[99250]

when i bought my truck [in signature]it had a reddish brown coolant. then the dealers changed it to a green coolant.then they tell me this green coolant has to have another additave put in every service.they have confused me now.
but the best thing to come out of this, i had a dealer replace the thermostat replaced because of a heating problem i had at xmas.
i was still not happy with this so i went back to the dealer i bought the truck from,they have replaced the radiator , saying it was sixty percent blocked.
[this was done with one week and 200 klms of warranty left]
i want to get this coolant thing right now ,with new parts in.
im thinking of changing the coolant out and going with the cat long life.
any thoughts?
99250

 

[Lariatrob2000]

I run Prestone coolant, (green) with NAPA Kool addative. (purple liquid) There are test strips you can buy to check the amount of addative you have, and tell you if you have enough or not. I follow the initial treatment directions on the NAPA Kool bottle, and check every so-often with the strips.

If a Ford dealer replaced your radiator, chances are they put their addative in it, and I wouldn't bother changing your coolant. If it wasn't a Ford dealer, and you don't have the addative, it isn't too late to just add it to what you have.

 

[99250]

yes ,ford dealer replaced radiator.
i just not keen on putting more additave in every service. thats why the cat elc appeals to me.plus i can get it through my work.
99250

 

[beantown]

Put this in it!

Rotella ELC coolant meets all the specs and no more fricken additive or test strips. :thup:

 

[Gooch]

The reddish-brown coolant could've been a specialty coolant like the Evans, or some mixture of a red ELC with green or yellow. Who knows.

My only suggestion with using an OAT-containing coolant (like a Heavy Duty ELC or the G-05 gold) in your early '99 comes from International who made the engine and tested different coolants. They recommended using OAT-containing coolants only in engines built 2/2/99-up (SN 940614-up). This is the date they revised the engine to be compatibile with OAT-containing coolants. Earlier engines were found to have compatibility issues under some operating conditions with injector cup material, sensors, gaskets and o-rings, the front cover, and probably some other things. Although a lot of owners use HD ELC in early builds without issue. Your call.

If it were my vehicle, I would play it safe and use a pre-charged heavy duty coolant meeting ASTM D6210 (ASTM D6210 = ASTM D4985 + a charge of SCA). Then I would test the SCA level every 2-3 oil changes and add SCA as necessary. Flush every 30-50K miles. These are coolants like Shell Diesel Ready (purple), Prestone Heavy Duty (purple), Zerex Pre-Charge (green), Peak Fleet Charge (pink), Detroit Diesel Power Cool (pink), CAT Diese Engine Antifreeze Coolant (pink), and a host of others. With them you won't need to add SCA at initial fill, but you might thereafter. They provide excellent corrosion and cavitation protection. Otherwise it's the basic conventional low-silicate "green" stuff and adding SCA. Just make sure the conventional coolant meets ASTM D4985 (heavy duty, low-silicate).

 

[99250]

thanks gooch, this is not my 99, its my o6.
the reason they replaced the radiator ,[under warranty]was it was blocked ,possiblyfrom the wrong coolants from new. [high silicate]i had never changed coolants from new,ford dealers done that.
i just want an elc coolant that meets the specs and not have to worry about it anymore.
99250

 

[Tailgate]

Do the swap to G-05 Gold coolant. Gotta make sure you fully flush out the old stuff...takes time, and the last stage is to use 20 gallons of distilled water for the final flush. Won't ever have to worry about testing the SCA levels, etc.

If you're going to do this, you'll DEFINITELY want to put on a coolant bypass filter. This will filter out all the crap in your block, like sand (yes, sand). Will definitely prolong the life of your water pump, radiator, and even coolant. Fantastic mod, easy to do, and not that pricey. Worth every penny.