Trusting Antifreeze Test Strips

[mrutkaus]

I guess this is meant for Dieselpower or some scientific sort.

Inspired by discussions here I did get some antifreeze test strips.

Should I trust them?

I often leave antifreeze in for years and years, never had a problem. I'm thinking (tested 3 vehicles so far) the test strips confirm my plan, as they show what's in there good.

Mike

 

[AlanB]

Which test strips are you using.

Do they check PH / RA (reserve Alalinity)?

If you are just checking freeze point, no, you are not checking deep enough.

If you are checking FP, RA, pH, and SCA level, I would say you are fine.

That all said, I would still want to take some off the bottom and look for fallout / cloudiness etc.

 

[mrutkaus]

"Acustrip" part # 1550. come 70- strips in a plastic bottle, bought on ebay from a company that seems to do nothing but various test strips. they expire 11/10

They do test for reserve alkalinilty (acid corrosion protection).

mike

 

[AlanB]

"Acustrip" part # 1550. come 70- strips in a plastic bottle, bought on ebay from a company that seems to do nothing but various test strips. they expire 11/10

They do test for reserve alkalinilty (acid corrosion protection).

mike

They are not the right Acustrip for a diesel engine. Not sure which you are testing, but that would be the correct basic strip for automotive Antifreeze.

Two-Way Auto Antifreeze Specifications

Here is their range, you would need to sort down through their range, find the applicable test strip to the Antifreeze and formulation that you are using, which for most folks, involves changing antifreeze so they have a known baseline to work from.

Acustrip Antifreeze Coolant Test Products

 

[DieselPower]

Like Alan said, it sounds like they might not be the correct ones. If your checking diesel engine coolant they make ones just for that.

 

[Doc_Bob]

They are not the right Acustrip for a diesel engine. Not sure which you are testing, but that would be the correct basic strip for automotive Antifreeze.

http://www.acustrip.com/specs/2-wayafauto.html

What is different for a diesel?
Bob

 

[DieselPower]

In a diesel engine coolant (conventional not extended life) there are DCA's (diesel coolant additives). These are the additives that prevent cylinder cavitation and are through use of the engine depleted. The DCA level needs to be checked regularly and additive added when the test strip shows the additive level has fallen below the safe level. There are two types of additive. Personally I have always used Fleetguards. Either DCA or DCA 4. Regular DCA is a borate/nitrite based additive and DCA 4 is a phosphate, nitrite and molybdate based additive. DCA4 is recommended by many OE manufacturers, including Cummins, Navistar, Ford, John Deere, and others. A chemical concentration of 1.5 - 3.0 UPG (units per gallon) should be maintained in your cooling system at all times, this is what is tested with the test strip.

 

[Doc_Bob]

In a diesel engine coolant (conventional not extended life) there are DCA's (diesel coolant additives).

Excellent answer.
Thanks.
Bob

 

[mrutkaus]

Whew! Yes, what I had were just automotive test strips.

I looked at the acustrip site, boy there are too many kinds!!

And expensive, but worth it I guess.

Mike

 

[AlanB]

Hoping not to confuse but to add to DP's excellent explanation.

Some manufacturers will refer to DCA as SCA. (supplemental coolant additives)

 

[mrutkaus]

Looking around I see SOME people consider NAPA's NapaKool to be a water wetter, and SOME people consider it to be an anti cavitation diesel agent.

Random question: Does a radiator water wetter do anything like an anticavitation fluid? It almost seems it would keep water in contact with metal better, reducing cavitation.

But, what do I know?

Mike

 

[AlanB]

I don't know either, but am curious. I cannot find Napa Kool on the Napa website.

I saw something on Dieselpower website, but no part #s etc.

They said it was a Fleetguard product. We should be able to take the MSDS and see and cross it too the fleetguard and see what they are reccomending it for.

We have fooled with some of the various Water wetters, and have never noticed one that claimed to be an SCA for diesels, but do not believe I have ever noticed that Napa had one.

 

[DieselPower]

I don't think they have anything on the Napa website except for the MSDS. Just ask the guy or gal at the parts counter for it. All of my local Napa stores have it on the shelves out front.

If memory serves correctly Napa Kool, Big A Cool, Wix Cool and CarQuest Cooling System Treatment are all the same and all made by Wix. It is a nitrate, nitrite, borate based DCA, similiar to FleetGuards DCA 2.

For those of you having problems finding a DCA additive stop by any local Ford dealership. Ask for a bottle of FW-16, it's nothing more than a bottle of FleetGuard DCA 4 in a Ford wrapper.

The majority of DCA test strips on the market will have three indicator spots on them. One for nitrate, one for molybdate and one for the freeze point.

One thing to remember is to never just dump in DCA without knowing what your additive level currently is. If you add to much additive (above 2400 ppm of nitrite) you can start to get additive dropout which causes a whole different set of problems, deposit formations, add to much silicate and you can get silicate gel formations (looks like jello).

 

[mrutkaus]

Got a pint of NapaKool today...he got it from "out back" --- it was sort of an "under the counter transaction" !!!

$8

It really only mentions diesel/truck engiens in the small print on back of the bottle, almost as if you are supposed to already know that it is only for diesel.

What do I know, I'm just a Tech Writer!?

Mike