Purging a Cooling System

Forgive my youthful ignorance, but,...
why cant I pump it in through a regulator.
When I add antifreeze to a forced hot water heating system " which I dont advise and rarely ever do", I dump water and antifreeze into a barrel to be sure it goes in mixed, throw a pump suction hose in the barrel, add a watts s1156f boiler feed to act as a regulator to the supply hose, and pump through into the barrel.
Inlet and outlet hoses are in the barrel, making the barrel the beginning and the end all in one.
With the barrel method it does two things, 1 it assures a mix, and 2 as you circulate it through the system into the barrel you can see air bubbles in the mix in the barrel, when you dont see any more bubbles you are good to go.
As far as air traps go, use an auto air vent, watts 0590719 with both auto and manual venting, just put them in the system at the highest points and if kick heaters are the problem put them there also.

Today I drained my antifreeze and added new. I recently had a hose blow in the bay where my OTR heater core is and the gate valves in front of the radiator were still closed. I decided to drain the engine with those shut to see how much the engine and radiator took alone. 18 gal of 50/50 mix.

I know that I have heard mention of antifreeze from DD that is precharged. This IS NOT THE NORM, in fact it is the only green antifreeze I have ever heard of that IS precharged and I myself have never seen it. I'm sure it is available but when purchasing it anywhere else MAKE SURE:

1-the product your buying does not contain silicone.
2-If ever adding more than a gallon or 2 to check afterward with test strips and add a charging agent accordingly because 99% of antifreeze does not contain the stuff. The one I have pictured below is what I use, it will treat 4 gal of 50/50 mix.

Attachment 2090

It is about 4 bucks so it adds about 1 dollar to the cost of a gallon and I paid 11 for the antifreeze so that puts it at 12 bucks a treated gallon. Jon what does DD charge for a gal. of theirs?

Also I have recently discovered to my astonishment that not all buses have a water filter. If you are one of these you need to get one. Not only do they filter but they also contain that same precharge that is in the DD product and the pint shown above. It lasts quite a while so when doing oil changes you DO NOT replace these every time but check the antifreeze with the test strips and if it is getting low on the scale only then do you put on new water filters and it adds charge.

Here is the filter I just removed to show the part# fot those who do not have them.

Attachment 2091

Most probably know this but for those who do not, not using a no silicone product and not testing the antifreeze and making sure the charge is correct IMO it is probably the biggest one cause for premature engine failure, because many are just unaware.

Here is what the test strips are.

Attachment 2092

A truck supply house is probably the best place to go for these items, or DD for sure if that is convienient.

Joe, I do not remember what I paid last time I changed antifreeze. I have been using the DD antifreeze (not the 50/50 premix) and the DD conditioning filters. I changed anti freeze and filters (every six months for them) and still had to recore a radiator on the last bus. I am now using the "pay me now or pay me later" philosophy relative to coolant and conditioning filters.

Baldwin and other filter manufacturers make their water filters with no chemical charge and/or with 2, 4 or 8 units of pre-charge so that you can maintain the pH of your antifreeze without liquid charge.

Be sure you don't mix the DCA and DCE products when you change filters or add additional conditioner and as mentioned by Joe, automotive type antifreeze with a high silicon level are not recommended for use in heavy duty vehicle applications

I would never buy antifreeze premixed but do it myself by adding distilled water to the strait antifreeze gallon.

It is amazing to me that they can get people to pay the same price for 50/50 premixed verses the original concentrated stuff. Seems like a lot of cash for 2 quarts of water???????????????

Orren what is DCE?

Joe: Be sure to check label for shelf life expiration on the test strips. they are limited. The bottles I have had last one to two years then expire. May be like some medicines, just want you to trash the old so you will buy more new ones.

While reviewing some of the previous posts, I re read this post concerning using a vacuum device to remove and add antifreeze. I am sure this works, but it does seem a little magic. I am assuming pulling a vacuum on the cooling cavity, then the water flashes into a vapor when under vacuum and liquifies when returned to normal ambient pressure. Whew, am I digging to deep??!!@@

Has anyone else used one of these?

My wife says, 'just use the d#$% thing and see if it works". Sometime simpler is better.


Jon, if you are going to use this, please offer us feedback as to how it worked. I would sure simplify coolant changes.

Hector

Hector,

Jon's still working his way home from Pt St Lucie, it takes a long time at 62.5. He left Pt St Lucie this morning at 2:27 AM and I passed him on I-75 at Wildwood about noon today and he was fast asleep. He should be home by Sunday.:p

We left PSL yesterday morning, and after taking a nap in Chattanooga to avoid the nutty Knoxville rush hour demolition derby on I 40 we were having dinner in the Cracker Barrel 3 miles from home at 7:00 PM after filling the bus and the Hummer with fuel. It was 770 miles each way and I took on 214 gallons of fuel which included running the Webasto and generator. My Pro Driver said 7.34 mpg for the last 6000 miles.

When runnning with the King we kept the speed down low so he could keep pace when I was in the front. When running solo on the return there were occasions when I saw speeds approaching 64.76 mph. I think that is the fastest I have ever driven.

Bull, I witnessed him going 64.8 mph downhill thru the middle of Atlanta.