coolant filter,,additive,,testing now I am all confused again

[defecater]

Didnt want to hijack other threads that have kind of touched on this, but confused me a bit more.

Based on the write up article from this website, a while back I put a NAPA sourced coolant filter on that was charged with the coolant additive on a truck that I am working on when time allows. Truck is not currently drivable, as I am working on other issues at the same time. I followed the directions that came with the filterhead and ran the entire flow through the filter- turns out I had the flow going the wrong way initially, then switched it around once I found that out. Was planning on doing the bypass setup that seems to be highly recommended here once I had some of the bigger issues taken care of on the truck. Last week I had it running and noticed there was no interior heat. On investigation, I found that the hose running from the cylinder head into the filter was warm, and one side of the filter was barely detectable as lukewarm- rest of the lines were cold. I am assuming that the filter is plugged up already - so heres where things get confusing for me. I had drained the entire system before putting the filter on, and refilled with fresh Peak antifreeze and distilled water, planning on the filter to add the appropriate amount of coolant additive. My questions are--

Is the filter plugged because I mistakenly ran the flow through it backwards for a short time, causing the element to collapse, or maybe having the wrong effect on the dispersal of the additive contained within??

Does the filter put all the additive in the coolant in one dose, or slowly added it over time??

I went to the NAPA store to get some test strips, but the couner guy didnt really know what I was talking about. Did manage to find a test kit of some sort in one of their books, but it was kind of vauge on what specifically it tested for by the description- It did come with 50 test strips as I recall and did mention something about SCA. What is the part number for the appropriate test strips that I need??? I want to know how much of the additive made it into the system so I can get the appropriate filter to replace the plugged up one (do I need another filter with additive, or did the additive pretty much make it into the system before the filter plugged up, and all I need for a while will be the plain filter with no additive???)

Been working on gasoline engines all my life- this is my first diesel, and it is making me feel like a dumb-ass.

 

[jperecko]

No worries not too many people really understand all the facets of SCAs and their magic... I know I don't

As I understand it, the charge is pretty much dispensed all at once so as long as coolant was being pumped one way or the other it likely all (or close to it) got into your system. Obviously change the filter to be sure but I would do it with a filter without charge since you likely already charged the system. Setup the charge-less filter on bypass so that you do not kill your heater and see how that goes.

Cannot help with the PN of the strips... I thought it was listed somewhere. They should come with directions as to how to read them and what they test for. If not, take them back.

 

[argve]

The filters don't disperse their entire SCA all at once, they have balls in them that will release the SCA over a period of time - they dissolve slowly.

Now for the no flow situation.... I have not heard of any coolant filter system that wasn't supposed to be in a bypass situation. Not saying they don't make one but I just haven't heard of it. If it was mine I would replace the filter and plumb it in with the filter head being in parallel with the heater core.

 

[hesutton]

The SCA will be disperse over time. It will take about 300 or so miles (based on my experience) to get the level up to *****. The SCA in the filter will maintain that level for a good long time. Check the level every oil change or about every three months. If it is low, change the filter.

The reason there was no heat in the cab is because there is not enough flow through the filter head. It (like stated above) is designed to be a bypass filter. It must be plumped in parallel (bypass) with the heater core hoses, not in series (direct).

The test stips needed are part number 4107.

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Heath