Prefered method of checking coolant life?

[bitternut]

Since my JD 5210 and 350c are both powered by 3 cyl diesel engines with wet sleeves I was wondering what the best way was to check the coolant life. In the past I have just been dumping the coolant every 3 or 4 years and replacing with new on a 50/50 ratio. Since the price of glycol is considerably more than in the past I would like to test it first to see if it needed dumping, or if it still had service life left. Neither engine usually gets much more than 100 hours annually. Can I just check the ph with a regular pool test kit and maybe a multitester or is special equipment needed?

 

[jd110]

Your dealer should sell test strips that you dip into the coolant to see if it needs additives added. There are different test strips for regular ethylene-glycol antifreeze and the new CoolGard II antifreeze. The additive is different for the two types also. Replace coolant if dirty or at the end of it's service life. New CoolGard II is good for 6 years or 6000 hours.

 

[murphy1244]

See Antifreeze is the lifeblood of your car's cooling system

 

[Looking4new]

Thanks Murphy1244:thumbsup:

 

[bitternut]

Thanks jd110 and Murphy1244. I will check with my local dealer for the test strips. I am pretty sure that I have the same multi tester shown in the link from Murphy1244. It looks just like the one that I got from Harbor Freight for leaving in the barn.

 

[Gary Fowler]

See Antifreeze is the lifeblood of your car's cooling system

I did this voltage check and got nothing and I know my antifreeze is original in my 2007 Silverado. Truck doesn't even have a radiator cap or drain in the radiator, just the overflow tank. Wifes 2003 Olds at least has a radiator cap although it isn't the traditional pressure release type. NO reading in that one either so I suspect that that voltage reading stuff is crap. I need to check on some of those test strips as it is going to be difficult to change the antifreeze in my truck without a drain, I have to pull the bottom hose off and it isn't easy to get to either.
Time wise it is time to change but mileage is only 1/3 of the way for my truck @ 48K (150K mileage guarantee) and wife's '03 had the water pump changed at the dealer last summer so it should have fresh coolant installed at that time.

 

[Bud Walters]

there is an overflow tank beside the rad on your truck. using a suction tester, take just enough out to test with the test strips
antifreeze does 2 or 3 different jobs. one important one is anticorrosion. the antifreezing capacity of the coolant does not change much, but the anticorrosion chemicals get used up.you can replace the coolant evey 2 years or if the coolant is still clean and clear, add a coolant corrosion inhibitor. you will have to buy the correct inhibitor for the year and make of your truck/car /tractor etc
the diesels you own are much more sensitive to corrosion than the gas engines. if they have universal ethylene glycol antifreeze, you can add a "Wix" product part number 24063 the the coolant on each. about a half cup per year. i do this with all my water cooled engines-tractor, car truck etc.
I am a licensed HD mechanic working in parts in a tractor dealership.

 

[Gary Fowler]

All the coolants look like new, no discoloration at all. Any one know where I can get test strips? Does NAPA, O'Reilly or AutoZone sell the additive. That is the only parts places around here.

 

[Bud Walters]

i quoted the wrong number for the coolant additive .the correct number is 24056 .the wix number for test strips is 24106. NAPA uses wix filters with their own numbers (just drop the first digit to convert wix to NAPA) try them i am sure they can use a cross reference to find and supply you with what you need.I am from Canada. we dont have autozone here

 

[fieldman12]

I use the John Deere CoolGard II in most of our equipment and really like it. It is good for 6 years or 6,000 hours and I hear people that test it get longer than that. I test mine with the CoolGard strips made specially for CoolGard II twice a year.