Engine Coolant: SCA (Have you checked lately?)

[Ray,IN]

Cummins Every Time recommends a low silicate antifreeze and SCA additive. Testing should be performed annually per Cummins instructions. The Cummmins ISB does not use any coolant additive (SCA), the only engines requiring SCA are wet-sleeve engines. This additive prevents cavitation on the sleeves from tiny air bubbles violently exploding during detonation. Too much additive is just as harmful as too little. Downloading each of the pdf documents explains everything that is recommended for each engine. I used Fleetguard Compleat in my Cummins ISB.

[tmitchell]

The coolant flush kit is just a brass male and female garden hose adapter that screws together.
You splice it into one of the heater hoses, the warmest one. When you need to flush the coolant you unscrew the couplings and screw a garden hose into one end and a short one to the other end, so you can direct the old coolant into a catch pan. It sells for about $15 at the Spartan Chassis link in my other post. I have a shut off valve screwed into the middle of the coolant kit, that I use because my Evans Control Valve has failed twice. It keeps my dash air cold.
Tom



Tom

[GaryKD]

Hi Royce999,
I have a Cummins ISC, 330 HP engine and changed the coolant myself. For my coach the coolant capacity was about 12 gallons. The factory installed green coolant that needed the annual SCA check. I changed to the red extended life coolant (Final Charge). Like you I wanted the job done right. The bottom line is that I drained, via the radiator, as much as possible. Then refilled the system with tap water. Ran the engine until warm (heater on full blast). Drained the system again. I repeated this procedure until I was draining only clear water. Next I refilled with only Final Charge (50/50 pre mix). Ran the engine until hot (heater on full blast). Drained via the radiator. Refilled with Final Charge again and repeated the process about 5-6 times. The last time I refilled, the last 2 gallons was Final Charge concentrate. This ensured I was above the 50/50 minimum concentration level.

Each draining got about 6 gallons of fluid out of the system. I had about 100 gallons of contaminated water to take to the recycle facility. I was ready for this as I saved every gallon jug we used for about a year. This was an all day job.

I know I lost a lot of new coolant, but I wanted to ensure as much of the tap water as possible was out of the system.

[Batman_777]

I read SCA's are used up and depleted over time and must be tested and added back as needed.

Coolant with SCA's does not mean the SCA's are there 4-ever.

[FleetMan]

A twist on the procedure described by GaryKD which I've used on my Power Stroke: If you know the capacity of your cooling system and flush till you get clean water and then drain - add the required amount of undiluted anti-freeze (not the 50/50 mix) and then top off with clean water/distilled water. This will negate any concerns of not completely draining the cooling system before adding the fresh anti-freeze.

[GaryKD]

Batman_777,
"I read SCA's are used up and depleted over time and must be tested and added back as needed. Coolant with SCA's does not mean the SCA's are there 4-ever. "

Your comment is correct. What is the point you are trying to make?

[Batman_777]

SCA's need to be re-adjusted over time by adding some back as they are used up, depleted, consumed or degrade.

[Hooligan]

Cummins has a service bulletin that discusses coolant requirements in detail. Cummins® Coolant Requirements and Maintenance

I've gone to the OAT Extended Life coolant in my ISB because it seems like less hassle. The ISB, 5.9 engine does not require Additives anyway.
The OAT coolant only needs an extender added at 6000hours, 3years or 300K miles and a complete change at 6 years..(Any top-off must be with OAT fluid.)

[Batman_777]

All of us will need another degree just to know how to service this RV

[walt2137]

Guys be careful what antifreeze you use, do a google to find out what types can be mixed. Some types dont mix chemically. This is a past from Bill D on Monacoers on this subject.

The last time I checked Prestone does not meet the Cummins antifreeze
Specifications HD EG ASTM 4985 listed in the engine manual. It might but you can get a
good antifreeze from the auto parts stores that does meet the Cummins
specs. The original antifreeze from the factory was Ethylene Glycol HD
antifreeze, low silicate etc. according to Cummins specifications. To
which was added DCA-4 additive to achieve the proper chemistry to
prevent cavitation. You can buy the antifreeze premixed or full
strength. The latter is the cheaper way to go and buy distilled water
at Wally World for about 68 cents a gallon rather that $3.50 a gallon
if you buy the premixed. Cummins says that the antifreeze must be
premixed before putting in the engine. Also you will have to add one
pint of DCA-4 additive for every 2 gallons of antifreeze mix put in the
engine as a starting point. The initial coolant filter should be a
four unit filter.

If the antifreeze is clean and the chemistry is pretty good then there
is no need to flush the engine. Just drain and refill but make sure
that the heater controls are turned to full hot.