Yes,I used the instructions from the link for the Ford application. I took the sample from the radiator petcock. The truck had been sitting in the driveway since Sunday so it should have been approx. 85 deg. I drained the sample in a clIean plastic cup,dipped the strip for 1 sec.,waited 45 sec.,checked the freeze point,then checked the nitrates. I also dipped a strip in the degas bottle to compare results to see if I saw a diff.and the sample from the degas bottle came out ever so slightly darker (better),maybe 500-600 ppm. but still low. The "new" coolant I tested was approx. 1 or 1 1/2 yrs. old but still in the orig. jug. (I bought some coolant to have on hand for my coolant filter changes. It was mixed half and half with distilled). It came out to approx. 800 ppm. The strips I used were Baldwin brand but I'm sure they are the correct strips. The directions on the bottle matched the directons in the link you gave me to a "T". The color chart and everything looked identical to the acustrip labeling. I have to say I'm at least 90% sure they are repackaged Acustrip strips. If the "new" coolant tsting low is totally off the wall I gues I will have to order some strips from the link you gave me and do the test over to be sure. I have to be honest,I thought that my coolant would have been okay even though it's 4 yrs. old due to the low mileage but maybe I'm wrong. Thanks for all the help and sorry to be a PIA!!

 

Not at all. I'm learning from your experience too.

 

Can anyone tell me if a nitrite strip is a nitrite strip or if I NEED to have the FORD SPECIFIC STRIPS? I am wondering if I didn't get a bad result by possible being the wrong strip. It just does not seem logical to me for my 1 1/2 yr. old new in the jug,never used Ford Gold coolant to test out at 400-500ppm. Anyone have any insight on this? BTW I do have a call in to Acustrip about this but I have not heard back from them yet. Thanks again!!

 

If you go to a NAPA store and pick up some Wix test strips, they will test the nitrite, freeze point, and PH levels. The ideal nitrite level is 1200 PPM.

 

i have heard of new ford gold testing low for nitrites, which i think is the problem with all of the coolant/oil cooler issues (silicate drop-out)

 

[quote=roadrunner01;9335950]i have heard of new ford gold testing low for nitrites, which i think is the problem with all of the coolant/oil cooler issues (silicate drop-out)[/quotei wonder if anyone else has heard of this? If this is in fact the case I may want to go to a different coolant. If anyone else has any "new" ford gold laying around maybe they can test it and let us know what they come up with.

 

Did you happen to shake the coolant bottle before pouring out your sample and mixing it? Is it possible the stuff settles sitting on a shelf?

 

I did not shake it up,but I will shake it up good when I get home from work and test it again and let ya'll know what I come up with this time.

 

Here's some info. I ran across.

Penray's Recommendation:
Use Penray Two-Way Heavy Duty Test Strips (TS-100 or TS-102) to evaluate nitrite containing coolants including products from Caterpillar®, FleetCharge®, FleetGuard®, Detroit Diesel®, John Deere®, Quaker State®, AES, Toxguard, etc.
Penray recommends that the user evaluate the nitrite concentration and freeze point using a Penray Two-Way Heavy Duty Test Strips. Nitrite concentration and freeze point should be maintained within the engine manufacturer's specification; typically 1,200-6,000 ppm nitrite and 50% glycol is widely considered normal. Penray recommends that the molybdate concentration be ignored when evaluating mixed coolants, as low molybdate concentrations, when using a 3-way test strip, will mislead the user into thinking that the inhibitor concentration is too low, when, in fact, it is not.Therefore the use of 3-way test strips (which test Molybdates) is not recommended. [Quote from Penray Tech Bulletin # 99.019 dated 03/01/09] Click Here for a copy. http://www.freightlinerchassisowners...ips_99.019.pdf
For further info - see Penray - Technical Bulletins Penray - Technical Bulletins
For a detailed explanation of Molybdates - Click Here http://www.freightlinerchassisowners...CA-2_Gooch.pdf
NOTE - Buy Test Strips in small quantities due to shelf life.

 

one of the problems with the ELC that everyone is raving about is although it protects the internals very well, it takes about 5,000mi. before it becomes effictive.
engine manufacturers design thier cooling systems around this and its something i wanted to make everyone aware of.

low silicate coolant protects an engine very very well, but the issue lies with checking the nitrites. ford (deserves atleast part of the blame, although unforseen) lulled us into complacency with "no coolant maintainence until 105,000mi."

i don't have all of the answers, but there have been an awful lot of members on here and elsewhere with plugged oil coolers. i don't think ford gold can handle the extra heat from the egr cooler, causing silicate drop-out.

i have owned two 6.0's and i am still happily driving my 07, with none of the issues concerning coolant with either one. my 07 has 112,000 mi. currently and at 90,000 i had a stuck open thermostat, so i drained, flushed, and refilled with john deere coolgard, a low silicate coolant designed for use in heavy duty diesels. the largest spread i have seen between EOT/ECT is 10f, generally @ 70mph down the highway it stays between 6-9f.

to the op, sorry for the rant, but coolant test strips can be found at just about any heavy duty truck, impliment dealer, or ford dealer. as long as they don't mention DEXCOOL on the bottle they will test your coolant.

 

"Bpounds",you're a flippin' genious!! I went home and shook that jug up real good and it tested to 1,200 ppm. or a little better. That makes me wonder what would happen if I "shook up" the coolant in the truck. When I tested it the truck had been sitting for 3 1/2 days,so it may have ""settled" in the truck too. I drove it in to work this morning to "shake it up"and I'm gonna let her cool down for a few hours and test it later today.I will let ya'll know what I come up with. How long do you think it will take for the old girl to cool down to below 130 deg.? (I don't have my Insight yet but I'm gettin' one in a couple weeks)It's gonna be around 85 deg. here today for the high and it's about 70 deg. now.I drove about 40 min. to get here so she got warmed up good. Thanks again!!!

 

Well, definitely not a genius here, but that is good info to know. Now we know that the coolant ingredients can separate in the bottle a little, and we also know that it can sit on the shelf for a year or two and still be good.

I would not worry about mixing it in the truck. A few days is much different than a year on the shelf. But that is probably one reason why they say to take your sample from the pet ****, and not from the degas bottle. Even though we know on our particular trucks that the degas bottle gets plenty of flow through. Other vehicles do not.

Interested to hear what test result you get on your truck.

 

As I said earlier I drove my truck today and let it sit for 5 hrs. and then re-tested the Nitrites. I came up with the same result(approx. 400 ppm.) Also,I did get a return call from Acustrip and they said the strips I'm using are in fact the correct strips re-packaged for Baldwin. This brings me to another question,should I add the recommended 32 oz. of vc-8 or flush & re-fill? What would ya'll do?

 

Four years old. I would definitely flush and fill. No question about it.

 

Sounds like another project I'll have to make time for. Just my luck! What the hell at least I enjoy workin' on the truck.