What antifreeze to use?

[Padraic]

Hi guys, try to figure out the coolant complexity. What to use and how long between change for RVer, the process you use to manage the coolant at top performance. 

I had the red (extended life) during the storage period and beyond. Yesterday with an oil change, changing the coolant in the shop. The tech said you should use the green stuff since my engine is older. A Cummins M11. From my old note years ago, one of the earlier HDTer (Old Phoneman) Dave. He used the green in his similar 98 truck. So I said great and got the green stuff put in.

The shop didn't do a great shop flushing the system and missed the coolant filter which contains SCA at one point.

So I need to educate myself and get to the bottom of this coolant thing which map hurt the engine more. To understand the different additives and different engine design may use a different type. SCA, test strip and nitrate etc.

I am ready this article and educational.

[chooseopen]

If it helps, my Volvo dealer sold me this for my 2007 VNL670 with the D12

https://photos.app.goo.gl/R7N296n72LJNSL0c2

[Showme]

OK. Number one beyond all else make sure the engine does not get an air lock when adding fresh coolant. Basically  a big air bubble in the head behind the thermostats. Should be a vent plug somewhere just behind stats. No much confidence in your mechanic if he refilled with regular green az automotive antifreeze. Second did your mechanic use distilled water for the blend or 50 50 blend.

Use low silicate fleet antio freeze from a fleet truck or oem shop. Should have anti cavitation additive. As a top off when needed I use final charge from napa. Cooland filter will depend on what cooland used. 

Monitor you af on a annual basic with Napa 4106 test strips for ph and nitrates. May be old number 524106, whatcha the date on the box of strips, they will expire. Add additives as required or coolant filter.

Hope this helped, just my 2 cents.

 

 

[Showme]

If you are not near a truck shop, look at NAPA 846439 Zerex meets most Cummins engine requirements. Do not take selection, maintenance, or checking of your Anti freeze lightly. I run a heavy equipment repair business, I have seen engines with pin holes in the cylinder sleeves because of neglect in af. Thus a major overhaul.  

Just my 2 cents.

[RandyA]

Stay with the red extended life approved for HD diesel engines.  Replace coolant filter with one that does not have SCA pellets inside.  Use Calgon when flushing to aid the process - it really works.  Mix coolant with steam distilled water (no mineral content).    Follow engine and/or product recommendations for change intervals.  This is what I run in my D12D.  Expensive but is cheaper over the long run if product directions are followed.  I would NEVER consider going back to green.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

The red/orange coolant wasn't approved in the old Cummins M-11 engines.  The original green is.  I do use an additive to help cavitation to a minimum.  Or you can flush and fill using Evan Coolant.  Great stuff but $$$.

[Padraic]

Thanks for the feedback. I am aware the seriousness of coolant to the engine. When I was actively traveling for eight years, I changed antifreeze often enough without the testing strip. After storing the truck for seven years. I know I need to do better. 

I didn't know about the airlock; I will check that vent plug. The coolant I got was Chevron Havoline green 50/50, so no water added. The concern right now is the mix of the red to the green due to poorly flush.  I may do it over if needed with a good flush with distilled water. I change coolants on all my cars for 40 years. The big truck is still new to me. This time around, I try to educate myself since shop mechanic can be hit or miss. 

From what I read Cummins M11 should be using the green stuff with adding DCA silicate and test with a test strip. I ordered some and see how well it tested and may decide to drain it all/re-do it.

These are what I am looking for; coolant filter for M11 - Fleetguard WF2072 -- this has 6 Units of Slo-Release DCA. The filter is behind the turbo and next to the oil filter. Looks like hard to reach. Also, Fleetguard DCA65L DCA4 Corrosion Inhibitor may be a good idea too. 
 

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

6 hours ago, Padraic said:

 

These are what I am looking for; coolant filter for M11 - Fleetguard WF2072 -- this has 6 Units of Slo-Release DCA. The filter is behind the turbo and next to the oil filter. Looks like hard to reach. Also, Fleetguard DCA65L DCA4 Corrosion Inhibitor may be a good idea too. 
 

 

Not that I'm advertising for Speedco but....... They did an excellent job draining, flushing and replacing the coolant for us.  Changed the filter as well.  I took the filter and gave it to them.  It probably took 30 more minutes than the regular fluid and filter change.

[Moresmoke]

6 hours ago, Padraic said:

These are what I am looking for; coolant filter for M11 - Fleetguard WF2072 -- this has 6 Units of Slo-Release DCA. The filter is behind the turbo and next to the oil filter. Looks like hard to reach. Also, Fleetguard DCA65L DCA4 Corrosion Inhibitor may be a good idea too. 
 

Don't use the additional DCA with the coolant filter unless the test strips are calling for it.  Too much DCA is also bad for the system.

[noteven]

I use long life premixed TRP coolant from Paccar Parts spec’d for my Cummins engine and Fleetguard filter numbers called out for my engine from KW dealer or Cummins.

[Padraic]

After 24 hours of research on anti-freeze/coolant for my M11 Cummins. A Diesel textbook from Amazon and my Cummins owner manual. There are some surprise and usual finding.

The M11 Cummins engine can use all three Type of anti-freeze according to my manual. Type I is the oldest which required testing and flush every two years from build up. Hight maintenance. Type II and III are the extended life which lasts much longer but still required monitoring and add the depleted additive back to coolant half-life if there is no coolant replacement. 

Basically, the air in coolant form bubble (like you see cooking water on a stove top) outside piston cylinder lining and when they burst. High pressure can punch holes thru the piston sleeve wall. SCA contains nitrite which forming a guard layer to take that beating. A test strip is to test the amount of nitrate left in the system to protect. PH value from 8.5 to 10 to maintain the optimal chemistry. These are the most important factors to check. Other corrosion inhibitors in the SCA/DCA additive to protect other metals from corrosion found in a Diesel Engine. Since both Antifreeze and Water are good to draw heat out, but they are corrosive in nature to the material particle in metal. 

Mixing coolant type is OK at 5% to the most 25% but shorten the life of the antifreeze product. Type I is all manual control by the owner, you add the DCA filter and SCA liquid to reach the optimal chemistry. Type I is green for Truck diesel and car. But they are different and should not be mixed up. The Diesel truck Type I is very low in silicate. Silicate and DCA nitrite can form green goo that gum up water passage. That will be bad and two-year flush is recommended to minimize that chance. Type II and Type III used other chemical and post less issue. Type III is not toxic but less efficient to pull heat out of the engine. Water is the most efficient way to draw heat, better than the antifreeze, more water in the mix (40/60 water) does a better job for heat removal but less protection by the additive in the antifreeze. 

So for me at this stage is testing the coolant, add filter DCA and SCA as test dictate.