Coolant Suggestions.

[Dreadflux]

Morning guys,
Easy one here, I think. Once again, I’ve just purchased this truck, so thank you for answering all my dumb questions. I’d like to add coolant. I’ve heard that the color is important, and that you should get the same color coolant. Is this true? Any suggestions on brand? Second, does the coolant additive get added directly into the coolant reservoir bottle?
Thanks everyone.

 

[chillman88]

Mixing amounts are "supposed" to be set by testing using test strips. Is it a flush/fill? I think you'll need two bottles to start.

Add it to the radiator, not the overflow.

I bought test strips from Amazon before. I'll see if I can track down the link.

EDIT:

Amazon.com

 

[Dreadflux]

Mixing amounts are "supposed" to be set by testing using test strips. Is it a flush/fill? I think you'll need two bottles to start.

Add it to the radiator, not the overflow.

I bought test strips from Amazon before. I'll see if I can track down the link.

EDIT:

Amazon.com

It is not a flush/fill. I believe there was more coolant when I purchased the truck. It definitely wasn’t this low. I’m concerned I have a leak despite not having any obvious signs of one. Going to add coolant today so I can figure out if I actually have a leak.

 

[chillman88]

Yeah if you're not flushing it I'd start by testing. Too much will fall out of solution and chew up the water pump, or so I've been told. Better safe than sorry!

Triple check all the hoses closely. I had one that was cut just a little bit by the clamp. Barely leaked.

 

[TexasTruck]

I buy the Motorcraft VC-5 coolant and Motorcraft VC-8 SCA (supplemental coolant additive) additive from Ford. Everything goes in the radiator. Too much SCA and too little SCA will cause problems. Use the strips. The link above shows one test but if you type "SCA test strips" after following the link you can find one with 50 tests.

 

[Dreadflux]

I buy the Motorcraft VC-5 coolant and Motorcraft VC-8 SCA (supplemental coolant additive) additive from Ford. Everything goes in the radiator. Too much SCA and too little SCA will cause problems. Use the strips. The link above shows one test but if you type "SCA test strips" after following the link you can find one with 50 tests.

Thanks man, really appreciate the additional info. Just ordered the test strips. I have to do a 300 mile trip later today though. Do you guys think I’m okay leaving it for now if my rad is full? If I can’t test cuz I don’t have the strips, I’m concerned about just adding coolant just to get to the cold line on my reservoir. I can confirm the rad fluid was filled/flushed before the 2000 mile trip that was done after I bought the truck.

 

[TexasTruck]

I'm not the coolant expert but if it were me I would make sure to add the coolant to the reservoir and worry about the test after 300 miles. Better to be a little short on SCA than short on coolant on a short road trip. I don't think you will harm it but I am not positive on that.

 

[CDX825]

If the truck is new to you I would flush it out good. Do a final flush with distilled water. Change the heater hoses and radiator hoses then fill it with fresh coolant.

You really want a diesel rated coolant. There are tons to choose from. Fleet charge and final charge are very common. Fleet charge is like regular green with the sca already added. Final Charge is an extended life coolant that you never have to add sca to.

I used to run fleet charge in everything but I have been slowly switching everything over to final charge. Its about twice the money but its a lot better coolant.

 

[aggiediesel01]

Don't worry about the overflow bottle, but do make sure that the radiator is full to the cap. As it gets hot, it may push some into the overflow bottle so be sure to check the radiator during the trip a couple times to make sure the level is not dropping in the radiator itself. Just let it idle while you're refueling and when you're done it'll probably have cooled off enough to slowly unscrew the radiator cap to release the final pressure to check. I wouldn't take coolant with you yet, just good clean (preferably distilled) water with you and use that to top up and just in case.... It's summer time so you don't really have to worry about freezing yet and the coolant in the overflow looks highly concentrated already so diluting it a bit shouldn't hurt. To answer your other question about where to add, on these trucks, everything should be added to the radiator directly. The overflow is basically useless if the system has heat cycled a few times and stabilized and the truck isn't changing elevation or load much.

Also on the coolant additive, you will likely find that you can buy your coolant filter precharged with the additive inside it and it's good for so many miles or time. You may have to only check the levels every so often.

 

[Dreadflux]

Don't worry about the overflow bottle, but do make sure that the radiator is full to the cap. As it gets hot, it may push some into the overflow bottle so be sure to check the radiator during the trip a couple times to make sure the level is not dropping in the radiator itself. Just let it idle while you're refueling and when you're done it'll probably have cooled off enough to slowly unscrew the radiator cap to release the final pressure to check. I wouldn't take coolant with you yet, just good clean (preferably distilled) water with you and use that to top up and just in case.... It's summer time so you don't really have to worry about freezing yet and the coolant in the overflow looks highly concentrated already so diluting it a bit shouldn't hurt. To answer your other question about where to add, on these trucks, everything should be added to the radiator directly. The overflow is basically useless if the system has heat cycled a few times and stabilized and the truck isn't changing elevation or load much.

Also on the coolant additive, you will likely find that you can buy your coolant filter precharged with the additive inside it and it's good for so many miles or time. You may have to only check the levels every so often.

You hit the nail on the head. I went out and bought some SCA precharged, and just kept it with me. Didn’t end up adding any. When the truck was heated up, the overflow reservoir was half full. Zero issues on the trip the truck ran like a clock. I’m trying to be beyond careful with this truck! Only 49,000 original kms. So I really appreciate your response.

 

[ISPKI]

I have been using this coolant for a while. Complete flush with cleaner and distilled water on every truck I buy (you never know what the previous owners put in there!). It is concentrated and precharged, checks out on the test strips everytime.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ged-fully-formulated-antifreeze-coolant-1-gal

 

[TexasTruck]

Had I known that about Tractor Supply I would have gotten that. It ends up being less expensive than the Motorcraft combo deal and I don't have to think about it. I have to rework my coolant lines from the radiator sometime soon so I will put this on the list. Thank you!

 

[Weldingman]

I have been using this coolant for a while. Complete flush with cleaner and distilled water on every truck I buy (you never know what the previous owners put in there!). It is concentrated and precharged, checks out on the test strips everytime.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...ged-fully-formulated-antifreeze-coolant-1-gal

That coolant is good for the 6.9 idis?

 

[TNBrett]

That coolant is good for the 6.9 idis?

Yep. Napa has it too. They also have a Napa version that’s usually a little bit cheaper. I run it in all my older diesels engines.

 

[aggiediesel01]

That's what I run in my '97. I got it from Advance Auto simply because nearly every time I visit their site I get a pop up offering 20% or sometimes 25% off something. I used that when when I got a 25% one and that helped alot when I had to get 5 gallons of the stuff.