/Navistar advertised. Wonder if they were conservative on the dates?
The reason its a big deal is earlier Powerstoke Engines cannot run the ELC coolants according to a TSB released by Navistar (Ford did not publish a similar TSB as far as I know) advising BUS/Med Duty Truck owners w/ T444E's to not switch to ELC coolants. I can't remember all the details but it was a compatibility issue w/ some materials used in the engine. It really only affected engines built up to early in 2001. Navistar was very specific about the Engine S/N's this affected. Problem is the build date on the engine is usually a month or two or even three ahead of the truck.
Maybe your 01 got an engine that was produced almost in line with when the truck was made.
DG
The reason its a big deal is earlier Powerstoke Engines cannot run the ELC coolants according to a TSB released by Navistar (Ford did not publish a similar TSB as far as I know) advising BUS/Med Duty Truck owners w/ T444E's to not switch to ELC coolants. I can't remember all the details but it was a compatibility issue w/ some materials used in the engine. It really only affected engines built up to early in 2001. Navistar was very specific about the Engine S/N's this affected. Problem is the build date on the engine is usually a month or two or even three ahead of the truck.
Maybe your 01 got an engine that was produced almost in line with when the truck was made.
DG
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 8,298
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From: Damon (South East Texas)
Should be sticker on top of left valve cover near front. Hard to read with intercooler and air cleaner piping over it. Mine is starting to peel off.
