Antifreeze- is any type OK?

[3930dave]

OP: just curious. why did you add distilled water to the 50/50 mix?

He might have been using Concentrate ?

Rgds, D.

 

[dennyd]

Saying Yes would be a bit like telling somebody to go eat Green food....... probably not fatal, but perhaps not the optimal solution.

Colour is what sticks in people's mind, but that is tough to make a call on...... older Green coolant required SCA/DCA additive, and fairly frequent changes (on time limit, which few people bothered to do).

OTOH, if your present coolant is original/sludge, then just about anything will be an improvement.

I'd be tempted to diagnose (only !) with just distilled water, until I had the cause of the overheating nailed down. I say only diagnose, because just-water gives you zero corrosion protection, including to cavitation.

If you can't get a hold of the manufacturer's manual for your tractor, post in the relevant forum on here what engine you have in it - somebody will likely have a listing that will be close enough for coolant spec.

For instance, a CAT engine may have a specific spec that some modern coolants won't meet..... but, all that said...... if I was in a hurry and/or couldn't come up with spec info for the tractor/engine, then on a pre-EPA diesel, I'd just pick whatever modern ELC diesel coolant that was handy and use that.

If I take the time to do the job, I don't want to have to test for SCA needs in the future, and I don't want to change it again in 2 years. But, that's just my preference, YMMV.....

Rgds, D.

I read that if I change it every 2 yrs, it's more than likely ok to go ahead and use the green conventional low silicate. That's what the bottles say.

 

[3930dave]

I read that if I change it every 2 yrs, it's more than likely ok to go ahead and use the green conventional low silicate. That's what the bottles say.

10-4, but note that you likely need to add SCA or DCA additive (testing accordingly) to control cavitation corrosion. Read the fine-print on the bottle to check re. SCA use.

That ^ old chemistry can work fine..... it's all we had once Upon a Time, but many (most) didn't bother maintaining the SCA, or even installing it to begin with.

I'm just getting lazier in my olde age ..... for a negligible difference in cost, I'll just use modern OAT dzl coolant on my old stuff, and skip the SCA entirely.

Wishing you a speedy return to a normal operating Temp on that tractor

Rgds, D.

 

[dennyd]

10-4, but note that you likely need to add SCA or DCA additive (testing accordingly) to control cavitation corrosion. Read the fine-print on the bottle to check re. SCA use.

That ^ old chemistry can work fine..... it's all we had once Upon a Time, but many (most) didn't bother maintaining the SCA, or even installing it to begin with.

I'm just getting lazier in my olde age ..... for a negligible difference in cost, I'll just use modern OAT dzl coolant on my old stuff, and skip the SCA entirely.

Wishing you a speedy return to a normal operating Temp on that tractor

Rgds, D.

I'm about convinced the water ways are nothing but gunk. I have to flush it out.
Not to worried about the coolant to much because them Chinese tractors were just run with creek water anyway. The factory must not have worried about cyl cavitation or water wouldn't be mentioned in the shop manual so often. LOL.

 

[Williy]

I have a cummins in my pick;up and was told that
the antifreeze had to be red because the diesel
vibrates different than a gas engine.
Any one hear of this????

willy

a riddle: what has 18 legs and catches flies???

 

[3930dave]

I have a cummins in my pick;up and was told that
the antifreeze had to be red because the diesel
vibrates different than a gas engine.
Any one hear of this????

willy

a riddle: what has 18 legs and catches flies???

Google cavitation corrosion in diesels, it will tell you most of what you need to know.

Rgds, D.

 

[Egon]

Depends on if it’s a parent lock or sleeved block.

 

[PILOON]

Couple of years ago following reading a similar discussion to this one I decided to do a 'flush' and service on my CUT.
Well, I selected a flush product, rinsed and filled with new antifreeze.
Perhaps it was just bad luck but troubles followed.
Mid winter, (nice and cold) my block heater gave out and that was followed by my radiator cap failing. (Internal cap spring simply was corroded away.)
Was it simply 'old age' or did the coolant contain something that ate the coolant cap spring and my block heater as well?
Heater was a bear to change @ -25 deg and it took forever to find a proper rad cap.
OK, all well that ends well I guess and so far no more troubles.

 

[3930dave]

Coolant problems, never fun, but doing the work @ -25 , bad day indeed....

Any reputable flush product shouldn't give grief, assuming corrosion isn't holding something critical together, and you throw away your man-card and follow the instructions to the letter....

These Cummins products aren't badly priced, even in Canuck-land....

https://www.cumminsfiltration.com/sites/default/files/lt36625.pdf

(Fleetguard Restore/+ , if the link dies....)

Rgds, D.