Anti freeze & driveline fluid ??

[rb69]

I am getting ready to change out the driveline fluids (4X4) 99 250 sd w/ 7.3 & also replace all the hoses & anti-freeze.

Looking at Royal Purple, but the price of it has me wondering if it's worth it.
Also looked into anti freeze, but not sure what to use . Have heard motorcraft gold and also Fleetrite's, but they offer nearly every color in the rainbow.

What's your thoughts??

thanks

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by rb69

Looking at Royal Purple, but the price of it has me wondering if it's worth it.

If you mean for axle lube, then Royal Purple Max-Gear is fine. For the rear axle, just be sure to get the 75w140 synthetic and not anything else. If the clerk tries to sell you some other viscosity he just happens to have in stock, then walk out. You want 75w140 and nothing else for the rear axle. For the front axle, you want 75w90 weight gear lube.

But is Royal Purple better than Mobil 1 or even Wal-Mart's house brand of synthetic axle lube? No. Unless you believe in the tooth fairy. I have the Wal-Mart synthetic stuff in my rear axle.

The secret to changing the diff lube is to get the mating surfaces squeeky clean before you put on a bead of RTV silicon sealant (gasket maker) and button it back up. Ford says use Permatex Ultra Black RTV, but I couldn't find it and used the red version. The red stuff worked fine with no leaks or seeps for a few months now.
Permatex Gasket Makers

For the transfer case, transmission, and power steering, Royal Purple Max ATF is fine. I use Mobil 1 because it cheaper and just as good, but there's nothing wrong with Royal Purple. Royal Purple Transmission Fluid

Also looked into anti freeze, but not sure what to use .

Ford says to use either the green low-silicate antifreeze plus supplemental coolant additive (SCA) your truck came with from the factory, or else use the G-05 coolant that is maintenance free for 50,000 miles and doesn't require SCA. Motorcraft Premium Gold or Zerex G-05 "gold" or yellow coolant are easy to find. I changed over to the gold several years ago and my truck is doing fine. http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricant...ckref/scuc.pdf
The code "GY" applies to your truck. Be sure to read the fine print at the bottom of the chart.

The fine print says you want to do an outstanding job of flushing out all the old coolant with distilled water, then draining it good, then pouring in 4 gallons of new antifreeze concentrate (not 50/50), then topping off with distilled water. Here are the procedures I used when I did mine:
Changing from Green to Gold Coolant in a 7.3L PSD

You also want to do a good job of changing the ATF in the automagic tranny. Here's the latest version of the DIY procedures:
Changing ATF: 7.3L PowerStroke Engine and 4R100 Automatic Transmission.

[Gooch]

rb69, BEWARE of the coolant advice you're getting....

I see from another post that your truck's build date is 1/99. International, who made your engine, and who tested coolants in your engine, does not recommend OAT-containing coolants for engines built prior to 2/2/99 (SN 940614). Unfortunately, the Motorcraft Gold/Zerex G-05 contains these OATs (Organic Acid Technology).

International's recommendation is based on extensive testing that showed compatibility issues with OAT-containing coolants and injector cup material, sensors, o-rings, gaskets, front cover, and probably some other things. However, engines made after 2/2/99 (SN 940614) were revised to be completely compatible with OAT-containing coolant.

You can read about it here, at page 2:
http://www.internationaldelivers.com...pdf/dyk299.pdf

You can clearly see that Zerex does not recommend the G-05 for your PSD here:
http://www.valvoline.com/zerex/pdf/Z...d=1B5D1AEA1AFC

and here:
http://www.englefieldoil.com/PDF/Zerex_chart.pdf

Furthermore, Ford does not "say" you can use G-05 in your vehicle. Smokey's reference simply makes a leap from a Motorcraft sales catalog that makes no mention of the special coolant needs of your Powerstroke diesel engine. In fact it won't mention your Powerstroke at all.

What Ford "says" about using the Gold G-05 in a PSD that came with green can be seen here, at Q5:
FCSD Chemicals and Lubricants

"Ford is maintaining the position that all Ford vehicles should be serviced using only the coolant with which the vehicle was originally (factory-fill) equipped."

Finally, your owner's material (page 37) specifies an ESE-M97B44-E coolant. The Motorcraft Gold/Zerex G-05 is a WSS-M97B51-A1 coolant. Two completely different animals:
http://www.thedieselstop.com/faq/949...o%20Diesel.pdf

rb69, Ford has never approved the use of the Gold/Zerex G-05 in your early PSD. In fact, per TSB and the information I posted above, Ford has done just the opposite. So you might want to ask Smokey to show you Ford's official approval, not some catalog chart.

