coolant change: your frequency

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Don't mean to be making to much light on what can/could be/maybe a serious problem. Just interesting that of all the time I've spent on this Kubota forum I've never heard of a single problem with any Kubota of any year or hours that has ever had this cavitation problem nor have I ever seen it brought up before as an issue with Kubota tractors, ever. Actually thousands of owner members here and readers so surely there's one with personal experience.
Maybe Messicks and other dealers can give a percentage of actual problems that they have dealt with.
Now there seem to be documented problems and issues with big truck engines. Not sure that's a concern to me. Just Kubota tractors, that's all I'm interested in on this Kubota tractor owners forum and actual documented problems that are proven and what actually caused the problem, not speculation.
I guess I'm calling for those that have owned a Kubota with this problem with cavitation or failure to add SCAs causing documented problems to their Kubota engine. Please step forward so I can again start getting a decent nights sleep. Please... no "I heard about a guy 5 counties over that knew a guy that said he heard about this serious problem to a power generator or other non Kubota tractor issue".

 

[number two]

JT you bought the right stuff!Mix 50/50 with distilled water and you're good to go.Drain what you can and refill with your mixed coolant.For the guys that flush their systems with plain water it gets a liite harder since they will have to add more coolant than water to achieve their desired freeze point.For most of us,50/50 provides -34F protection with the proper amount of anti-corrosion protection.70/30 mix gets the -70F stuff for those Montana or Alaska owners.I prefer just to drain and refill on schedule to keep it simple with refilling with 50/50 mix-easy.
Don't worry about cavation and SCA's-those fully forumulated coolants are for heavy-duty engines with replaceable cylinder liners.Our Kubota engines are "parent bore" engines,the pistons run inside the block like your car engines.Heavy Duty engines have replaceable cylinder liners so the engine can be rebuilt numerous times without replacing the block.
I noticed one of the replies mentioned his Kubota manual recommened the use of permanent type antifreeze,well we all know how out-of-date Kubota manuals can be.My first car was a 1961 Impala-well used by the way,still had the window sticker in the glovebox.Only options were antifreeze and AM radio,remember the tube type radios that took a few miles to warm up?I recall methanol being used in the winter and water in the summer with water pump lubricant as an additive.I hope I've not further ignited this thread!

 

[kuboman]

Cavitation occurs when you have small vapor bubbles form on the walls of the cylinders. They are like a tiny explosion that erodes the wall of the cylinder. After enough time it 'eats' a hole right through and then you get antifreeze in the oil or if it is high enough on the cylinder you get the engine burning antifreeze. Generally speaking it is a problem of a wet sleeve design engine. But it is possible with some thin walled parent bore engines. With the modern engines and modern antifreeze the cavitation problem is quite rare now. With a new long life diesel anti-freeze i would not be the least bit afraid to run the full five years.

 

[namesray]

so, since i have used prestone coolant for the past 11 years and no problems (vehicles and equipment), is this the prestone coolant i should be using in my diesel engine kubota equipment?

Prestone® Heavy Duty Antifreeze/Coolant | Prestone®

how long will the "intial sca's" last before needing recharged? if i flush and change coolant every 2 years, will that be ok? as for using tap water with minerals, or distilled water, wouldn't the flush every 2 years clean most of that out. i have used hose water for a few changes and 2 years later when i did the flush and coolant change, the old coolant/mix didn't look any different then when i used the 50/50 premix with distilled water/demineralized water in it. no super rust color or such. what would the tap/hose water do? seems like i even read on one brand of coolant, something in that coolant eliminated the need for distilled water. this was a long while ago when i was researching coolants back then. thought i had a good understanding of what i should be using, but this thread has confused me more again and brought out a lot of good info that for me requires more research.

 

[sw03]

ANY diesel engine's cooling system needs SCA (bitterment). It's like the anode in your water heater, or on the lower unit of an outboard marine engine. Electrolysis happens, and it happens a lot in a diesel. If you don't supply a sacrificial anode, or coolant additive, it will corrode something.
I use this in all my diesels: FleetCharge

Sorry, Kubota does not say you need it for my bx since it does not have wet liners! It is not needed in some kubota's. Even some military diesels do not use it...go figure. And yes I work on them.

