Rotella ELC, universal green, or...?

[Cubey]

My truck is probably long overdue for coolant change. I plan to finally do it in the next couple months. I have had to add coolant several times in the past 2 years but never checked the chemistry. (I live dangerously, I guess) Just been using Walmart or Prestone coolant.

I think someone dumped radiator stop leak in it at one point, I have seen that copper looking junk floating at the top of the radiator. I cleaned out what i saw with a clean rag. I think it leaks a little but nothing major. It has some crud from lack of maintenance but nothing too horrible, at least from what i can see at the radiator filler.

No overheating issues, runs between about 180-195. Sometimes climbs to 200ish when I first get on the freeway but then quickly drops to 190ish, presumably when the thermostat opens.

As far as non-50/50 ELCs (distilled water is only $1/gal after all) is Rotella any good for IDIs?

Tractor supply is selling it for $17/gal. No added SCAs needed.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/shell-rotella-elc-antifreeze-1-gal

Or is cheap universal green good enough as long as you add SCA?

Or is there something better than those two for IDI use?

 

[chris142]

I'm not sold on long life coolants in older stuff. Both the elc and Prestone are based on GM's dexcrap and are very ******* plastic and rubber components like the orings in your oil cooler.

 

[Oledirtypearl86]

I run Prestone elc in my truck seems to be just fine no issues yet and I've been using it for 5 or so years

 

[CDX825]

Final Charge would be my recommendation for ELC because it doesn't contain the 2EHA that eats certain gasket types.

Last time I was at wal mart I seen they had the 50/50 for $7.98 Thats a pretty good deal because I know at the auto parts its over 20 for a gallon of full strength.

 

[chillman88]

That rotella is what I'm going to try when I switch. I did some looking around the internet and didn't find much info on people using it... But I didn't hear anything bad either.

I would use the Cat ELC but there isn't a dealer close and rotella is available everywhere.

 

[DrCharles]

Peak's Fleet Charge (available lots of places) seems to work. Or you can use green antifreeze, distilled water and two bottles of additive from your Ford dealer...

 

[snicklas]

Zerex G-05 works good in the IDI's. It's what I run in both of mine and the next change on the 6.0 is getting Zerex

 

[Cubey]

Final Charge would be my recommendation for ELC because it doesn't contain the 2EHA that eats certain gasket types.

Last time I was at wal mart I seen they had the 50/50 for $7.98 Thats a pretty good deal because I know at the auto parts its over 20 for a gallon of full strength.

It's been $12.56 for 50/50 every time I've seen it. That's the local price here too.

Peak's Fleet Charge (available lots of places) seems to work. Or you can use green antifreeze, distilled water and two bottles of additive from your Ford dealer...

I personally don't like the local Ford dealer here. Thankfully, O'Reilly sells a lot of Motorcraft stuff. They sell the SCA but it might need to be ordered. It's a heck of a lot cheaper to get concentrated, pour in 4 gallons then top off with distilled until full.


I plan to do at least 2 distilled fill and flushes. Maybe 3 if the 2nd still has a green tint or is otherwise still dirty.

It might still be the original radiator, being painted black on the top? It could probably stand to have a cooling system cleaner run through it, but I would hate to expose it to anything too caustic. $8 per distilled flush is better than ruining a $200+ radiator that currently works fine, even if it might be seeping a little.

And it's cheaper than paying a shop who would probably run tap water through it to flush it because its cheaper and faster.

I need to wait until March so I don't risk getting caught during freezing overnight temperatures, since I want to fill with pure distilled water, drive it a few miles, then let it cool for draining. Then repeat a couple more times. It might take a few days to complete, so yeah.

 

[RDieselKid84]

STOP... Don't use the Rotella elc in and old 6.9 I did in 2002 and by the end of 2003 I had leaking head gaskets. The Ford dealership told me that the elc had eaten the old gaskets. I use the green coolant from NAPA with there additive. Hope this helps you. If you flush you're system try termacool flush.

 

[Cubey]

STOP... Don't use the Rotella elc in and old 6.9 I did in 2002 and by the end of 2003 I had leaking head gaskets. The Ford dealership told me that the elc had eaten the old gaskets. I use the green coolant from NAPA with there additive. Hope this helps you. If you flush you're system try termacool flush.

Thanks. That's why I came to ask ahead of time.

Motorcraft additive is $6.50 a bottle at Oreilly, how does that compare with napa's?

Did you mean Thermocure? Ouch it would require buying 3 bottles, $60. A single bottle is for up to 3 gallons. So for 8, I'd need 2-2/3 bottles.

 

[RDieselKid84]

It is does cost a lot but you can use it again as a deruster because it only attacks rust and the crud In the system. They say you can use it in a second vehicle. So you get twice the use of it.

 

[Cubey]

It is does cost a lot but you can use it again as a deruster because it only attacks rust and the crud In the system. They say you can use it in a second vehicle. So you get twice the use of it.

I don't have a second vehicle to use it in. I can't store 8 gallons of it mixed with the distilled water it would go in. So it would be a 1 time use thing then disposed of. But... im sure it needs some kind of cleaning. Dangit.

 

[Cubey]

Any thoughts on Blue Devil flush? Its less than half the price of thermacure, $7.49 at oreilly.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...tor-flush/00204/2572377/1987/ford/f-250?pos=5

 

[CDX825]

STOP... Don't use the Rotella elc in and old 6.9 I did in 2002 and by the end of 2003 I had leaking head gaskets. The Ford dealership told me that the elc had eaten the old gaskets. I use the green coolant from NAPA with there additive. Hope this helps you. If you flush you're system try termacool flush.

That's why you need to use an ELC with the cummins 14603 spec. Means it won't eat older gaskets in the cooling system.

 

[Cubey]

There is a Napa brand HD coolant that's precharged with SCA: https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NAFHD1GAL

Also, Prestone...
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/PARAFC10000

If they are good for IDIs, I don't know.