L3400 coolant change

[number two]

canoetrpr-Relax dude,you're fine!You didn't need the flush stuff,unless your cooling system looks really nasty,which I doubt it was.I believe you have a (parent bore) engine i.e. no liners-which elimates the cavitation issues for the most part.I think if it was me,I'd change your coolant again next year,using the premix de-ionized,de-mineralized coolant,if for no other reason,to remove any flushing residue from this service.Every other year after that.

 

[canoetrpr]

The stuff I drained out was pretty darn clean.

The manual suggests using a flush treatment and following the directions on it so thats what I did.

I forgot the appropriate emoticon when I said that I hope my cooling system won't self destruct. I was just kidding. Figure I am A'OK just following what is in the manual.

Thanks for the point about it being parent bore btw. I'll go read up a bit on cavitation just out of interest.

 

[Altex]

The stuff I drained out was pretty darn clean...

Did you flush correctly and did y'all see this link? Just checkin'.
See Post #9 and especially #10 by 3RRL (Rob).
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/chinese-tractors/101921-kama-554-radiator-maintenance-mods.html

I'm sure your fine. Just info for next time.

 

[canoetrpr]

Interesting - I don't recall any instructions regarding a separate petcock in the instruction manual. I'll go peek tomorrow.

 

[mjfox6]

I changed out my coolant this past weekend. I drained it, flushed it with Prestone Flush and distilled water, drained it, flushed it with distilled water and then filled it with new coolant. You can remove the lid from the reservoir tank and then slide it straight up to remove it. That made it easy to drain and rinse out.

I ran the tractor at PTO speed for 10 minutes each time and allowed it to cool about 40 minutes before draining.

Thanks canoetrpr!

 

[teg]

I did mine two weeks ago... (and THANKS for the reminder, guys)

Drained, flushed w/ just water, then flushed it with Prestone Flush, then flushed it four more times with just water. I would drain from the plug and pulled the lower hose from the engine each time. It was extra work but felt that enough fluid came out from the engine block to justify it.


.

 

[Elliott Wave]

Hi,

I just turned two years on my Tractor (L3400 hst with loader and backhoe) and started to investigate the coolant change. I have 160 hours on the Tractor and it is stored in a garage. I have never changed coolant on cars but since I paid a whole lot more for my Tractor, I want to make sure I go by the book...

After reading through this thread and the other one it the lubricant section, I went to my dealer to see if they sell the coolant and a flush cleaner. When I indicated that I was looking to change the coolant after 2 years, they did not think it was critical to change. I was told that they use regular NAPA coolant UPC# 74804 00823 (comes in a blue container, its green, ethylene glycol, it requires mixing). I asked if I had them do it would they use a flush cleaner? I was told typically not if it looks clean.

I guess I am leaning to draining the coolant, putting demineralized water in the radiator and run the tractor for a few minutes and than drain the water, and then put the same NAPA coolant in (premix type instead of mixing it myself).

Thoughts?

 

[AMR]

I did my B3030 as teg describes, I drained it through the petcock on the lowest hose, flushed with warm tap water run and drain, flushed with prestone radiator flush run and drain, flushed once more with warm tap water run and drain, then I filled it with pre-mixed NAPA HD diesel engine coolant, it is a nice red color. I sucked the old green stuff out of the reservoir, rinsed that too and filled that to the fill mark. I only waited a few minutes between flushes. I used warm water to fill the radiator for the flushes so I wouldn't warp or crack anything if the engine was too hot.

 

[number two]

If the coolant in the tractor looks OK,I prefer not to flush but drain as much coolant as possible-radiator,block drains if acsessible,expansion bottle,etc.By flushing with water,the coolant that remains in the engine becomes diluted with water.If a 50/50 mix is then added to the system,the preferred 50/50 mix(-34F)many of us desire is diluted by the remaining coolant.This method eliminates having to mess around with taking hydrometer or refractometer readings to measure the freeze point.Good Luck!

 

[Elliott Wave]

Number Two:

I might just go that route, since the dealer did not think it was even necessary to change it...