Keep your radiator and coolers clean!

[Golfnut]

I realized I'm not a super trucker like many of the members of this forum. I'm a farmer who probably spends about as many hours in my truck as I do miles per year!....For reference, I put about 7,000 miles/year on my truck but spend the better part of 6 months in it between harvest, winter hauling, and spraying season. For as long as I can remember my 2014 KW T680 with an ISX15 has ran in the 190-200 degree range and during a hard pull would run up to 215 causing the fan to kick on. The coolant temp would quickly go back down to 170ish and all was good. This would happen all day long unless it was colder (under 40) outside. On hot days it would be on 80% of the time. Earlier this year I decided to clean the radiator and coolers. I removed the charge air cooler and pressure washed it and the radiator with hot water. The engine and windshield of my truck were covered in dirt and crud. The next morning when the floor was dry and I cleaned it up I had a coffee can full of fine dust and dirt. I'm sure a similar amount went down the floor drain. I sure hoped it was worth my time. I'm several weeks into harvest now and the past few days have been in the mid to upper 80s and maybe 90. I've been pulling 85,000 lbs on 10 mile one way trips with several turns, so lots of stopping and then accelerating. Horrible for fuel mileage! So far my engine fan has not turned on and my temperature as not got above 195......and my AC works great!

[Rawze]

about once every 2 years or so I will soak the front radiator, CAC, etc in air conditioner coil cleaner .. let it sit for an hour, then flood the radiator(s) and wash it all away.. keeping everything where it can breathe well.

[3406E]

You definitely need to do this too if a truck is been sitting for two or more years. Thick sludge will build up in the coolant especially in cold weather. That is what came out of my recovery tank after my truck was parked before I started driving it.

[mikkhh]

Coolant has to be regularly changed since anti corrosion additives / inhibitors just react and do their job and run out after some time.

Also if mixing HOAT and OAT coolant that is going to cause sludge too!!!

[3406E]

Was so dirty I just bought a new one