I have mentioned this before, but be SURE to read the label on the ELC. There are two types of CAT ELC. Be sure to get the EC-1 rated coolant. It is the 300 - 600K rated non SCA coolant. CAT, and others, also make an ELC coolant that is not EC-1 rated and requires SCA additives. Ask me how I know.

 

Bears repeating

 

so i think from the education of sca vs elc im going to go with the blue sca additive rotella on our 2000 7.3 excursion. thank you guys.

 

The older claim is that the ELC had a problem with the older Locktite, not the metal used for the cup. Recently that has been revised to the engines experiencing injector seal leaks were not properly flushed and the mixing of the ELC with the older coolant created a problem for the older Locktite.

 

2/2/99 and up engines are clear for ELC CAT EC-1 coolant per the 1st post in this thread.

 

I guess I just can't figure it out guys are deadset on ELC when their are other options and one doesn't have to wonder...but have at it. It's all personal preference and no one gets a say but you, the owner.

 

No SCA maintenance was the kicker for me and it being so robust. There are many options out there and thanks to FTE, we can pool our experiences together with each to help one another in making decisions, keeping the wondering to a minimum. If I had any reservation, I would have gone with the Fleetcharge stuff that also comes heavily recommended.

Like you said, personal preference. Even if we do use different coolants, I like the TX flag in your avatar

 

Most of the injector cup threads pop up after someone changed to ELC and doesn't matter if its an E99 or 03. So if you take the plunge into ELC make sure you start preparing with injector cups and 620 LocTite and injector cup removal tool. Just my worthless .02

 

Do you have links to such ELC related injector cup issues?

 

When i did the swith on the work trucks all of them had the failure after a couple thousand miles, i read i dont remember exctly when or who, but a member did the ELC on his 01, installed new injectors and he notice it was leaking coolant from the top of the injector cup, a a couple more not only from this site but from other sites too.

 

man the elc sounds like the devils brew! i dont need no extra leaks, im not gonna risk it.

 

May I ask what ELC you used in those work trucks Freakify? This is the first I've heard negativity towards the ELC and couldn't come up with anything on a Google search. I don't discredit your personal experience or maybe professional experience it sounds like, I am just investigating the potential concern for the ELC being in my 2000 currently.

 

Oh its nothing against ELC i like ELC just have had bad luck lol...
I use the Zerex ELC Cat EC-1. When i did the switch all of the trucks were over 300K. The coolant pressure test was done due to the degas bottle having a very small film of oily tint floating that always darkened the degas bottles after the switch over, not like when an injector cup fails where there this muck inside the degas bottle just enough to raise an eye brow. Removing the injectors always showed the cups leaking from the top with a very small droplet of coolant going down the injector cup with the pressure test. sometime a pressure test will hold pressure for a while making you think everything is alright its only when you remove the injector when you find out. All these tests were with stock trucks with stock engines, and injector cups. All 99-03 no E99 trucks.
Im no scientist or know how all this stuff really works but thats from personal experience.
Oh forgot to add this was with 15 PSI of pressure done for almost an 1hr

 

I'm in the middle of replacing my cups. I've been running ELC since the day I bought it 10+ years ago. When I removed my cups there was absolutely no retaining compound on the upper portion (cups or heads). The only retaining compound I had to remove was at the bottom of the cup at the injector hole. Don't know if those two things are related or just coincidental.

This is the first time I've had the injectors out since I've had the truck so AFAIK this is the first time the cups have seen the light of day since the assembly line 305K miles ago. Could be poor tolerances/amounts used during assembly, could be the coolant I used, or something else entirely.

 

I suspect the ELC upgrade timing and injector cup work are more age related than cause and effect.

I think many (most?) people are changing to ELC to extend longevity on trucks with more age and/or miles on them.

Another part of "complaints" about ELC is in part (I think) due to the tendency for ELC to be red/pink and accumulate at points of small leaks- making it very visible and obvious- whereas a number of other coolants just weep away.

I am not saying there can't be a relationship, but it's much more likely other factors are involved vs "evil ELC" LOL