Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips

   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips #1  

mrutkaus

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I guess this is meant for Dieselpower or some scientific sort.

Inspired by discussions here I did get some antifreeze test strips.

Should I trust them?

I often leave antifreeze in for years and years, never had a problem. I'm thinking (tested 3 vehicles so far) the test strips confirm my plan, as they show what's in there good.

Mike
 
   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips #2  
Which test strips are you using.

Do they check PH / RA (reserve Alalinity)?

If you are just checking freeze point, no, you are not checking deep enough.

If you are checking FP, RA, pH, and SCA level, I would say you are fine.

That all said, I would still want to take some off the bottom and look for fallout / cloudiness etc.
 
   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips
  • Thread Starter
#3  
"Acustrip" part # 1550. come 70- strips in a plastic bottle, bought on ebay from a company that seems to do nothing but various test strips. they expire 11/10

They do test for reserve alkalinilty (acid corrosion protection).

mike
 
   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips #4  
"Acustrip" part # 1550. come 70- strips in a plastic bottle, bought on ebay from a company that seems to do nothing but various test strips. they expire 11/10

They do test for reserve alkalinilty (acid corrosion protection).

mike


They are not the right Acustrip for a diesel engine. Not sure which you are testing, but that would be the correct basic strip for automotive Antifreeze.

Two-Way Auto Antifreeze Specifications

Here is their range, you would need to sort down through their range, find the applicable test strip to the Antifreeze and formulation that you are using, which for most folks, involves changing antifreeze so they have a known baseline to work from.

Acustrip Antifreeze Coolant Test Products
 
   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips #5  
Like Alan said, it sounds like they might not be the correct ones. If your checking diesel engine coolant they make ones just for that.
 
   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips #7  
In a diesel engine coolant (conventional not extended life) there are DCA's (diesel coolant additives). These are the additives that prevent cylinder cavitation and are through use of the engine depleted. The DCA level needs to be checked regularly and additive added when the test strip shows the additive level has fallen below the safe level. There are two types of additive. Personally I have always used Fleetguards. Either DCA or DCA 4. Regular DCA is a borate/nitrite based additive and DCA 4 is a phosphate, nitrite and molybdate based additive. DCA4 is recommended by many OE manufacturers, including Cummins, Navistar, Ford, John Deere, and others. A chemical concentration of 1.5 - 3.0 UPG (units per gallon) should be maintained in your cooling system at all times, this is what is tested with the test strip.
 
   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips
  • Thread Starter
#9  
Whew! Yes, what I had were just automotive test strips.

I looked at the acustrip site, boy there are too many kinds!!

And expensive, but worth it I guess.

Mike
 
   / Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips #10  
Hoping not to confuse but to add to DP's excellent explanation.

Some manufacturers will refer to DCA as SCA. (supplemental coolant additives)
 
 
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