nicksorenson
Registered User
I've driven a few diesels and been pretty educated but never really saw the word 'Cavitation' until Ford.
Is it specific to IH diesels? IDI?
Is it specific to IH diesels? IDI?
Cavitation specific to the IDI?? Ford?
- Thread starter nicksorenson
- Start date
No, I read caterpillar has the same problem in some of their engines.
There is an article about cavitation in the tech section of this forum. Some use dca additives and others have used evans coolant to eliminate the additive part indefinitely.
There is an article about cavitation in the tech section of this forum. Some use dca additives and others have used evans coolant to eliminate the additive part indefinitely.
nicksorenson
Registered User
Yeah I read the article. The tech section is Great! Lots of good info there. Will the S.C.A.s completely prevent the cavitation problem or just slow things down a little?
Mr_Roboto
Full Access Member
Cavitation is strictly a diesel phenomenon.
The 7.3 IDI is particularly prone because the cylinder walls are thinner than they should be. This increases the amount of coolant cavitation, as well as gives less metal until cavitation damage becomes fatal.
Most large diesel engines have removeable cylinder sleeves, for ease of engine rebuilding and block longevity. So cavitation damage would not be so catastrophic.
The 7.3 IDI is particularly prone because the cylinder walls are thinner than they should be. This increases the amount of coolant cavitation, as well as gives less metal until cavitation damage becomes fatal.
Most large diesel engines have removeable cylinder sleeves, for ease of engine rebuilding and block longevity. So cavitation damage would not be so catastrophic.
Diesel JD
Full Access Member
I heard the 8.2 Detroit was even worse. It can happen to any diesel, but I think the 7.3 had problems because Ford never warned the owners that they needed to keep up SCA levels, at least not until 1992 or 93. If you look CAT, Cummins, all the big diesel manufacturers have great extended life coolants and precharged conventional coolants these days. The must be important for something eh?
yARIC008
Drives really slow
Actually, it's just a high compression phenomenon. It just so happens that all diesel are high compression though so it involves all diesels. If you have a high compression gasser engine it'll affect it as well.
oldmisterbill
Grumpy Old Man
I saw some cavattaion on A 250 cummmings once.Didnt kill it just saw it when it was torndown.The sleeves are so thick that the cavation was ntohing to cause concern.It was in the 1970's in an old white.I know it would have never bothered it for a few hundred thousand miles.
SCAs to prevent cavitation and head gasket erosion have been a fact of live for all diesels for a very long time. It's just that Ford forgot to tell anyone about it when they sold these things new ( gee I wonder if they had an idea to sell folks a new truck in ten years 
-------Robert
-------Robert
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