coolant / ford 7.3 ( wet liner? )

[fieldserviceengineer]

I get my test strips at my JD dealer.

When I replaced my coolant in the truck and tractor a few years back I ended up using JD Cool Guard for both. I think there is a new JD Cool Guard but I have not looked at it yet. I think this fall I am due to change coolant again in both engines. I suppose it will be with Cool Guard again.

Later,
Dan

John Deere Cool Gard I was a hybrid coolant composed of conventional cavitation protection inhibitors, nitrite and molybdate. It was hybrid by virtue of the benzoic acid (OAT). It was a very robustly formulated coolant. Really good stuff. Now, Cool Gard II is a nitrite free OAT coolant. JD test strips will not test for anything in this coolant that the kit could detect in the Cool Gard I product. The new JD CGII product will protect your engine. I am certain John Deere would advise against mixing but if mixed with conventional chemistry coolant (one containing SCA), it will still continue to provide cavitation pitting and corrosion protection. Full OAT coolants which are now coming onto the market are nitrite-free because of the European Tree Huggers who believe that nitrite is now evil for the environment. Nitrite -free OAT coolants are not better at cavitation pitting protection just another approach and an expensive one at that. That goes for Fleetguard ES Compleat OAT formula as well. It is nitrite-free but much more expensive as the ingredients are more expensive.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Along with using the additive, I have been advised to never add tap water.
Always use distilled water in your blending.
What amazes me is that NOBODY that I know is aware of the things we are talking about here. They just dump in whatever is on hand.
Haven't heard of one blowing up (yet).

 

[Soundguy]

the tap vs distilld is likely a mineral issue.

the average vehicle owner probably is doing good if the poor vehicle gets a yearly oil change.

tires and brakes don't get checked untill flat or squeaky.



soundguy

 

[Highbeam]

wow.. seems like you need a ooigie board to figure out what you have and need.

shame on the manufactures of all involved for making the procedure so shrouded in mystery for the end user..

soundguy

I'm with you soundguy. I have owned my used PSD for just about two years and have yet to do anything with the coolant system for fear of screwing it up. Then also feel that if I don't do something that I will screw it up. Screwing it up can effectively "total" the typical truck with a 7.3 since the engine is so expensive.

The ford enthusiast sites seem to all recommend the ultimate solution is to buy the real ELC like from fleetguard or International. It needs to additives for 300,000 miles. You need to flush the old stuff out really well though.

 

[Soundguy]

for my 99 I went with green coolant and napa kool addative 4056.. suposedly a sca 2 .. and I think I am safe with that. beter'n nuttin I guess.

soundguy

 

[2manyrocks]

wow.. seems like you need a ooigie board to figure out what you have and need.

shame on the manufactures of all involved for making the procedure so shrouded in mystery for the end user..

soundguy

I remember reading on another website that some folks there had the personal opinion that Ford didn't do enough to warn about potential cavitation problems in the International diesel engine series and the need to use coolant additives going back to the 1980's. In those days, the engine wasn't as stressed because it didn't have the output of today's engines.

They've made these trucks more powerful, but at the same time, they have made them more complex in my opinion compared to the 1986 or so Ford diesel I used to own.

 

[Soundguy]

comples is ok.

just have a simple direct coolant spec or addative spec that you can cross reference and be good.. not this gobelty gook of superceeded specs and formulations..e tc.

whenb i went to my local ford dealer to ask questions.. they looked at me like I was crazy...

soundguy

 

[Egon]

I remember reading on another website that some folks there had the personal opinion that Ford didn't do enough to warn about potential cavitation problems in the International diesel engine series and the need to use coolant additives going back to the 1980's. In those days, the engine wasn't as stressed because it didn't have the output of today's engines.

Did they also mention the casting problems resulting in high porosity blocks?

 

[fieldserviceengineer]

Some of 7.3's had yellow coolant some had green, I'm not sure which additive goes with which but I do know that Ford sells test strips so you can check to see if and when the additive is needed. I also have been told by a Navistar Engineer at a fleet presentation Ford did that you should NOT mix yellow and green coolant, they are not compatible. On the later 6 liters this slimes up the EGR cooler causing them to overheat and crack.

International engineer has part of it correct. Mixing is discouraged because the properties of the Ford Motorcraft coolant may be reduced if the "green" coolant does not have similar or sufficient additive chemistry. To say they are incompatible is absolutely incorrect. You have to understand that most engineers have a bare minimum of chemistry in their education unless they are chemical engineers. The "incompatible" story has been generated by marketing people trying to create something unique about their product. It first surfaced in 1995 when Texaco introduced their organic acid coolant for HD applications. In order to set it apart from conventional chemistry coolants, they invented a story.

Bottom line: mixing can dilute the chemical protection of the original coolant if the "green" has little or no additives that the original has. Mixing of colors does eventually result in color change......just color not chemical properties such as some reaction that could harm the system.

 

[2manyrocks]

Did they also mention the casting problems resulting in high porosity blocks?

I don't remember. They seemed to talk about everything else-especially when they bored out the block from 6.9 L to 7.3 L.

This whole thing about coolant additives brought back some of it to me, but from a distance, it appears that the multiple choices for coolant additives and the lack of information about which ones to use are still causing problems for owners.

When diesel was .99 cents verus 1.30 for gas, it was one thing to pay a bit more for a diesel engine, but it's a more complicated choice to weigh out now.