This topic is as old on here. Do a search since this is nothing new.

 

[KennyV]

For those that want to justify using regular antifreeze in their diesel engines... you don't need to justify it to anyone, keep doing what you have been doing. Who is it going to hurt...
For those using any type water, same thing, your the only one that may be hurt by it, so keep at it... You may not see the mineral deposits inside the cooling system, so they 'May' not be there.

It amounts to doing everything you can to keep your equipment working, you really don't have to... and if you get by doing the least, that's okay, but don't say you have never seen anything about it... and I sure hope there is not going to be anyone who bothers to get certified, documented evidence of damage for those that want to be 'convinced' ... for those, they can keep doing what they 'think' is okay... for any others wanting to do more, use the best.
And RO-DI water will work as well as distilled ... KennyV

 

[namesray]

not to be a broken record here, but i have tried looking for kubota's own coolant product and i am not having any luck. a earlier post here stated that kubota made there own coolant and i was going to checks the specs on that to see it that had sca's. as far as i have ever known, there is no kubota coolant, so another manufacture coolant would be needed. i looked in all my operators manuels, b7800, rtv 900, and b3200 and the only difference through the years is that the newer b3200 states, use 50/50 mix of antifreeze and "soft" water as compared to the b7800 and rtv 900 manuels stating use 50/50 mix of coolant and fresh clean water. sca's and distilled water are never mentioned. i also checked kubota's website and that states to use 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water.


http://www.kubota.com/service/LubricantMaintenance.aspx


sca's and distilled water are not mentioned at all. i am not down playing any info given here as it makes since to have the nitrate coatings in the sca's and to not have corosive minerals in the water used. i am just confused as to why it is not mentioned in the manuels anywhere. it would make sence that it should be as it would seem to be important. kubota manuels are so specific on which diesel to use, engine oil ap classification with what type of epa engine your tractor has, and the sudt oil, it would just seem that they would specifically state that a coolant with sca's must be used. a few farmers i know of have used just tap or even creek water in their tractors, and when i mention sca's they say they have no idea. those tractors seem to keep going, but who knows what the liners look like. anyone out there know what kubota specifically states to use? there is a sae j1034/sae j814c standard mentioned, but anyone out there know what antifreeze types meet those specs? i am looking for help here.

 

[sdkubota]

I appreciate that some have brought these issues to attention since I was totally ignorant of possible problems and antifreeze types. I would rather be aware of potential problems then go through life without a clue. Thanks to those that brought these issues to light! :drink:

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

I appreciate that some have brought these issues to attention since I was totally ignorant of possible problems and antifreeze types. I would rather be aware of potential problems then go through life without a clue. Thanks to those that brought these issues to light! :drink:

Some days I agree with this 100% and other days I have so much "stuff" that I have to know everything about that I just want to be "clueless".

 

[Gator6x4]

Don't mean to be making to much light on what can/could be/maybe a serious problem. Just interesting that of all the time I've spent on this Kubota forum I've never heard of a single problem with any Kubota of any year or hours that has ever had this cavitation problem nor have I ever seen it brought up before as an issue with Kubota tractors, ever. Actually thousands of owner members here and readers so surely there's one with personal experience.
Maybe Messicks and other dealers can give a percentage of actual problems that they have dealt with.
Now there seem to be documented problems and issues with big truck engines. Not sure that's a concern to me. Just Kubota tractors, that's all I'm interested in on this Kubota tractor owners forum and actual documented problems that are proven and what actually caused the problem, not speculation.
I guess I'm calling for those that have owned a Kubota with this problem with cavitation or failure to add SCAs causing documented problems to their Kubota engine. Please step forward so I can again start getting a decent nights sleep. Please... no "I heard about a guy 5 counties over that knew a guy that said he heard about this serious problem to a power generator or other non Kubota tractor issue".

John Thomas you have never owned a Kubota product long enough to change the Anti-Freeze. After a couple of heat cycles you trade for something newer. Sorry couldn't resist. I also have never heard of a cavitation problem with a Kubota product. If someone wants to have piece of mind, TSC sells Fleet Guard Anti-Freeze for diesels engines.