Best coolant to run in the isx?

[dhirocz]

Not used to running anything other than good ol' ethylene glycol, the green stuff.

I always buy concentrate and put it in around 60-70% strength, and it has never let me down. I always keep the filter changed, and flush it anytime there is an issue.

Now I have cross contamination with the red stuff, thanks to running in transit heat on a trailer out of MA that was supposed to be clean. It wasn't. Now my coolant looks like some gross bloody mess, and I just flushed it too.

Now I've never been a fan of anything else. I remember working as a gm tech almost 20 years ago, and remember when dexcool came out. It ended up separating in the system, the liquid steamed out the minute there was an issue and it was not water soluble. It left huge coffee grind like deposits in the radiator and engine, and usually was fixed with a combination of thermostat replacement, aggressive flush and a new radiator filled with glycol. No more issues.

...times have changed. I still run glycol in everything I own. Am I leaving anything on the table? And no, I haven't been sampling coolant, I just flushed it before this. I know. Im bad... So how does it compare?

[hhow55]

I would find out what coolant is in the in transit heat system, and go with that. I use trp elc, it contains everything that is needed with no nitrate and is good for 750k mi.

[Rawze]

I have talked to a lot of guys who use a lot of different cooling system products. I have even tried a few of them myself, some with night-mere results (even evans waterless -- absolute garbage!). Here has been my final conclusions...

Green or dex (orange) from wal-mart coolant == NOT REALLY MADE FOR A BIG RIG WITH WET LINERS!. Sure, you can make it work, but you have to keep adding s#it to it and you have to keep checking it, etc. Dex is also not able to mix with anything very well either. i have seen guys who have burned holes through their liners with green and dex both because they don;t keep after it regularly enough.

waterless -- just dont go there!!!.-- DON'T DO IT! -- http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...14#pid1114


OAT, purple, etc.etc. and anything that is NOT red ELC --- Some guys run those coolants and have good luck. Not to pick on them, but - (A). Harder to get when you need it and your in the middle of nowhere. and (B). costs more and you get no gains whatsoever over El-sheap-o red ELC (extended life coolant).

RED ELC (red extended life coolant). - Can be had at all truck stops + most auto stores and is only about $8 a gallon or so at many suppliers. This is what i recommend to others. WHY? -- (A) Its easy to get. (B) It is the most common used coolant in trucking. © its a truck repair shop standard. (D) I have seen engines go a million miles+ and never get any kind of liner pitting, rust, or any other problem even when guys don't maintain it properly. (D) it just works and you don't have to worry about it much.


No matter what coolant you use, I do recommend that no matter what type, even if your maintaining it, you should not let it get more than about 500k miles old (or every 4 years max), and that it be tested every once in a while to ensure it is not becoming a hidden, engine killing problem. Replacing it every so often helps greatly towards keeping contaminants and deposits from building up.

just my own conclusions, others may not agree.

[dhirocz]

That was exactly the answer I was looking for.

Cheaper than ethylene glycol too. When I get home I might give it a whirl. I took it off the road for the rest of the year to do some work on it...waiting for some new coolant lines for my compressor.

[Waterloo]

(12-23-2017 )dhirocz Wrote:  That was exactly the answer I was looking for.

Cheaper than ethylene glycol too. When I get home I might give it a whirl. I took it off the road for the rest of the year to do some work on it...waiting for some new coolant lines for my compressor.

If you go with the Red 50/50 ELC check to see if you have a Fleet Pride store in your area, they have their house brand for $8 a gallon, comes 3 gallons to a case.

[dhirocz]

Wait. 50/50? You mean they sell that stuff in that prediluted sales gimmick like they do for ethylene glycol? I sure hope they carry it in concentrate...

That prediluted coolant, IMO, is just another perfect example of corporate America abusing people to make a dollar. At least with glycol, I never had an issue with diluting it out of the tap...it didn't stay in a car that long to make a difference (unless your water was really gross). With something expected to last awhile, it would make more sense to use clean water. That's the best way to go.

End rant. Yeah I've got a FP right next to my cummins dealer. I'll grab some after the holidays.

[Waterloo]

(12-24-2017 )dhirocz Wrote:  Wait. 50/50? You mean they sell that stuff in that prediluted sales gimmick like they do for ethylene glycol? I sure hope they carry it in concentrate...

That prediluted coolant, IMO, is just another perfect example of corporate America abusing people to make a dollar. At least with glycol, I never had an issue with diluting it out of the tap...it didn't stay in a car that long to make a difference (unless your water was really gross). With something expected to last awhile, it would make more sense to use clean water. That's the best way to go.

End rant. Yeah I've got a FP right next to my cummins dealer. I'll grab some after the holidays.

I believe they have the concentrate too... Merry Christmas!

[dhirocz]

About time to finish this winter's repairs and such to prepare for the next 6 months. Last go around until the engine comes apart again. Trying to finish up this week.

I didn't ask if I should go for nitrate free coolant or not. Im going to do the switch to red ELC, complete with a flush and new filter... I can get the regular Rosella ELC at tractor supply in concentrate, but not the NF version...

I'll be keeping a gallon of the concentrate under my bunk after all is said and done.

[Nilao]

I get the pre-diluated stuff for 2 reasons. 1, it’s easier. 2, tap water has impurities that lead to scale buildup on your liners and radiator tubes. If I do use concentrate I buy gallon jugs of distilled water to keep the system free of hard water deposits.

This is just what works for me.