Edit: I don't know why it says straps. I was on my phone, meant to say I want to avoid using "strips"

Every time I do something to a vehicle, I mess up the first time. Something I've come to accept. So I'd like to remove as many steps as possible when doing something.

When I bought the truck, I dropped it off aty mechanics for a fuel. Pump related issue.

I remember him looking at the coolant and saying someone added chemicals and that's always bad. I thought maybe it's a radiator leak repair, maybe it's that sca level stuff that I always hear about, maybe this mechanics knows something who knows. Anyways, he changed the radiator coolant to the green one.

Ive been meaning to get the right coolant, already mixed. Do you guys know which coolant name/brand is best for my 6.9.

How bad Is it IF it's always had the proper coolant or the proper additives then it's replaced with regular 50/50 coolant is for 2 months, 4kmiles? It's been increasingly worrying me.

 

Why? Because....


You won't avoid using strips. You should monitor anti-cavitation down the road no matter what coolant choice you make.

Probably not a diesel mechanic. Or even a mechanic marginally familiar with diesels. "Added chemicals" are not "always bad". All the fluids in all vehicles have varieties of additive packages. WRT coolant, a lot of the stop leak additives are bad, because they can clog radiators and/or heater cores. This applies to all engines. Diesels, however, require anti-cavitation additive, which is completely different, and serves an entirely different purpose. I would not trust a mechanic who does not understand this difference (it's not exactly a minor or nuanced distinction).

Did this mechanic at least use distilled water to create a minimum 50% anti-freeze concentration?

4000 miles isn't an issue. If you're running plain old-school green anti-freeze, you need to add it, and monitor the effectiveness level with strips. Your other option is to drain/flush it and use a pre-charged anti-freeze such as FleetCharge. It's old-school "green" anti-freeze (chemically the same, but dyed pink), pre-charged with nitrite SCA. Either way, again, you need to monitor the level over time.

50/50 pre-diluted coolant is a complete ripoff. Each gallon is 1/2 gallon of full concentrate anti-freeze, plus 1/2 gallon of distilled (one would hope) water. But it's only about a buck cheaper than the full concentrate. Simple math, by the gallon, full concentrate plus distilled water from the grocery store is waaaay cheaper, and the exact same stuff. Plus, since you never quite get ALL the water out of the engine when you flush it, if you add pre-diluted 50/50, your overall concentration is actually less than 50%.

 

Hi,
i use this Antifreese from Ravenol TTC - Protect C11 Concentrate :

NITRITE- AMINE- PHOSPHATE- FREE

RAVENOL TTC Traditional Technology Coolant Concentrate is an eco-friendly 1.2- Ethanediol (monoethylene glycol) based nitrite, amine and phosphate-free coolant for cooling circuits in combustion engines which provides maintenance-free corrosion and frost protection. The product is formulated as a long-term coolant based on a proven inhibitor development.

It is no longer just the anti-freeze effect (which automatically exists in an ethylene-glycol based product) which is critical for the quality of a coolant, but also the rust protection.

Therefore automakers subject coolants to long corrosion and cavitation tests.

RAVENOL TTC Traditional Technology Coolant Concentrate protects the cooling system from corrosion, frost, and in the summer from overheating.

Application Notes
RAVENOL TTC Traditional Technology Coolant Concentrate with frost and rust protection. Use according to the mixing chart. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations.

Even in summer coolant must contain enough antifreeze to ensure good corrosion and overheating protection.

Instructions: Clean cooling system, check for leaks, flush.

Mix RAVENOL TTC Traditional Technology Coolant Concentrate with fresh water (per mixing chart) and add. Allow engine and heater to warm up, add coolant to fill level.

Mixing chart:

Antifreeze protection to approx. Parts antifreeze Parts water

- 12°C 25 % 75 %

- 20°C 35 % 65 %

- 37°C 50 % 50 %



Quality Classifications
RAVENOL TTC Traditional Technology Coolant Concentrate is tried and tested for aggregates specifying:


Specifications

VW TL 774-C (acc. to G11 quality), BS 6580 (GB), O Norm V 5123 (Österreich), JIS K 2234 (Japan), CUNA NC 956-16 (Italien), AFNOR R15-601 (Frankreich), SAE J1034, UNE 25-361 (Spanien), ASTM D 4985, ASTM D 1384, ASTM D 2570, ASTM D 2809, FORD WSS-M97B51-A, FIAT 9.55523, FIAT PARAFLU 11, IVECO 18-1830, ASTM D 3306 Type 1, ASTM D 6210 Type 1-FF, CHRYSLER MS 7170

Characteristic
RAVENOL TTC Traditional Technology Coolant Concentrate offers:

Excellent for light metal engines
Good reserve alkalinity
High-quality corrosion additives for optimal corrosion protection
Elastomer compatible with elastomers used in automotive radiators

Regards

Torsten

 

I'm using Zerex HD ELC. Supposedly good for like 5 years / 300,000 miles.
Cheap enough($20/gal for concentrate), can be bought at Napa, and seems to work fine.
Is bright pink in color too.

 

^^^^^ Includes SCA?

 

I appreciate the responses and will look into the detailed info when I have time. Right now I need a coolant change asap. Drove the truck today, started getting to 60% when driving. Never happened before. And while idling, I had to shut it off because I didn't want it to get pass the normal section, it was that high. Maybe I'm low on coolant. This happened after I posted this thread. Weird. Can trucks go online and read?

Anyways. I second that question. Does that zerex HD have sca already included? Trying to do the easiest change/update. It will also allow anyone in the future to do the right change if need be. Like my brothers etc.

 

Temperature rise could be any number of things not related to the conditon of the coolant. Clogged radiator, hose collapse, failing water pump, failing fan, etc. Do you have a real-time data reader, and if so, are you monitoring EOT?

 

I'm sorry, what do you mean by real time data reader? And what is EOT? First time hearing about this

 

Fleet charge is good also

 

Fleetcharge is all set with the SCA's needed?

 

I guess i found problem. After cooling down, i go to check and its low on coolant. What the hell is this stuff in my radiator? Is this what SCA's turn into when there is low coolant?

 

 

I wonder where its leaking from. This truck doesnt leak. At all. It was filled to the top about 4 weeks ago..

 

It is either an external leaky you could see or you are burning it.It not a magic potion that diapers on it own.

I think you can get Fleet charge pre charged, but you got got to get all that crud out first.

 

SCAs have nothing to do with coolant level, and nothing to do with whatever that stuff is in your radiator. My best guess is that's a stop leak additive. My brother worked on cooling systems for many years, and in his trade they always called Bars Leak "Bars Heat", for its propensity to clog heater cores. Indeed, get that crud out if you can.