coolant change: 11-12 gallon

[Jim_Scoggins]

Just for info:
Over the weekend I started a project to change the coolant in the coach. I
am looking for a way to get it done easily without spending an inordinate
amount of time. The radiator contained some green colored antifreeze and I
wanted to replace it with the standard purple Detroit stuff.

Anyway, I dumped 11-12 gallons from the radiator using the drain valve at
the bottom of it. I did flush the radiator itself trying to get most of the
green stuff out of the radiator proper. I refilled it with six gallons of
Detroit purple and six gallons of distilled water. I ran the Webasto to burp
the system--seemed to work. Ran the coach around the block a few times to
heat it up and needed another gallon or so up in the tank.

I will take it out in a couple of weeks to give it a hard run.

My plan: I will do another "easy dump" after giving the coach a hard run.
Thereafter, I will do the "easy dump" annually. This seems easier to me than
doing the entire system every two years. One can make a career of getting
all the fluid changed all at once in these things

However, I will await Jon's report how his new tool for putting a vacume on the system worked.

[Orren Zook]

Jim,

you might want to get a test kit and check the freeze point, molybdate and nitrate levels.... you'll probably have to add chemical to get the SCA to Detroit Diesel's required level.

[Jim_Scoggins]

Thanks Orren. I did so and it was pretty close --the coolant had the SCA in it. I will check it again after I have run everything through the system a bit.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Jim's coach should have the conditioning filter which if changed with the coolant should bring and keep his chemistry in line.

[Jim_Scoggins]

Just for info and closing the loop.

Ran the coach for about 80 miles last weekend to complete (hopefully) final burping of the system.

Total of 15 gallons back in.