Fleet charge or some other stuff

[SparkandFire]

So, it's that time again... Coolant change time. A year or so ago I went with the Peak green coolant with Fleetguard DCA/4 additive mixed in. Only reason I felt OK doing this was because the Peak green stuff said "Silicate Free" on the package. Long story short, after my multi-state trip over the last couple months came to an end, my radiator literally "pop'd" in the driveway whilst backing the trailer in for storage.

So, pulled the radiator to swap in a spare brass unit, and the original radiator was slimed up pretty bad inside. I have a feeling that the Peak "Silicate Free" crap was NOT silicate free, and the DCA/4 and the silicates got together and made a unholy mess of the innerworkings of my cooling system I use only distilled water in the rig.

Also, the truck had a very hard time coming up to operating temp, and a run across the Arizona desert with minimal heat last month got my wife on the "you need to scrap this thing" rant again... So, I R&R'd the thermostat this past weekend. It was gunked up with the dreadful slime as well.

This weekend I am going to change the coolant. I would like to get the Fleetcharge stuff, but most of the usual suspect auto parts megachain stores around here don't carry it. Anyone have any luck finding it locally???

 

[CaptTom]

Supposedly NAPA and Pep boys, any truck stop.

 

[bab029]

Tractor Supply around here.

 

[Ataylor]

I found some at Napa.

 

[ADV]

Got mine at Fleet Farm

I just noticed you are in CA. I am no help there is no Fleet Farm store that far west. I should pay more attention.

 

[jhnlennon]

Any tractor supply should carry it. I believe they have alot of those out west dont they?

 

[itsacrazyasian]

I kid you not, my local Advance auto parts in Boca which doesn't even carry brake pads for my truck now carries Fleetcharge.

 

[towcat]

....and a run across the Arizona desert with minimal heat last month got my wife on the "you need to scrap this thing" rant again...

bring it on over to the shop. I'll give you scrap value for the truck.

 

[SparkandFire]

Why do you think I kept her name off the title...

bring it on over to the shop. I'll give you scrap value for the truck.

 

[jim_22]

The classic green Texaco coolant is still available, this one:
http://www.alexisoil.com/pdf/Texantifreeze.pdf
Oops I may have misspoke... I just went to check my stock in the garage and it jarred my memory because last time I looked for the classic black bottle Texaco I could not find it locally (would have had to order it) so I matched up ingredients and talked to a couple of old timers and bought this one. On the label it says "Product is designed for use in heavy-duty diesel engines (with use of SCAs)." It is the classic fluorescent green color.

 

[RANOVRU]

When I replaced my water pump just a bit ago I switched from Zerex to Fleetcharge, mainly because Zerex isnt available anymore except whats left at a few places online.

I initially got it from Napa but Ive seen it just about everywhere now, Advance, Auto Zone, and TSC.

 

[Sycostang67]

I work at o'really auto and we carry it. It's mainly sold to commercial customer's though so it is kept in the back.

 

[Diesel JD]

Which Peak coolant were you using, the "Long Life" stuff? If so, it allegedly is suitable for use in all engines including heavy duty diesels. Allegedly it has SCA in it. That having been said, I haven't checked it to confirm with test strips. I'm not terribly concerned about cavitation with mine being a 6.9. I would only trust it in a 7.3 if I had checked too confirm the presence of at least one SCA. The reason I bring this up is that I wonder if incompatible SCA packages are what "slimed" your cooling system SparkandFire? You're allegedly not supposed to mix DCA2 and DCA4. They both work, you just have to be consistent, or at least that's what I have always heard since I've been interested about 9 or 10 years now.