Now, what to use?...

With your build date, the safest and easiest thing I would recommend you use, is a conventional coolant pre-charged with SCA. These coolants already have the SCA additive in them, but you still need to test and maintain them with SCA thereafter. These are coolants like Peak Fleet Charge (pink), Prestone Heavy Duty (purple), Fleetguard Fleetcool (pink), Zerex Pre-charge (green), Shell Diesel Ready (purple), Fleetrite Fully Forumulated, and so on. They usually meet ASTM D6210. Of course you could always use the conventional coolant and add the SCA yourself.

If you insist on using an OAT-containing coolant in your early PSD, there are better ones than the Gold/G-05. That is a universal, one-size-fits-all coolant that Ford uses out of convenience, uniformity throughout its line-up, and cost. It is not the best for a diesel, and in fact won't meet the most strict diesel specifications. Here I would recommend a Heavy Duty ELC. No need to maintain or add SCA. Better cavitation and corrosion protection. Up to a 300-600-750K-1M mile change interval (depending on brand). Better heat transfer. Silicate, phosphate, and borate-free for better water pump life. More cost-effective long term. These are coolants like CAT ELC, Shell Rotella ELC, Chevron Delo ELC, Texaco HD ELC, Prestone HD ELC, Peak Final Charge, Zerex Extreme, and so on. Most will meet the toughest CAT EC-1 or Navistar/International B-1 spec.

You can find my flushing instructions here at TDS:
Coolant changing instructions...

rb69, if you have any detailed technical questions about coolants, feel free to PM me. I am experienced and trained in the field of coolants.

[Broncofever3]

I did mine with the standard green stuff and distilled water. Then added the SCA to it from Motorcraft (don't remember the number) stuff sold at the dealer. I check it twice a year and add as needed.

This is what I was told to do in 2000 and it has worked for my truck. If it is not right I would think I would have killed it by now. My truck has 175K on it and I changed the water pump at around 100K.

I hope I am doing it right............

[Gooch]

Bronco, the rule of thumb is no OAT-containing coolants for engines built prior to 2/2/99 (SN 940614). These OAT-containing coolants would be the Heavy Duty Extended Life Coolants and the Gold/G-05 coolants. So the earlier pre-2/2/99 engines should stay with the conventional coolant and SCA, or the SCA pre-charged coolants. The trick with the conventional/SCA coolant is to maintain and flush it frequently. You could use the conventional coolant and SCA in any PSD, but you would forgo the benefits of the heavy duty ELC in 2/2/99-up engines.

In engines built 2/2/99-up the Heavy Duty ELC's are the way to go because of the added benefits...no maintenance, no SCA, extremely long flush intervals, better corrosion and cavitation protection, better heat transfer, silicate-phosphate-borate-free for better water pump life, and so on.

You can't go wrong doing what you're doing, no matter your build date. However, you could do better if your truck is a 2/2/99-up build by using a heavy duty ELC.

[rb69]

Gooch, where can I find the serial # for the motor?

[Gooch]

Sticker on the driver's side valve cover, or a small machined surface on the engine block, directly behind oil filter and just in front of bell housing cover (you may need a wire brush and cleaner to see it).

[rb69]

Here is what I found on the v/c
KE 002 BC
091 4281
01 Jan 99
looks like this a early 99 ???

Thanks

[Gooch]

Looks like your SN is 914281 (1/99). That's prior to 940614 (2/2/99), when International revised the engine to be compatible with HD ELC. So I'd recommend sticking with a conventional low-silicate coolant and add SCA. Or better yet, use a pre-charged conventional coolant like Peak Fleet Charge, Prestone Heavy Duty (not the ELC), Zerex Pre-Charge, Shell Diesel Ready, International's Fleetrite Fully Formulated, and so on. With either method, you'll just have to test, maintain, and flush more frequently, but you'll have excellent protection.

[klhansen]

Originally Posted by rb69

Here is what I found on the v/c
KE 002 BC
091 4281
01 Jan 99
looks like this a early 99 ???

Thanks

So it's a New Year's Baby.
Technically, it's a 99.5 which started in early Dec (about the 8th) of 98. But for coolant purposes, you need to stick with the traditional stuff like Gooch mentioned.

[rb69]

how hard is it to remove the fittings on the heater core hose? Looks like it needs some type of tool to release them?? And do you reuse them or go w/ hose clamps?

Thanks