Diesel Antifreeze

[DAonly]

Hey fellas- I changed the antifreeze in my McCormick CT36HST using regular car antifreeze......I wondered why the antifreeze that I drained out of the tractor (it was original) looked like brewed tea but figured it was just specific to Korea's manufacture......BUT now I was told that indeed there is a diesel specific antifreeze. Do I need to buy a gallon or two and change out the car version?

Other thing I ask about several weeks ago was the size of a brush hog I should go with.....I decided on a new 5' BUSH HOG. Hooked up and in Medium range I kept have the engine die on me when I had it up to rpm speed and start to mow......Did it many times.......went to low range and that seemed to help (3.3 mph max speed) but then I was brush hogging a 1 acre field that was 2 feet high in grass and weeds in some places and a foot or so in others. Engine just stopped on me 4 times.....Called the guy I bought it from and he ask about when the fuel filter was changed which was about 70 hours ago on the clock since last summer. I buy good fuel and have for the 8 years I've owned the tractor and it's always ran fine. Any way I changed the fuel filter and air filter while I was at it. I took it out and finished brush hogging the field in some heavy brush and it ran without so much as a hiccup. I let the mower gradually get up to pto speed and let it set there and run for a minute or two before I start..... I know I lose hp at the pto because it's a hydrostatic but the mower only needs 25 pto hp so I've got 4 hp over that......should be enough. Could the fuel filter been starving the engine/ It looked fine. not dirty looking at all......I have some more to brush hog when the weather gets better here come the weekend but if it stalls again I'm lost......Engine starts right back up after it dies on me.....

 

[YLee Kioti]

Hey fellas- I changed the antifreeze in my McCormick CT36HST using regular car antifreeze......I wondered why the antifreeze that I drained out of the tractor (it was original) looked like brewed tea This describes a coolant that is aged and contaminated. but figured it was just specific to Korea's manufacture......BUT now I was told that indeed there is a diesel specific antifreeze. Do I need to buy a gallon or two and change out the car version?
Would not recommend a 'car' coolant. Different needs and chemistry. A recent thread here got quite informative and a very long read. Research via your dealer first on wet or dry sleeve engine. Then decide on Diesel rated coolant based on dealer recommendations.
Other thing I ask about several weeks ago was the size of a brush hog I should go with.....I decided on a new 5' BUSH HOG. Hooked up and in Medium range I kept have the engine die on me when I had it up to rpm speed and start to mow......Did it many times.......went to low range and that seemed to help (3.3 mph max speed) but then I was brush hogging a 1 acre field that was 2 feet high in grass and weeds in some places and a foot or so in others. Engine just stopped on me 4 times.....Called the guy I bought it from and he ask about when the fuel filter was changed which was about 70 hours ago on the clock since last summer.
I buy good fuel and have for the 8 years I've owned the tractor and it's always ran fine. Any way I changed the fuel filter and air filter while I was at it. I took it out and finished brush hogging the field in some heavy brush and it ran without so much as a hiccup. I let the mower gradually get up to pto speed and let it set there and run for a minute or two before I start..... I know I lose hp at the pto because it's a hydrostatic but the mower only needs 25 pto hp so I've got 4 hp over that......should be enough. Could the fuel filter been starving the engine-Yes/ It looked fine. not dirty looking at all......I have some more to brush hog when the weather gets better here come the weekend but if it stalls again I'm lost......Engine starts right back up after it dies on me.....

So has the tractor sat long without running? Maybe fuel has algae in the tank. Just throwing it out there for consideration.

Here are a few links on coolant question.
Diesel Coolants: The Right Fluid For The Right Application
Heavy Duty Antifreeze | ELC Coolant | Shell Rotella(R) | Shell ROTELLA(R)
Diesel-Coolant Industry Heats Up Over Nitrite | Construction Equipment



Otherwise sounds like you have a good slow methodical approach.

 

[DAonly]

You've owned it 8 years and you're just now draining the OEM antifreeze? It could be that the OEM stuff didn't originally look like tea.

You might post the name of your replacement antifreeze. Also look on the back of the container and list the ASTM specifications that it meets along with any other manufacturers specs. If it lists ASTM D6210, it's good for diesels too. Otherwise, it will depend on what specs are listed.

Yep oversight on my part I guess but it always was -35 degrees when I checked it and I keep it in the insulated garage year round. It was Zerex antifreeze Doesn't say what the ASTM is. I have Prestone that says it's good for all ASTMs......

 

[DAonly]

No algae.....I run it mowing with a 6' finshing mower for 1-1/2 hours every 12 days or so......Good fuel never ever had a problem with where I buy it. Only 375 hours on the engine. Change oil every 50 hours. No overheating ever!

 

[DAonly]

Zerex is the old stuff in white container that says FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS. Prestone is the old Yellow bottle that say meets all ASTMs Both a new, never opened but admittedly I've had them for many years.

 

[YLee Kioti]

And one last note...when flushing, recommend using distilled water.

It's cheap and mitigates introduction of total dissolved solids into a system that is being flushed.
Should be good for another 8 years...

 

[DAonly]

Yeah I only use the tractor for plowing snow in the winter I have one more mow in the fields to do to wrap it up till spring. Also I tried out the brush hog again for about an hour and it worked like a charm so it must've been the fuel filter.....will have to change it at least once a year which I have been doing. I will pick up a couple gallons of the HD Aintfreeze. By the way, I scraped the black paint off some of the radiator fins and the top tank and it's brass which surprised me....I thought it was going to be aluminum.
Thanks for all the help fellas!

 

[LouNY]

There are 3 main types of "anti-freeze" in use currently for engines;
The old style Glycol,
The newer HOAT
The newest OAT
they are not compatible and mixable, mixing them is uite likely to wind up with sludge.
What are the Different Types of Antifreeze and Can I Mix Them?
Coolant Confusion: It's Not Easy Being Green ... or Yellow or Orange or ... | MOTOR

 

[DAonly]

Well I'm going to talk to the dealership where I bought it and get this straightened out.......

 

[DAonly]

Dealer has never had to do a rebuild on a McCormick so he doesn't know if Mitsubishi S4L has wet or dry liners......I did find some material from Mitsubishi online that says to use NON-AMINE antifreeze........so with that I believe I'll order a couple gallons of Zerex G-05 like K7LN suggested and swap it out come spring.....