What SCA is recommended for the PSD?

EMD_DRIVER

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I used a test strip on my coolant and it didn't show anything for SCA...

I have access to a 55 gallon drum of Nalcool and wondered if it was good for the PSD..

Might be a dumb question, but I had to ask...
 

Mike

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I always use Fleetguard DCA4.
 

argve

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any sca is better than no sca... Yes the Nalcool will work just fine. Just need to use the appropriate test strips.
 

BleednBlue68

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Is it all 7.3 PSD's that need the proper sca level? I've talked to some people who say its bs and others say you need it.
 

Agnem

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Supposedly the ones with "Gold" coolant do not need any. I suppose you should run DCA-4 if you have green coolant, or switch to the gold. :dunno Ford calls DCA-4, VC-8 I think?
 

snicklas

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Supposedly the ones with "Gold" coolant do not need any. I suppose you should run DCA-4 if you have green coolant, or switch to the gold. :dunno Ford calls DCA-4, VC-8 I think?

Mel,

The Ford Gold Coolant (It kinda looks like Mt. Dew) has the SCA's already in it. The 6.0's and I am sure at lease some of the 7.3 PSD came with it from the factory. It was originally said to be good for 5 years or 100,000 miles. Then a 50,000 service interval after. I received a letter in the mail about 6-8 months ago revising the service intervals for the oil and cooling systems. They are now saying the gold coolant should be replaced every 45-50,000 miles. If someone does switch to the Gold coolant it is an HOAT technology coolant and all "green" coolants must be flushed before conversion. I need to change mine and keep some spare on hand, I have an intermittant coolant leak that I need to fix. Fortunatly, at this point since I notice the leak last fall, I have only leaked maybe a quart of coolant.......

The Ford SCA's are:
It's possible for the coolant to cavitate--produce tiny bubbles--that can with time cause pin holes throught the cylinder walls from the water jackets. For this there is an additive; Ford P/N FW-15 or FW-16, Fleetguard P/N DCA4; that needs to be maintained in the coolant
 

NJKen

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SCA isnt as important in a 7.3 powerstroke as a 7.3 IDI but it is still important (in ANY diesel). The gold coolant does have something in it and needs no other additives or testing if changed on schedule.
Ken
 

EMD_DRIVER

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Wow! Lots of great info in this thread!


I guess now's the time for a pre-charged coolant filter. I'll be getting it at NAPA, but need to know which filter to get. They each come with different units of SCA/DCA
4071 - 4 units of DCA charge
4072 - 6 units of DCA charge
4073 - 8 units of DCA charge
4074 - 12 units of DCA charge


Any idea?
 

geonc

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My couple pennies goes towards ELC ;Sweet Have run it since '98 ---and taken alot of flack for using and recommending it too...........

The coolant hoses, heater core, water pump, etc... are none the worse either, in spite of the naysayers :D


Used Rotella ELC in my IDI that went 300k+ miles with no issues and currently am running Cat ELC in my PSD with over 300k mi and both rigs were not garage queens or weekend toy haulers----they both averaged 700 miles a week!:hail

NO test strips, dipping etc.....

Gary, I can see no ill effects from using the Nalcool/Penray----That was the only coolant additive Detroit Diesel used/recommended and if it can protect the block from the harmonic cavitation of a 2 stroke well then ;Sweet
 

EMD_DRIVER

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Gary, I can see no ill effects from using the Nalcool/Penray----That was the only coolant additive Detroit Diesel used/recommended and if it can protect the block from the harmonic cavitation of a 2 stroke well then ;Sweet

Seems to work well in our locos.. Since we can't use antifreeze in them, it turns the water pink. The guys in the shop just found out last summer, that you can actually use too much of the stuff. They had always just gone by how pink the water was, to determine how much to put in.

BTW: The boss had us put antifreeze in one of the locos in the fall of '08. It lasted about 6 months. Ended up shredding the main bearings. They worked on it another 8 or so months and it's now stuffed out behind the shop. I believe the crank is still pretty scored up.
 

hheynow

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I stopped using DCA4 and test strips years ago because I found a better product called RMI-25. First found it at dieselsite.com but Bob is no longer selling it. I now get it elsewhere.
 

trackspeeder

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Seems to work well in our locos.. Since we can't use antifreeze in them, it turns the water pink. The guys in the shop just found out last summer, that you can actually use too much of the stuff. They had always just gone by how pink the water was, to determine how much to put in.

BTW: The boss had us put antifreeze in one of the locos in the fall of '08. It lasted about 6 months. Ended up shredding the main bearings. They worked on it another 8 or so months and it's now stuffed out behind the shop. I believe the crank is still pretty scored up.

The shop found out the hard way. Antifreeze and Good wrench engines don't get along.:eek:

I use the 4 unit pre charged filter on the 01. Because I got a deal on the case:D. Once they run out I will convert to the ELC stuff.;Sweet
 

mankypro

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I run CAT ELC in my 01' 7.3 and a coolant filter with no SCAs and green in the 84' 6.9 with a 4 unit coolant filter.

Works for me - it's scary the crap flying around in my PSD's cooling system and even the reman'd engine in the 84' with 120k on it. I can only imagine that removing the sediment and other crud will make the rad's and other components last longer.
 
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